Patents by Inventor Santo Alessandro Smerzi

Santo Alessandro Smerzi 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: 11898943
    Abstract: A stress sensor includes: a substrate, having a face and a recess, open to the face; and a sensor chip of semiconductor material, housed in the recess and bonded to the substrate, the sensor chip being provided with a plurality of sensing components of piezoresistive material. The substrate has a thickness which is less by at least one order of magnitude with respect to a main dimension of the face. Further, the sensor chip has a thickness which is less by at least one order of magnitude with respect to the thickness of the substrate, and a Young's module of the substrate and a Young's module of the sensor chip are of the same order of magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.L.
    Inventor: Santo Alessandro Smerzi
  • Patent number: 11854977
    Abstract: An electronic device, comprising plurality of source metal strips in a first metal level; a plurality of drain metal strips in the first metal level; a source metal bus in a second metal level above the first metal level; a drain metal bus, in the second metal level; a source pad, coupled to the source metal bus; and a drain pad, coupled to the drain metal bus. The source metal bus includes subregions shaped in such a way that, in top-plan view, each of them has a width which decreases moving away from the first conductive pad; the drain metal bus includes subregions shaped in such a way that, in top-plan view, each of them has a width which decreases moving away from the second conductive pad. The first and second subregions are interdigitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Maria Concetta Nicotra, Ferdinando Iucolano
  • Patent number: 11837558
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a strained semiconductor device envisages: providing a die of semiconductor material, in which elementary components of the semiconductor device have been integrated by means of initial front-end steps; and coupling, using the die-attach technique, the die to a support, at a coupling temperature. The aforesaid coupling step envisages selecting the value of the coupling temperature at a value higher than an operating temperature of use of the semiconductor device, and moreover selecting the material of the support so that it is different from the material of the die in order to determine, at the operating temperature, a coupling stress that is a function of the different values of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials of the die and of the support and of the temperature difference between the coupling temperature and the operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Michele Calabretta, Alessandro Sitta, Crocifisso Marco Antonio Renna, Giuseppe D'Arrigo
  • Publication number: 20220120633
    Abstract: A stress sensor includes: a substrate, having a face and a recess, open to the face; and a sensor chip of semiconductor material, housed in the recess and bonded to the substrate, the sensor chip being provided with a plurality of sensing components of piezoresistive material. The substrate has a thickness which is less by at least one order of magnitude with respect to a main dimension of the face. Further, the sensor chip has a thickness which is less by at least one order of magnitude with respect to the thickness of the substrate, and a Young's module of the substrate and a Young's module of the sensor chip are of the same order of magnitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventor: Santo Alessandro SMERZI
  • Patent number: 11237077
    Abstract: A stress sensor includes: a substrate, having a face and a recess, open to the face; and a sensor chip of semiconductor material, housed in the recess and bonded to the substrate, the sensor chip being provided with a plurality of sensing components of piezoresistive material. The substrate has a thickness which is less by at least one order of magnitude with respect to a main dimension of the face. Further, the sensor chip has a thickness which is less by at least one order of magnitude with respect to the thickness of the substrate, and a Young's module of the substrate and a Young's module of the sensor chip are of the same order of magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventor: Santo Alessandro Smerzi
  • Publication number: 20220013982
    Abstract: An electronic device is couplable to a plurality of laser diodes and includes a control switch having a drain coupled to a drain metallization and having a source coupled to a first source metallization that is electrically couplable to cathodes of the laser diodes. Each of a plurality of first switches has a drain coupled to the drain metallization and a source coupled to a respective second source metallization that is couplable to an anode of the laser diodes. The second source metallizations are aligned with one another in a direction of alignment, overlie, in a direction orthogonal to the direction of alignment, the respective sources of the first switches, and can be aligned, in a direction orthogonal to the direction of alignment, to the respective laser diodes. At least one of the sources of the first switches can be aligned, in a direction orthogonal to the direction of alignment, to the respective laser diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Antonio Filippo Massimo PIZZARDI, Santo Alessandro SMERZI, Ferdinando IUCOLANO, Romeo LETOR
  • Publication number: 20210335730
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a strained semiconductor device envisages: providing a die of semiconductor material, in which elementary components of the semiconductor device have been integrated by means of initial front-end steps; and coupling, using the die-attach technique, the die to a support, at a coupling temperature. The aforesaid coupling step envisages selecting the value of the coupling temperature at a value higher than an operating temperature of use of the semiconductor device, and moreover selecting the material of the support so that it is different from the material of the die in order to determine, at the operating temperature, a coupling stress that is a function of the different values of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials of the die and of the support and of the temperature difference between the coupling temperature and the operating temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Santo Alessandro SMERZI, Michele CALABRETTA, Alessandro SITTA, Crocifisso Marco Antonio RENNA, Giuseppe D'ARRIGO
  • Patent number: 11075172
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a strained semiconductor device envisages: providing a die of semiconductor material, in which elementary components of the semiconductor device have been integrated by means of initial front-end steps; and coupling, using the die-attach technique, the die to a support, at a coupling temperature. The aforesaid coupling step envisages selecting the value of the coupling temperature at a value higher than an operating temperature of use of the semiconductor device, and moreover selecting the material of the support so that it is different from the material of the die in order to determine, at the operating temperature, a coupling stress that is a function of the different values of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials of the die and of the support and of the temperature difference between the coupling temperature and the operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Michele Calabretta, Alessandro Sitta, Crocifisso Marco Antonio Renna, Giuseppe D'Arrigo
  • Patent number: 10900849
    Abstract: A sensing bridge includes first and second branches in parallel, the first branch including a first resistor in series with a first switch, the second branch including a second resistor in series with a second switch. Resistances of the resistors vary with a sensed physical variable. The branches switch between first and second phases, with the first switch closed and the second switch open during the first phase, and the first switch open and the second switch closed during the second phase. A reference block generates a control signal from the resistance of the variable resistors during the first and second phases. An oscillator generates an oscillating signal during the first and second phases from the variable sense current during the first and second phases. Processing circuitry determines a value of the sensed physical value from an algebraic combination of the oscillating signal during the first and second phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Santo Alessandro Smerzi
  • Publication number: 20200152572
    Abstract: An electronic device, comprising plurality of source metal strips in a first metal level; a plurality of drain metal strips in the first metal level; a source metal bus in a second metal level above the first metal level; a drain metal bus, in the second metal level; a source pad, coupled to the source metal bus; and a drain pad, coupled to the drain metal bus. The source metal bus includes subregions shaped in such a way that, in top-plan view, each of them has a width which decreases moving away from the first conductive pad; the drain metal bus includes subregions shaped in such a way that, in top-plan view, each of them has a width which decreases moving away from the second conductive pad. The first and second subregions are interdigitated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Santo Alessandro SMERZI, Maria Concetta NICOTRA, Ferdinando IUCOLANO
  • Publication number: 20190339144
    Abstract: A sensing bridge includes first and second branches in parallel, the first branch including a first resistor in series with a first switch, the second branch including a second resistor in series with a second switch. Resistances of the resistors vary with a sensed physical variable. The branches switch between first and second phases, with the first switch closed and the second switch open during the first phase, and the first switch open and the second switch closed during the second phase. A reference block generates a control signal from the resistance of the variable resistors during the first and second phases. An oscillator generates an oscillating signal during the first and second phases from the variable sense current during the first and second phases. Processing circuitry determines a value of the sensed physical value from an algebraic combination of the oscillating signal during the first and second phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Santo Alessandro SMERZI
  • Publication number: 20190326231
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a strained semiconductor device envisages: providing a die of semiconductor material, in which elementary components of the semiconductor device have been integrated by means of initial front-end steps; and coupling, using the die-attach technique, the die to a support, at a coupling temperature. The aforesaid coupling step envisages selecting the value of the coupling temperature at a value higher than an operating temperature of use of the semiconductor device, and moreover selecting the material of the support so that it is different from the material of the die in order to determine, at the operating temperature, a coupling stress that is a function of the different values of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the materials of the die and of the support and of the temperature difference between the coupling temperature and the operating temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Santo Alessandro SMERZI, Michele CALABRETTA, Alessandro SITTA, Crocifisso Marco Antonio RENNA, Giuseppe D'ARRIGO
  • Publication number: 20190285509
    Abstract: A stress sensor includes: a substrate, having a face and a recess, open to the face; and a sensor chip of semiconductor material, housed in the recess and bonded to the substrate, the sensor chip being provided with a plurality of sensing components of piezoresistive material. The substrate has a thickness which is less by at least one order of magnitude with respect to a main dimension of the face. Further, the sensor chip has a thickness which is less by at least one order of magnitude with respect to the thickness of the substrate, and a Young's module of the substrate and a Young's module of the sensor chip are of the same order of magnitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventor: Santo Alessandro SMERZI
  • Patent number: 10393601
    Abstract: A MEMS pressure sensor includes a resistive sensing bridge with a first sensing resistor and a second sensing resistor, each having variable resistance values in response to change in a sensed physical variable. An oscillator generates an oscillation signal with a frequency or period that is a function of an oscillator control signal. A sensor reference module generates the oscillator control signal as a function of the resistance value of a resistor coupled therewith. This sensor reference module is couplable with the first sensing resistor or second sensing resistor. A processing circuit coupled to the oscillator provides a sensor signal indicative of the frequency or period of the oscillation signal. The sensor signal has first and second values with the sensor reference module coupled with the first sensing resistor and with the second sensing resistor, respectively, the first and second values being thus jointly indicative of the physical variable sensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Santo Alessandro Smerzi
  • Publication number: 20170356813
    Abstract: A MEMS pressure sensor includes a resistive sensing bridge with a first sensing resistor and a second sensing resistor, each having variable resistance values in response to change in a sensed physical variable. An oscillator generates an oscillation signal with a frequency or period that is a function of an oscillator control signal. A sensor reference module generates the oscillator control signal as a function of the resistance value of a resistor coupled therewith. This sensor reference module is couplable with the first sensing resistor or second sensing resistor. A processing circuit coupled to the oscillator provides a sensor signal indicative of the frequency or period of the oscillation signal. The sensor signal has first and second values with the sensor reference module coupled with the first sensing resistor and with the second sensing resistor, respectively, the first and second values being thus jointly indicative of the physical variable sensed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Santo Alessandro Smerzi
  • Patent number: 8364195
    Abstract: An embodiment of a wireless galvanic isolator device is formed by a transmitter circuit, a receiver circuit, and a wireless coupling structure, arranged between the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit. The wireless coupling structure is formed by a pair of antennas each arranged on an own die and integrated together with the respective transmitter and receiver circuit. The two dice may be arranged adjacent to each other in a planar configuration or arranged on top of each other and bonded together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nunzio Spina, Giovanni Girlando, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Patent number: 8026753
    Abstract: A prescaling stage includes bistable circuit in turn including respective master and slave portions inserted between a first and a second voltage reference and feedback connected to each other. Each portion is provided with at least one differential stage supplied by the first voltage reference and connected, by a transistor stage, to the second voltage reference, as well as a differential pair of cross-coupled transistors, supplied by output terminals of the differential stage and connected, by the transistor stage, to the second voltage reference. Advantageously, each master and slave portion includes a degeneration capacitance inserted in correspondence with respective terminals of the transistors of the differential pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Publication number: 20100109719
    Abstract: A prescaling stage includes bistable circuit in turn including respective master and slave portions inserted between a first and a second voltage reference and feedback connected to each other. Each portion is provided with at least one differential stage supplied by the first voltage reference and connected, by a transistor stage, to the second voltage reference, as well as a differential pair of cross-coupled transistors, supplied by output terminals of the differential stage and connected, by the transistor stage, to the second voltage reference. Advantageously, each master and slave portion includes a degeneration capacitance inserted in correspondence with respective terminals of the transistors of the differential pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Patent number: 7663414
    Abstract: A prescaling stage includes bistable circuit in turn including respective master and slave portions inserted between a first and a second voltage reference and feedback connected to each other. Each portion is provided with at least one differential stage supplied by the first voltage reference and connected, by a transistor stage, to the second voltage reference, as well as a differential pair of cross-coupled transistors, supplied by output terminals of the differential stage and connected, by the transistor stage, to the second voltage reference. Advantageously, each master and slave portion includes a degeneration capacitance inserted in correspondence with respective terminals of the transistors of the differential pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Tino Copani, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giovanni Girlando, Giuseppe Palmisano
  • Publication number: 20080311862
    Abstract: An embodiment of a wireless galvanic isolator device is formed by a transmitter circuit, a receiver circuit, and a wireless coupling structure, arranged between the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit. The wireless coupling structure is formed by a pair of antennas each arranged on an own die and integrated together with the respective transmitter and receiver circuit. The two dice may be arranged adjacent to each other in a planar configuration or arranged on top of each other and bonded together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Nunzio Spina, Giovanni Girlando, Santo Alessandro Smerzi, Giuseppe Palmisano