Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit, comprising a semiconductor substrate carrying a plurality of circuit elements; and a pressure sensor including a cavity on said semiconductor substrate, said cavity comprising a pair of electrodes laterally separated from each other; and a flexible membrane over and spatially separated from said electrodes such that said membrane interferes with a fringe field between said electrodes, said membrane comprising at least one aperture. A method of manufacturing such an IC is also disclosed.

Abstract: One example discloses a MEMS device, including: a cavity having an internal environment; a seal isolating the internal environment from an external environment outside the MEMS device; wherein the seal is susceptible to damage in response to a calibration unsealing energy; wherein upon damage to the seal, a pathway forms which couples the internal environment to the external environment; and a calibration circuit capable of measuring the internal environment before and after damage to the seal.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit, comprising a semiconductor substrate carrying a plurality of circuit elements; and a pressure sensor including a cavity on said semiconductor substrate, said cavity comprising a pair of electrodes laterally separated from each other; and a flexible membrane over and spatially separated from said electrodes such that said membrane interferes with a fringe field between said electrodes, said membrane comprising at least one aperture. A method of manufacturing such an IC is also disclosed.

Abstract: A resonant MEMS pressure sensor in which the resonator mass of the MEMS resonator is anchored both to the fixed base beneath the resonator cavity as well as to the top membrane over the resonator cavity. This provides a more robust fixing of the resonator mass and offers a dependence of resonant frequency on the pressure outside the cavity.

Abstract: A MEMS pressure sensor wherein at least one of the electrode arrangements comprises an inner electrode and an outer electrode arranged around the inner electrode. The capacitances associated with the inner electrode and the outer electrode are independently measured and can be differentially measured. This arrangement enables various different read out schemes to be implemented and also enables improved compensation for variations between devices or changes in device characteristics over time.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit, comprising a semiconductor substrate carrying a plurality of circuit elements; and a pressure sensor including a cavity on said semiconductor substrate, said cavity comprising a pair of electrodes laterally separated from each other; and a flexible membrane over and spatially separated from said electrodes such that said membrane interferes with a fringe field between said electrodes, said membrane comprising at least one aperture. A method of manufacturing such an IC is also disclosed.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method for calibrating a pressure sensor device is disclosed. The method involves determining the resonant frequency of a membrane of the pressure sensor device after the pressure sensor device has been attached to a circuit board, calculating a change in the resonant frequency from a resonant frequency stored in memory, calculating strain of the membrane of the pressure sensor device from the change in resonant frequency, and calibrating the pressure sensor device based on a capacitance-to-pressure curve calculated using the strain of the membrane of the pressure sensor device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit (100), comprising a semiconductor substrate (110) carrying a plurality of circuit elements; and a pressure sensor including a cavity (140) on said semiconductor substrate, said cavity comprising a pair of electrodes (120, 122) laterally separated from each other; and a flexible membrane (130) over and spatially separated from said electrodes such that said membrane interferes with a fringe field between said electrodes, said membrane comprising at least one aperture (132). A method of manufacturing such an IC is also disclosed.

Abstract: One example discloses a MEMS device, including: a cavity having an internal environment; a seal isolating the internal environment from an external environment outside the MEMS device; wherein the seal is susceptible to damage in response to a calibration unsealing energy; wherein upon damage to the seal, a pathway forms which couples the internal environment to the external environment; and a calibration circuit capable of measuring the internal environment before and after damage to the seal.

Abstract: A battery comprises a carrier foil, with solid state battery elements spaced along the foil and mounted on opposite sides of the foil in pairs, with the battery elements of a pair mounted at the same position along the foil. The carrier foil is folded to define a meander pattern with battery element pairs that are adjacent each other along the foil arranged back to back.

Abstract: An integrated circuit and a method of making the same. The integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate including at least one environmental sensor. The integrated circuit also includes a cap layer located on a major surface of the substrate. The integrated circuit further includes at least one elongate channel for allowing access of said sensor to an environment surrounding the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric layer on a further layer of a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method comprises depositing a dielectric precursor compound and a further precursor compound over the further layer, the dielectric precursor compound comprising a metal ion from the group consisting of Yttrium and the Lanthanide series elements, and the further precursor compound comprising a metal ion from the group consisting of group IV and group V metals; and chemically converting the dielectric precursor compound and the further precursor compound into a dielectric compound and a further compound respectively, the further compound self-assembling during said conversion into a plurality of nanocluster nuclei within the dielectric layer formed from the first dielectric precursor compound. The nanoclusters may be dielectric or metallic in nature. Consequently, a dielectric layer is formed that has excellent charge trapping capabilities.

Abstract: A differential pressure sensor comprises a cavity having a base including a base electrode and a membrane suspended above the base which includes a membrane electrode, wherein the first membrane is sealed with the cavity defined beneath the first membrane. A first pressure input port is coupled to the space above the sealed first membrane. A capacitive read out system is used to measure the capacitance between the base electrode and membrane electrode. An interconnecting channel is between the cavity and a second pressure input port, so that the sensor is responsive to the differential pressure applied to opposite sides of the membrane by the two input ports.

Abstract: As may be consistent with one or more embodiments discussed herein, an integrated circuit apparatus includes a membrane suspended over a cavity, with the membrane and cavity defining a chamber. The membrane has a plurality of openings therein that pass gas into and out of the chamber. As the membrane is actuated, the volume of the chamber changes to generate a gas pressure inside the chamber that is different than a pressure outside the chamber. A sensor detects a frequency-based characteristic of the membrane responsive to the change in volume, and therein provides an indication of the gas pressure outside the chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to an semi-conductor device comprising a first surface and neighboring first and second electric elements arranged on the first surface, in which each of the first and second elements extends from the first surface in a first direction, the first element having a cross section substantially perpendicular to the first direction and a sidewall surface extending at least partially in the first direction, wherein the sidewall surface comprises a first section and a second section adjoining the first section along a line extending substantially parallel to the first direction, wherein the first and second sections are placed at an angle with respect to each other for providing an inner corner wherein the sidewall surface at the inner corner is, at least partially, arranged at a constant distance R from a facing part of the second element for providing a mechanical reinforcement structure at the inner corner.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a MEMS pressure sensor including: a lower electrode; a first insulating layer over the lower electrode; a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer that forms a cavity between the first and second insulating layers; an upper electrode over the second insulating layer, wherein a portion of the cavity is between the upper and lower electrodes; and a NONON pressure membrane over the upper electrode.

Abstract: A resonant MEMS pressure sensor in which the resonator mass of the MEMS resonator is anchored both to the fixed base beneath the resonator cavity as well as to the top membrane over the resonator cavity. This provides a more robust fixing of the resonator mass and offers a dependence of resonant frequency on the pressure outside the cavity.

Abstract: An integrated circuit and a method of making the same. The integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate including at least one environmental sensor. The integrated circuit also includes a cap layer located on a major surface of the substrate. The integrated circuit further includes at least one elongate channel for allowing access of said sensor to an environment surrounding the integrated circuit.

Abstract: As may be consistent with one or more embodiments discussed herein, an integrated circuit apparatus includes a membrane suspended over a cavity, with the membrane and cavity defining a chamber. The membrane has a plurality of openings therein that pass gas into and out of the chamber. As the membrane is actuated, the volume of the chamber changes to generate a gas pressure inside the chamber that is different than a pressure outside the chamber. A sensor detects a frequency-based characteristic of the membrane responsive to the change in volume, and therein provides an indication of the gas pressure outside the chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a token, to an integrated circuit comprising the token, to a method of randomizing the token and a system for randomizing the token. The token comprises a physical unclonable function and comprising probing means for probing the physical unclonable function. The physical unclonable function comprises a capacitor comprising a dielectric medium being arranged at least partially between the electrodes of the capacitor. The dielectric medium is configured for contributing to a capacitance value of the capacitor and comprises conducting particles substantially randomly dispersed in the dielectric medium. The conducting particles comprise a phase changeable material being changeable between a first structural state having a first conductivity and a second structural state having a second conductivity different from the first conductivity.