Patents by Inventor Virgil C. Ararao

Virgil C. Ararao 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: 9227836
    Abstract: A hermetically packaged microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device has a substrate with an assembly pad (101) and a plurality of terminals (102); a chip (110) with a MEMS mechanical element (111) of a first height (111a) assembled on the pad and connected to the terminals by wires (120) with an insulating coat (121); a ridge (130) on the substrate, which surrounds the MEMS element (111) with a second height (130c) greater than the first height and comprises a plastic compound (131) filled with particles (132) and a surface (130a, 130b) having an adhering moisture-impermeable seal layer (133); and a moisture-impervious lid (140) attached to the ridge by moisture-proof bonds (150, 151), sealing the volume (160) enclosed by the lid, the chip, and the metalized ridge as a hermetic space for the MEMS element (111).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Virgil C. Ararao
  • Publication number: 20150303121
    Abstract: A hermetically packaged microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device has a substrate with an assembly pad (101) and a plurality of terminals (102); a chip (110) with a MEMS mechanical element (111) of a first height (111a) assembled on the pad and connected to the terminals by wires (120) with an insulating coat (121); a ridge (130) on the substrate, which surrounds the MEMS element (111) with a second height (130c) greater than the first height and comprises a plastic compound (131) filled with particles (132) and a surface (130a, 130b) having an adhering moisture-impermeable seal layer (133); and a moisture-impervious lid (140) attached to the ridge by moisture-proof bonds (150, 151), sealing the volume (160) enclosed by the lid, the chip, and the metalized ridge as a hermetic space for the MEMS element (111).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventor: Virgil C. Ararao
  • Patent number: 9140898
    Abstract: A hermetic package comprising a substrate (110) having a surface with a MEMS structure (101) of a first height (102), the substrate hermetically sealed to a cap (120) forming a cavity over the MEMS structure; the cap attached to the substrate surface by a vertical stack (130) of metal layers adhering to the substrate surface and to the cap, the stack having a continuous outline surrounding the MEMS structure while spaced from the MEMS structure by a distance (140); the stack having a bottom metal seed film (131) adhering to the substrate with a first width (131a), and further a top metal seed film (132) adhering to the cap with a second width (132a) smaller than the first width, the top metal seed film tied to a layer (135) including gold-indium intermetallic compounds, layer (135) having a height greater than the first height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: John C. Ehmke, Virgil C. Ararao, Toby R. Linder, Lance W. Barron
  • Patent number: 9102511
    Abstract: A hermetically packaged microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device has a substrate with an assembly pad (101) and a plurality of terminals (102); a chip (110) with a MEMS mechanical element (111) of a first height (111a) assembled on the pad and connected to the terminals by wires (120) with an insulating coat (121); a ridge (130) on the substrate, which surrounds the MEMS element (111) with a second height (130c) greater than the first height and comprises a plastic compound (131) filled with particles (132) and a surface (130a, 130b) having an adhering moisture-impermeable seal layer (133); and a moisture-impervious lid (140) attached to the ridge by moisture-proof bonds (150, 151), sealing the volume (160) enclosed by the lid, the chip, and the metalized ridge as a hermetic space for the MEMS element (111).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Virgil C. Ararao
  • Publication number: 20140268295
    Abstract: A hermetic package comprising a substrate (110) having a surface with a MEMS structure (101) of a first height (102), the substrate hermetically sealed to a cap (120) forming a cavity over the MEMS structure; the cap attached to the substrate surface by a vertical stack (130) of metal layers adhering to the substrate surface and to the cap, the stack having a continuous outline surrounding the MEMS structure while spaced from the MEMS structure by a distance (140); the stack having a bottom metal seed film (131) adhering to the substrate with a first width (131a), and further a top metal seed film (132) adhering to the cap with a second width (132a) smaller than the first width, the top metal seed film tied to a layer (135) including gold-indium intermetallic compounds, layer (135) having a height greater than the first height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: John C. Ehmke, Virgil C. Ararao, Toby R. Linder, Lance W. Barron
  • Patent number: 8691607
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device is fabricated from a wafer having a plurality of die regions with grooves and MEMS components formed on a wafer surface at each die region. A first metal having a relatively high melting temperature is formed on sidewalls of each groove, and a cap is attached at each die region to provide a closed cavity which encloses the grooves and MEMS components. Bottoms of the grooves are opened by thinning the wafer thereby establishing through-hole vias extending through the wafer at each die region, for accessing the cavity for inserting or removing material. The vias are sealed by interacting a second metal having a relatively low melting temperature with the first metal layer to form intermetallic compounds with higher melting temperature that maintain the seal during subsequent lower temperature operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Virgil C. Ararao
  • Publication number: 20130330878
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device is fabricated from a wafer having a plurality of die regions with grooves and MEMS components formed on a wafer surface at each die region. A first metal having a relatively high melting temperature is formed on sidewalls of each groove, and a cap is attached at each die region to provide a closed cavity which encloses the grooves and MEMS components. Bottoms of the grooves are opened by thinning the wafer thereby establishing through-hole vias extending through the wafer at each die region, for accessing the cavity for inserting or removing material. The vias are sealed by interacting a second metal having a relatively low melting temperature with the first metal layer to form intermetallic compounds with higher melting temperature that maintain the seal during subsequent lower temperature operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Virgil C. Ararao
  • Publication number: 20130328141
    Abstract: A hermetically packaged microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device has a substrate with an assembly pad (101) and a plurality of terminals (102); a chip (110) with a MEMS mechanical element (111) of a first height (111a) assembled on the pad and connected to the terminals by wires (120) with an insulating coat (121); a ridge (130) on the substrate, which surrounds the MEMS element (111) with a second height (130c) greater than the first height and comprises a plastic compound (131) filled with particles (132) and a surface (130a, 130b) having an adhering moisture-impermeable seal layer (133); and a moisture-impervious lid (140) attached to the ridge by moisture-proof bonds (150, 151), sealing the volume (160) enclosed by the lid, the chip, and the metalized ridge as a hermetic space for the MEMS element (111).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventor: Virgil C. Ararao
  • Patent number: 6960493
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention allows mold compound to flow underneath a substrate where the mold compound will remain in place until the process of mold formation is completed. The mold compound of the package will penetrate all available cavities where the mold compound will remain in place and harden. After hardening, the mold compound surrounding a mold anchor will support an anchored area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: ST Assembly Test Services, LTD
    Inventors: Virgil C. Ararao, Hermes T. Apale, Il Kwon Shim
  • Patent number: 6825067
    Abstract: A new method is provided for the creation of a mold cap. The mold cap anchoring feature of the invention is designed and incorporated from the start of the design and fabrication of the substrate. Various design options of the mold anchor of the invention can be implemented. The mold anchor of the invention allows the mold compound to flow underneath the substrate where the mold compound will remain in place until the process of mold formation is completed. The mold compound of the package will penetrate all available cavities surrounding and being accessible from the mold anchor of the invention where the mold compound will remain in place and harden. After hardening, the mold compound surrounding the mold anchor will support the anchored area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: St Assembly Test Services PTE LTD
    Inventors: Virgil C. Ararao, Hermes T. Apale, Il Kwon Shim
  • Publication number: 20040108601
    Abstract: A new method is provided for the creation of a mold cap. The mold cap anchoring feature of the invention is designed and incorporated from the start of the design and fabrication of the substrate. Various design options of the mold anchor of the invention can be implemented. The mold anchor of the invention allows the mold compound to flow underneath the substrate where the mold compound will remain in place until the process of mold formation is completed. The mold compound of the package will penetrate all available cavities surrounding and being accessible from the mold anchor of the invention where the mold compound will remain in place and harden. After hardening, the mold compound surrounding the mold anchor will support the anchored area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Applicant: St Assembly Test Services Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Virgil C. Ararao, Hermes T. Apale, Il Kwon Shim