Patents by Inventor Roberto Carminati

Roberto Carminati 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).

  • Publication number: 20180282152
    Abstract: MEMS device, in which a body made of semiconductor material contains a chamber, and a first column inside the chamber. A cap of semiconductor material is attached to the body and forms a first membrane, a first cavity and a first channel. The chamber is closed on the side of the cap. The first membrane, the first cavity, the first channel and the first column form a capacitive pressure sensor structure. The first membrane is arranged between the first cavity and the second face, the first channel extends between the first cavity and the first face or between the first cavity and the second face and the first column extends towards the first membrane and forms, along with the first membrane, plates of a first capacitor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Enri DUQI, Lorenzo BALDO, Roberto CARMINATI
  • Patent number: 10048491
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a platform carried by a frame via elastic connection elements configured to enable rotation of the platform about a first axis. A bearing structure supports the frame through first and second elastic suspension arms configured to enable rotation of the frame about a second axis transverse to the first axis. The first and second elastic suspension arms are anchored to the bearing structure through respective anchorage portions arranged offset with respect to the second axis. A stress sensor formed by first and second sensor elements respectively arranged on the first and second suspension arms is positioned in proximity of the anchorage portions, on a same side of the second axis, in a symmetrical position with respect to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Massimiliano Merli, Roberto Carminati, Marco Rossi
  • Patent number: 10018835
    Abstract: A projective MEMS device, including: a fixed supporting structure made at least in part of semiconductor material; and a number of projective modules. Each projective module includes an optical source, fixed to the fixed supporting structure, and a microelectromechanical actuator, which includes a mobile structure and varies the position of the mobile structure with respect to the fixed supporting structure. Each projective module further includes an initial optical fiber, which is mechanically coupled to the mobile structure and optically couples to the optical source according to the position of the mobile structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Guido Chiaretti, Fabio Luigi Grilli, Roberto Carminati, Bruno Murari, Lorenzo Sarchi
  • Publication number: 20180180871
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) device is formed in a first wafer overlying and bonded to a second wafer. The first wafer includes a fixed part, a movable part, and elastic elements that elastically couple the movable part and the fixed part. The movable part further carries actuation elements configured to control a relative movement, such as a rotation, of the movable part with respect to the fixed part. The second wafer is bonded to the first wafer through projections extending from the first wafer. The projections may, for example, be formed by selectively removing part of a semiconductor layer. A composite wafer formed by the first and second wafers is cut to form many MEMS devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Sonia Costantini, Marta Carminati, Daniela Angela Luisa Gatti, Laura Maria Castoldi, Roberto Carminati
  • Publication number: 20180180873
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a fixed structure and suspended structure including an internal structure and a first arm and a second arm. Each arm has a first end fixed to the fixed structure and a second end fixed to the internal structure. The ends are angularly arranged at a distance apart. Piezoelectric actuators mounted to the arms are driven so as to cause deformation of the arm and produce a rotation of the internal structure. In a resting condition, each of the first and second arms has a respective elongated portion with a respective concavity. The internal structure extends in part within the concavities of the elongated portions of the first and second arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Domenico Giusti, Sonia Constantini
  • Publication number: 20180063492
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a fixed structure and a mobile structure with a reflecting element coupled to the fixed structure through at least a first deformable structure and a second deformable structure. Each of the first and second deformable structures includes a respective number of main piezoelectric elements, with the main piezoelectric elements of the first and second deformable structures configured to be electrically controlled for causing oscillations of the mobile structure about a first axis and a second axis, respectively. The first deformable structure further includes a respective number of secondary piezoelectric elements configured to be controlled so as to vary a first resonance frequency of the mobile structure about the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Domenico Giusti, Roberto Carminati
  • Publication number: 20180059405
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a micro-electro mechanical (MEMS) device including a substrate, and a MEMS mirror stack on the substrate. A first bonding layer seals against ingress of environmental contaminants and mechanically anchors the MEMS mirror stack to the substrate. A cap layer is formed on the MEMS mirror stack. A second boding layer seals against ingress of environmental contaminants and mechanically anchors the cap layer to the MEMS mirror stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giorgio Allegato, Sonia Costantini, Federico Vercesi, Roberto Carminati
  • Publication number: 20180031822
    Abstract: A buried cavity is formed in a monolithic body to delimit a suspended membrane. A peripheral insulating region defines a supporting frame in the suspended membrane. Trenches extending through the suspended membrane define a rotatable mobile mass carried by the supporting frame. The mobile mass forms an oscillating mass, supporting arms, spring portions, and mobile electrodes that are combfingered to fixed electrodes of the supporting frame. A reflecting region is formed on top of the oscillating mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Enri Duqi, Lorenzo Baldo, Roberto Carminati, Flavio Francesco Villa
  • Publication number: 20180031823
    Abstract: An oscillating structure with piezoelectric actuation includes first and second torsional elastic elements constrained to respective portions of a fixed supporting body and defining an axis of rotation. A mobile element is positioned between, and connected to, the first and second torsional elastic elements by first and second rigid regions. A first control region is coupled to the first rigid region and includes a first piezoelectric actuator. A second control region is coupled to the second rigid region and includes a second piezoelectric actuator. The first and second piezoelectric actuators are configured to cause local deformation of the first and second control regions to induce a torsion of the first and second torsional elastic elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli, Sebastiano Conti
  • Patent number: 9864187
    Abstract: A reflector micromechanical structure includes a frame with a window. The frame is elastically connected to an anchorage structure by first elastic elements. An actuation structure operatively coupled to the frame is configured to generate a first actuation movement of the frame about a first actuation axis. A mobile mass is positioned within the window and elastically coupled to the frame by second elastic elements. A mass distribution is associated to the mobile mass such as to generate, by an inertial effect in response to the first actuation movement, a second actuation movement of rotation of the mobile mass about a second actuation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Roberto Carminati
  • Publication number: 20180003950
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical device, wherein a platform is formed in a top substrate and is configured to turn through a rotation angle. The platform has a slit and faces a cavity. A plurality of integrated photodetectors is formed in a bottom substrate so as to detect the light through the slit and generate signals correlated to the light through the slit. The area of the slit varies with the rotation angle of the platform and causes diffraction, more or less marked as a function of the angle. The difference between the signals of two photodetectors arranged at different positions with respect to the slit yields the angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Enri Duqi, Sebastiano Conti
  • Patent number: 9843779
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a fixed structure and a mobile structure with a reflecting element coupled to the fixed structure through at least a first deformable structure and a second deformable structure. Each of the first and second deformable structures includes a respective number of main piezoelectric elements, with the main piezoelectric elements of the first and second deformable structures configured to be electrically controlled for causing oscillations of the mobile structure about a first axis and a second axis, respectively. The first deformable structure further includes a respective number of secondary piezoelectric elements configured to be controlled so as to vary a first resonance frequency of the mobile structure about the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Domenico Giusti, Roberto Carminati
  • Patent number: 9835850
    Abstract: A mirror micromechanical structure has a mobile mass carrying a mirror element. The mass is drivable in rotation for reflecting an incident light beam with a desired angular range. The mobile mass is suspended above a cavity obtained in a supporting body. The cavity is shaped so that the supporting body does not hinder the reflected light beam within the desired angular range. In particular, the cavity extends as far as a first side edge wall of the supporting body of the mirror micromechanical structure. The cavity is open towards, and in communication with, the outside of the mirror micromechanical structure at the first side edge wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Sebastiano Conti, Sonia Constantini
  • Publication number: 20170285332
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a platform carried by a frame via elastic connection elements configured to enable rotation of the platform about a first axis. A bearing structure supports the frame through first and second elastic suspension arms configured to enable rotation of the frame about a second axis transverse to the first axis. The first and second elastic suspension arms are anchored to the bearing structure through respective anchorage portions arranged offset with respect to the second axis. A stress sensor formed by first and second sensor elements respectively arranged on the first and second suspension arms is positioned in proximity of the anchorage portions, on a same side of the second axis, in a symmetrical position with respect to the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Massimiliano Merli, Roberto Carminati, Marco Rossi
  • Publication number: 20170268880
    Abstract: MEMS device having a support region elastically carrying a suspended mass through first elastic elements. A tuned dynamic absorber is elastically coupled to the suspended mass and configured to dampen quadrature forces acting on the suspended mass at the natural oscillation frequency of the dynamic absorber. The tuned dynamic absorber is formed by a damping mass coupled to the suspended mass through second elastic elements. In an embodiment, the suspended mass and the damping mass are formed in a same structural layer, for example of semiconductor material, and the damping mass is surrounded by the suspended mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Carlo Valzasina, Roberto Carminati, Alessandro Tocchio
  • Publication number: 20170269355
    Abstract: A projective MEMS device, including: a fixed supporting structure made at least in part of semiconductor material; and a number of projective modules. Each projective module includes an optical source, fixed to the fixed supporting structure, and a microelectromechanical actuator, which includes a mobile structure and varies the position of the mobile structure with respect to the fixed supporting structure. Each projective module further includes an initial optical fiber, which is mechanically coupled to the mobile structure and optically couples to the optical source according to the position of the mobile structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Guido Chiaretti, Fabio Luigi Grilli, Roberto Carminati, Bruno Murari, Lorenzo Sarchi
  • Patent number: 9696157
    Abstract: MEMS device having a support region elastically carrying a suspended mass through first elastic elements. A tuned dynamic absorber is elastically coupled to the suspended mass and configured to dampen quadrature forces acting on the suspended mass at the natural oscillation frequency of the dynamic absorber. The tuned dynamic absorber is formed by a damping mass coupled to the suspended mass through second elastic elements. In an embodiment, the suspended mass and the damping mass are formed in a same structural layer, for example of semiconductor material, and the damping mass is surrounded by the suspended mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Carlo Valzasina, Roberto Carminati, Alessandro Tocchio
  • Publication number: 20170160540
    Abstract: A micromechanical device includes a tiltable structure that is rotatable about a first rotation axis. The tiltable structure is coupled to a fixed structure through an actuation structure of a piezoelectric type. The actuation structure is formed by spring elements having a spiral shape. The spring elements each include actuation arms extending transversely to the first rotation axis. Each actuation arm carries a respective piezoelectric band of piezoelectric material. The actuation arms are divided into two sets with the piezoelectric bands thereof biased in phase opposition to obtain rotation in opposite directions of the tiltable structure about the first rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Domenico Giusti, Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli
  • Patent number: 9670056
    Abstract: The MEMS device has a suspended mass supported via a pair of articulation arms by a supporting region. An electrostatic driving system, coupled to the articulation arms, has mobile electrodes and fixed electrodes that are coupled to each other. The electrostatic driving system is formed by two pairs of actuation assemblies, arranged on opposite sides of a respective articulation arm and connected to the articulation arm through connection elements. Each actuation assembly extends laterally to the suspended mass and has an auxiliary arm carrying a respective plurality of mobile electrodes. Each auxiliary arm is parallel to the articulation arms. The connection elements may be rigid or formed by linkages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Sebastiano Conti
  • Publication number: 20170153443
    Abstract: A reflector micromechanical structure includes a frame with a window. The frame is elastically connected to an anchorage structure by first elastic elements. An actuation structure operatively coupled to the frame is configured to generate a first actuation movement of the frame about a first actuation axis. A mobile mass is positioned within the window and elastically coupled to the frame by second elastic elements. A mass distribution is associated to the mobile mass such as to generate, by an inertial effect in response to the first actuation movement, a second actuation movement of rotation of the mobile mass about a second actuation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Roberto Carminati