Patents by Inventor Pietro Montanini

Pietro Montanini has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6209394
    Abstract: An angular speed sensor comprises a pair of mobile masses which are formed in an epitaxial layer and are anchored to one another and to the remainder of the device by anchorage elements. The mobile masses are symmetrical with one another, and have first mobile excitation electrodes which are intercalated with respective first fixed excitation electrodes and second mobile detection electrodes which are intercalated with second fixed detection electrodes. The first mobile and fixed excitation electrodes extend in a first direction and the second mobile and fixed detection electrodes extend in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction and is disposed on a single plane parallel to the surface of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Paolo Ferrari, Benedetto Vigna, Aurea Cuccia, Marco Ferrera, Pietro Montanini
  • Patent number: 6197655
    Abstract: The method is based on the use of a silicon carbide mask for removing a sacrificial region. In case of manufacture of integrated semiconductor material structures, the following steps are performed: forming a sacrificial region of silicon oxide on a substrate of semiconductor material; growing a pseudo-epitaxial layer; forming electronic circuit components; depositing a silicon carbide layer; defining photolithographically the silicon carbon layer so as to form an etching mask containing the topography of a microstructure to be formed; with the etching mask, forming trenches in the pseudo-epitaxial layer as far as the sacrificial region so as to laterally define the microstructure; and removing the sacrificial region through the trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Pietro Montanini, Marco Ferrera, Laura Castoldi, Ilaria Gelmi
  • Patent number: 6184052
    Abstract: A sensor having high sensitivity is formed using a suspended structure with a high-density tungsten core. To manufacture it, a sacrificial layer of silicon oxide, a polycrystal silicon layer, a tungsten layer and a silicon carbide layer are deposited in succession over a single crystal silicon body. The suspended structure is defined by selectively removing the silicon carbide, tungsten and polycrystal silicon layers. Then spacers of silicon carbide are formed which cover the uncovered ends of the tungsten layer, and the sacrificial layer is then removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Benedetto Vigna, Paolo Ferrari, Marco Ferrera, Pietro Montanini
  • Patent number: 6109106
    Abstract: A movable mass forming a seismic mass is formed starting from an epitaxial layer and is covered by a weighting region of tungsten which has high density. To manufacture the mass, buried conductive regions are formed in the substrate. Then, at the same time, a sacrificial region is formed in the zone where the movable mass is to be formed and oxide insulating regions are formed on the buried conductive regions so as to partially cover them. An epitaxial layer is then grown, using a nucleus region. A tungsten layer is deposited and defined and, using a silicon carbide layer as mask, the suspended structure is defined. Finally, the sacrificial region is removed, forming an air gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Paolo Ferrari, Benedetto Vigna, Pietro Montanini, Marco Ferrera
  • Patent number: 6090638
    Abstract: A sensor having high sensitivity is formed using a suspended structure with a high-density tungsten core. To manufacture it, a sacrificial layer of silicon oxide, a polycrystal silicon layer, a tungsten layer and a silicon carbide layer are deposited in succession over a single crystal silicon body. The suspended structure is defined by selectively removing the silicon carbide, tungsten and polycrystal silicon layers. Then spacers of silicon carbide are formed which cover the uncovered ends of the tungsten layer, and the sacrificial layer is then removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Benedetto Vigna, Paolo Ferrari, Marco Ferrera, Pietro Montanini