Patents by Inventor Roberto Modica

Roberto Modica 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: 10571421
    Abstract: A sensor of volatile substances includes: a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure capacitively coupled, comb-fingered, and arranged coplanar in a plane; and a sensitive layer, of a sensitive material that is permeable to a volatile substance and has electrical permittivity depending upon a concentration of the volatile substance absorbed by the sensitive material. The sensitive layer extends from opposite sides of the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Antonello Santangelo, Salvatore Cascino, Roberto Modica, Viviana Cerantonio, Maurizio Moschetti, Alessandro Auditore
  • Patent number: 10520457
    Abstract: A sensor of volatile substances including: a sensitive layer, of a sensitive material that is permeable to a volatile substance and has an electrical permittivity depending upon a concentration of the volatile substance absorbed; a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure capacitively coupled together and arranged so that a capacitance between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure is affected by the electrical permittivity of the sensitive material; and a supply device, configured to supply a heating current through one between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure in a first operating condition, so as to heat the sensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Antonello Santangelo, Salvatore Cascino, Roberto Modica, Viviana Cerantonio, Maurizio Moschetti
  • Publication number: 20180100825
    Abstract: A sensor of volatile substances including: a sensitive layer, of a sensitive material that is permeable to a volatile substance and has an electrical permittivity depending upon a concentration of the volatile substance absorbed; a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure capacitively coupled together and arranged so that a capacitance between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure is affected by the electrical permittivity of the sensitive material; and a supply device, configured to supply a heating current through one between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure in a first operating condition, so as to heat the sensitive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Antonello SANTANGELO, Salvatore CASCINO, Roberto MODICA, Viviana CERANTONIO, Maurizio MOSCHETTI
  • Publication number: 20180052132
    Abstract: A sensor of volatile substances includes: a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure capacitively coupled, comb-fingered, and arranged coplanar in a plane; and a sensitive layer, of a sensitive material that is permeable to a volatile substance and has electrical permittivity depending upon a concentration of the volatile substance absorbed by the sensitive material. The sensitive layer extends from opposite sides of the plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Antonello Santangelo, Salvatore Cascino, Roberto Modica, Viviana Cerantonio, Maurizio Moschetti, Alessandro Auditore
  • Patent number: 9841393
    Abstract: A sensor of volatile substances including: a sensitive layer, of a sensitive material that is permeable to a volatile substance and has an electrical permittivity depending upon a concentration of the volatile substance absorbed; a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure capacitively coupled together and arranged so that a capacitance between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure is affected by the electrical permittivity of the sensitive material; and a supply device, configured to supply a heating current through one between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure in a first operating condition, so as to heat the sensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Antonello Santangelo, Salvatore Cascino, Roberto Modica, Viviana Cerantonio, Maurizio Moschetti
  • Patent number: 9816954
    Abstract: A sensor of volatile substances includes: a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure capacitively coupled, comb-fingered, and arranged coplanar in a plane; and a sensitive layer, of a sensitive material that is permeable to a volatile substance and has electrical permittivity depending upon a concentration of the volatile substance absorbed by the sensitive material. The sensitive layer extends from opposite sides of the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Antonello Santangelo, Salvatore Cascino, Roberto Modica, Viviana Cerantonio, Maurizio Moschetti, Alessandro Auditore
  • Publication number: 20150219582
    Abstract: A sensor of volatile substances including: a sensitive layer, of a sensitive material that is permeable to a volatile substance and has an electrical permittivity depending upon a concentration of the volatile substance absorbed; a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure capacitively coupled together and arranged so that a capacitance between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure is affected by the electrical permittivity of the sensitive material; and a supply device, configured to supply a heating current through one between the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure in a first operating condition, so as to heat the sensitive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Antonello SANTANGELO, Salvatore CASCINO, Roberto MODICA, Viviana CERANTONIO, Maurizio MOSCHETTI
  • Publication number: 20150219581
    Abstract: A sensor of volatile substances includes: a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure capacitively coupled, comb-fingered, and arranged coplanar in a plane; and a sensitive layer, of a sensitive material that is permeable to a volatile substance and has electrical permittivity depending upon a concentration of the volatile substance absorbed by the sensitive material. The sensitive layer extends from opposite sides of the plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Antonello Santangelo, Salvatore Cascino, Roberto Modica, Viviana Cerantonio, Maurizio Moschetti, Alessandro Auditore
  • Patent number: 7960244
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing an electronic semiconductor device, wherein a SOI wafer is provided, formed by a bottom layer of semiconductor material, an insulating layer, and a top layer of semiconductor material, stacked on top of one another; alignment marks are formed in the top layer; an implanted buried region is formed, aligned to the alignment marks; a hard mask is formed on top of the top layer so as to align it to the alignment marks; using the hard mask, the top layer is selectively removed so as to form a trench extending up to the insulating layer; there a lateral-insulation region in the trench, that is contiguous to the insulating layer and delimits with the latter an insulated well of semiconductor material; and electronic components are formed in the top layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Salvatore Leonardi, Roberto Modica
  • Patent number: 7898008
    Abstract: A bipolar device is integrated in an active layer, wherein delimitation trenches surround respective active areas housing bipolar transistors of complementary types. Each active area accommodates a buried layer; a well region extending on top of the buried layer; a top sinker region extending between the surface of the device and the well region; a buried collector region extending on top of the well region and laterally with respect to the top sinker region; a base region, extending on top of the buried collector region laterally with respect to the top sinker region; and an emitter region extending inside the base region. The homologous regions of the complementary transistors have a similar doping level, being obtained by ion-implantation of epitaxial layers wherein the concentration of dopant added during the growth is very low, possibly zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Piero Giorgio Fallica, Roberto Modica
  • Publication number: 20080017895
    Abstract: A bipolar device is integrated in an active layer, wherein delimitation trenches surround respective active areas housing bipolar transistors of complementary types. Each active area accommodates a buried layer; a well region extending on top of the buried layer; a top sinker region extending between the surface of the device and the well region; a buried collector region extending on top of the well region and laterally with respect to the top sinker region; a base region, extending on top of the buried collector region laterally with respect to the top sinker region; and an emitter region extending inside the base region. The homologous regions of the complementary transistors have a similar doping level, being obtained by ion-implantation of epitaxial layers wherein the concentration of dopant added during the growth is very low, possibly zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Piero Giorgio Fallica, Roberto Modica
  • Publication number: 20060194408
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing an electronic semiconductor device, wherein a SOI wafer is provided, formed by a bottom layer of semiconductor material, an insulating layer, and a top layer of semiconductor material, stacked on top of one another; alignment marks are formed in the top layer; an implanted buried region is formed, aligned to the alignment marks; a hard mask is formed on top of the top layer so as to align it to the alignment marks; using the hard mask, the top layer is selectively removed so as to form a trench extending up to the insulating layer; there a lateral-insulation region in the trench, that is contiguous to the insulating layer and delimits with the latter an insulated well of semiconductor material; and electronic components are formed in the top layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Inventors: Salvatore Leonardi, Roberto Modica
  • Publication number: 20060125049
    Abstract: A resistive structure integrated in a semiconductor substrate and having a suitably doped polysilicon region that is completely surrounded by a dielectric region so that the resistive structure is isolated electrically from other components jointly integrated in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Salvatore Leonardi, Roberto Modica
  • Patent number: 6888213
    Abstract: A dielectric insulation structure is formed in a silicon layer by integrating a dielectric trench structure therein. The dielectric trench structure defines an insulation well where semiconductor devices are to be integrated therein. The dielectric trench structure is on a hollow region that is completely surrounded by a dielectric area. The dielectric area also forms the side insulation of the dielectric trench structure. The dielectric trench structure is interrupted by a plurality of points to define a plurality of side support regions for the insulation well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Salvatore Leonardi, Roberto Modica, Giuseppe Arena
  • Publication number: 20040119137
    Abstract: A resistive structure integrated in a semiconductor substrate and having a suitably doped polysilicon region that is completely surrounded by a dielectric region so that the resistive structure is isolated electrically from other components jointly integrated in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Salvatore Leonardi, Roberto Modica
  • Publication number: 20040026761
    Abstract: A dielectric insulation structure is formed in a silicon layer by integrating a dielectric trench structure therein. The dielectric trench structure defines an insulation well where semiconductor devices are to be integrated therein. The dielectric trench structure is on a hollow region that is completely surrounded by a dielectric area. The dielectric area also forms the side insulation of the dielectric trench structure. The dielectric trench structure is interrupted by a plurality of points to define a plurality of side support regions for the insulation well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Salvatore Leonardi, Roberto Modica, Giuseppe Arena
  • Patent number: 6614094
    Abstract: A vertical capacitor structure fabricated in a semiconductor substrate region overlaid by a buried oxide layer and a buried doped layer, as well as by a semiconductor layer that includes a sinker doped region in contact with the buried doped layer, wherein an oxide trench structure is formed, this oxide trench structure being filled with suitably doped polysilicon to produce, in combination with the sinker region, the plates of the vertical capacitor structure, with the oxide trench structure forming the dielectric therebetween. A process for integrating a vertical capacitor structure starting from a structure blank that includes a semiconductor substrate, a buried oxide layer and a buried doped layer is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Salvatore Leonardi, Roberto Modica
  • Publication number: 20010022384
    Abstract: A resistive structure integrated in a semiconductor substrate and having a suitably doped polysilicon region that is completely surrounded by a dielectric region so that the resistive structure is isolated electrically from other components jointly integrated in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: September 20, 2001
    Inventors: Salvatore Leonardi, Roberto Modica
  • Publication number: 20010015429
    Abstract: A vertical capacitor structure fabricated in a semiconductor substrate region overlaid by a buried oxide layer and a buried doped layer, as well as by a semiconductor layer that includes a sinker doped region in contact with the buried doped layer, wherein an oxide trench structure is formed, this oxide trench structure being filled with suitably doped polysilicon to produce, in combination with the sinker region, the plates of the vertical capacitor structure, with the oxide trench structure forming the dielectric therebetween. A process for integrating a vertical capacitor structure starting from a structure blank that includes a semiconductor substrate, a buried oxide layer and a buried doped layer is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventors: Salvatore Leonardi, Roberto Modica