Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating microelectromechanical (MEMS) device. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating mass including the steps of patterning a surface of a device layer of the vibrating mass with a mask, etching the vibrating mass to define a structure of the vibrating mass, determining a first set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, determining a mass removal amount of the vibrating mass and a mass removal location of the vibrating mass to obtain a second set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, removing the mask at the mass removal location, and etching the vibrating mass to remove the mass removal amount of the vibrating mass at the mass removal location of the vibrating mass.

Abstract: A microscale apparatus includes a microscale rigidized Parylene strap having a reinforcement structure extending from a first side of the strap, a first silicon substrate suspended by the microscale rigidized Parylene strap, the microscale rigidized Parylene strap conformally coupled to the first substrate, and a second substrate conformally coupled to the microscale rigidized Parylene strap to suspend the first silicon substrate through the microscale rigidized Parylene strap.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating microelectromechanical (MEMS) device. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating mass including the steps of patterning a surface of a device layer of the vibrating mass with a mask, etching the vibrating mass to define a structure of the vibrating mass, determining a first set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, determining a mass removal amount of the vibrating mass and a mass removal location of the vibrating mass to obtain a second set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, removing the mask at the mass removal location, and etching the vibrating mass to remove the mass removal amount of the vibrating mass at the mass removal location of the vibrating mass.

Abstract: A vapor cell includes an interrogation cell in a substrate, the interrogation cell having an entrance window and an exit window, and a first transparent thin-film heater in thermal communication with the entrance window. The transparent thin-film heater has a first layer in communication with a first pole contact at a proximal end of the heater and a layer coupler contact at a distal end, a second layer in communication with a second pole contact at the proximal end, and the second layer electrically coupled to the layer coupler contact at the distal end. An insulating layer is sandwiched between the first and second layers. The insulating layer has an opening at the distal end to admit the layer coupler contact and to insulate the remainder of the second layer from the first layer.

Abstract: A microscale apparatus includes a microscale rigidized Parylene strap having a reinforcement structure extending from a first side of the strap, a first silicon substrate suspended by the microscale rigidized Parylene strap, the microscale rigidized Parylene strap conformally coupled to the first substrate, and a second substrate conformally coupled to the microscale rigidized Parylene strap to suspend the first silicon substrate through the microscale rigidized Parylene strap.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for charging a compact vapor cell, including placing an alkali-filled capillary into a reservoir cell formed in a substrate, the reservoir cell in vapor communication with an interrogation cell in the substrate and bonding a transparent window to the substrate on a common face of the reservoir cell and the interrogation cell to form a compact vapor cell. Capillary action in the capillary delays migration of alkali in the alkali-filled capillary from the reservoir cell into the interrogation cell during the bonding.

Abstract: An through-substrate via fabrication method requires forming a through-substrate via hole in a semiconductor substrate, depositing an electrically insulating, continuous and substantially conformal isolation material onto the substrate and interior walls of the via using ALD, depositing a conductive material into the via and over the isolation material using ALD such that it is electrically continuous across the length of the via hole, and depositing a polymer material over the conductive material such that any continuous top-to-bottom openings present in the via holes are filled by the polymer material. The basic fabrication method may be extended to provide vias with multiple conductive layers, such as coaxial and triaxial vias.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating microelectromechanical (MEMS) device. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating mass including the steps of patterning a surface of a device layer of the vibrating mass with a mask, etching the vibrating mass to define a structure of the vibrating mass, determining a first set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, determining a mass removal amount of the vibrating mass and a mass removal location of the vibrating mass to obtain a second set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, removing the mask at the mass removal location, and etching the vibrating mass to remove the mass removal amount of the vibrating mass at the mass removal location of the vibrating mass.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating microelectromechanical (MEMS) device. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating mass including the steps of patterning a surface of a device layer of the vibrating mass with a mask, etching the vibrating mass to define a structure of the vibrating mass, determining a first set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, determining a mass removal amount of the vibrating mass and a mass removal location of the vibrating mass to obtain a second set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, removing the mask at the mass removal location, and etching the vibrating mass to remove the mass removal amount of the vibrating mass at the mass removal location of the vibrating mass.

Abstract: A fabrication method which forms vertical capacitors in a substrate. The method is preferably an all-dry process, comprising forming a through-substrate via hole in the substrate, depositing a first conductive material layer into the via hole using atomic layer deposition (ALD) such that it is electrically continuous across the length of the via hole, depositing an electrically insulating, continuous and substantially conformal isolation material layer over the first conductive layer using ALD, and depositing a second conductive material layer over the isolation material layer using ALD such that it is electrically continuous across the length of the via hole. The layers are arranged such that they form a vertical capacitor. The present method may be successfully practiced at temperatures of less than 200° C., thereby avoiding damage to circuitry residing on the substrate that might otherwise occur.

Abstract: A foldable microcircuit is initially a planar semiconductor wafer on which circuitry has been formed. The wafer is segmented into a plurality of tiles, and a plurality of hinge mechanisms are coupled between adjacent pairs of tiles such that the segmented wafer can be folded into a desired non-planar configuration having a high fill-factor and small gaps between tiles. The hinge mechanisms can comprise an organic material deposited on the wafer such that it provides mechanical coupling between adjacent tiles, with metal interconnections between tiles formed directly over the organic hinges, or routed between adjacent tiles via compliant bridges. Alternatively, the interconnection traces between tiles can serve as part or all of a hinge mechanism. The foldable microcircuit can be, for example, a CMOS circuit, with the segmented tiles folded to form, for example, a semi-spherical structure arranged to provide a wide FOV photodetector array.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for charging a compact vapor cell, including placing an alkali-filled capillary into a reservoir cell formed in a substrate, the reservoir cell in vapor communication with an interrogation cell in the substrate and bonding a transparent window to the substrate on a common face of the reservoir cell and the interrogation cell to form a compact vapor cell. Capillary action in the capillary delays migration of alkali in the alkali-filled capillary from the reservoir cell into the interrogation cell during the bonding.

Abstract: A disc resonator gyroscope (DRG) and method of manufacture. The DRG has a surrounding pattern of bond metal having a symmetry related to the symmetry of a resonator device wafer that enables more even dissipation of heat from a resonator device wafer of the DRG during an etching operation. The metal bond frame eliminates or substantially reduces the thermal asymmetry that the resonator device wafer normally experiences when a conventional, square bond frame is used, which in turn can cause geometric asymmetry in the widths of the beams that are etched into the resonator device wafer of the DRG.

Abstract: A vapor cell includes an interrogation cell in a substrate, the interrogation cell having an entrance window and an exit window, and a first transparent thin-film heater in thermal communication with the entrance window. The transparent thin-film heater has a first layer in communication with a first pole contact at a proximal end of the heater and a layer coupler contact at a distal end, a second layer in communication with a second pole contact at the proximal end, and the second layer electrically coupled to the layer coupler contact at the distal end. An insulating layer is sandwiched between the first and second layers. The insulating layer has an opening at the distal end to admit the layer coupler contact and to insulate the remainder of the second layer from the first layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microfabricated inductors with through-wafer vias. In one embodiment, the present invention is an inductor including a first wafer, a first plurality of metal fillings located within the first wafer, and a first plurality of metal conductors connecting the first plurality of metal fillings together to form a first spiral with a first plurality of windings. In another embodiment, the present invention is a method for producing an inductor including the steps of forming a first plurality of vias in a first substrate, filling the first plurality of vias in the first substrate with a first plurality of metal fillings, forming a first plurality of metal conductors, and connecting pairs of the first plurality of metal fillings together using the first plurality of metal conductors to form a spiral.

Abstract: An through-substrate via fabrication method requires forming a through-substrate via hole in a semiconductor substrate, depositing an electrically insulating, continuous and substantially conformal isolation material onto the substrate and interior walls of the via using ALD, depositing a conductive material into the via and over the isolation material using ALD such that it is electrically continuous across the length of the via hole, and depositing a polymer material over the conductive material such that any continuous top-to-bottom openings present in the via holes are filled by the polymer material. The basic fabrication method may be extended to provide vias with multiple conductive layers, such as coaxial and triaxial vias.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEM) device per the present invention comprises a semiconductor wafer—typically an SOI wafer, a substrate, and a high temperature bond which bonds the wafer to the substrate to form a composite structure. Portions of the composite structure are patterned and etched to define stationary and movable MEM elements, with the movable elements being mechanically coupled to the stationary elements. The high temperature bond is preferably a mechanical bond, with the wafer and substrate having respective bonding pads which are aligned and mechanically connected to form a thermocompression bond to effect the bonding. A metallization layer is typically deposited on the composite structure and patterned to provide electrical interconnections for the device. The metallization layer preferably comprises a conductive refractory material such as platinum to withstand high temperature environments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microfabricated inductors with through-wafer vias. In one embodiment, the present invention is an inductor including a first wafer, a first plurality of metal fillings located within the first wafer, and a first plurality of metal conductors connecting the first plurality of metal fillings together to form a first spiral with a first plurality of windings. In another embodiment, the present invention is a method for producing an inductor including the steps of forming a first plurality of vias in a first substrate, filling the first plurality of vias in the first substrate with a first plurality of metal fillings, forming a first plurality of metal conductors, and connecting pairs of the first plurality of metal fillings together using the first plurality of metal conductors to form a spiral.

Abstract: A foldable microcircuit is initially a planar semiconductor wafer on which circuitry has been formed. The wafer is segmented into a plurality of tiles, and a plurality of hinge mechanisms are coupled between adjacent pairs of tiles such that the segmented wafer can be folded into a desired non-planar configuration having a high fill-factor and small gaps between tiles. The hinge mechanisms can comprise an organic material deposited on the wafer such that it provides mechanical coupling between adjacent tiles, with metal interconnections between tiles formed directly over the organic hinges, or routed between adjacent tiles via compliant bridges. Alternatively, the interconnection traces between tiles can serve as part or all of a hinge mechanism. The foldable microcircuit can be, for example, a CMOS circuit, with the segmented tiles folded to form, for example, a semi-spherical structure arranged to provide a wide FOV photodetector array.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing a fluid includes sensing a property of the fluid and the temperature of the fluid at the time the property is sensed, then determining the status of the fluid from the sensing. The sample volume may be small in comparison to the total fluid volume.