A method for manufacturing a resonator that effectively addresses variations in resistivity for each wafer. The method for manufacturing a resonator includes forming a Si oxide film on a surface of a degenerated Si wafer, where the Si oxide film has a thickness set that is based on the doping amount of impurity in the degenerated Si wafer.

A semiconductor sensor, comprising a gas-sensing device and an integrated circuit is provided. The gas-sensing device includes a substrate having a sensing area and an interconnection area in the vicinity of the sensing area, an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer formed above the substrate in the sensing area and in the interconnection area, and an interconnect structure formed in the interconnection area; further includes a sensing electrode, a second TiO.sub.2-patterned portion, and a second Pt-patterned portion on the second TiO.sub.2-patterned portion in the sensing area. The interconnect structure includes a tungsten layer buried in the IMD layer, wherein part of a top surface of the tungsten layer is exposed by at least a via. The interconnect structure further includes a platinum layer formed in said at least the via, a TiO.sub.2 layer formed on the IMD layer, a first TiO.sub.2-patterned portion and a first Pt-patterned portion.

A MEMS apparatus with heater includes central part, periphery part, gap and first connecting part. Central part includes center of mass, heater and first joint. Heater is disposed inside central part. First joint is located on boundary of central part. Displacement of first joint is produced when central part is heated by heater. Periphery part surrounds central part. Gap surrounds central part, and is located between central part and periphery part. First connecting part connects central part and periphery part along first reference line and includes first inner connecting portion and first outer connecting portion. First inner connecting portion is connected to first joint. First outer connecting portion is connected to periphery part. First reference line passes through first joint, and first reference line is not parallel to line connecting center of mass and first joint.

One or more heating elements are provided to heat a MEMS component (such as a resonator) to a temperature higher than an ambient temperature range in which the MEMS component is intended to operatein effect, heating the MEMS component and optionally related circuitry to a steady-state oven temperature above that which would occur naturally during component operation and thereby avoiding temperature-dependent performance variance/instability (frequency, voltage, propagation delay, etc.). In a number of embodiments, an IC package is implemented with distinct temperature-isolated and temperature-interfaced regions, the former bearing or housing the MEMS component and subject to heating (i.e., to oven temperature) by the one or more heating elements while the latter is provided with (e.g., disposed adjacent) one or more heat dissipation paths to discharge heat generated by transistor circuitry (i.e., expel heat from the integrated circuit package).

Disclosed is a method of fabricating a MEMS membrane structure. The method comprises: forming a silicon oxide film dam structure on a silicon substrate; depositing an adhesive layer and then forming a sacrificial layer; depositing a surface protective film on the sacrificial layer; etching the surface protective film and the sacrificial layer, thus forming trenches of first to third rows on the silicon oxide film dam structure; depositing a support film inside of the trenches of first to third rows and on the surface protective film of the sacrificial layer, thus forming a membrane; and removing the sacrificial layer disposed inside the support film deposited inside of the trench of first row, thus forming an empty space.

A semiconductor sensor, comprising a gas-sensing device and an integrated circuit electrically connected to the gas-sensing device, is provided. The gas-sensing device includes a substrate having a sensing area and an interconnection area in the vicinity of the sensing area, an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer formed above the substrate in the sensing area and in the interconnection area, and an interconnect structure formed in the interconnection area. The interconnect structure includes a tungsten layer buried in the IMD layer, wherein part of a top surface of the tungsten layer is exposed by at least a via. The interconnect structure further includes a platinum layer formed in said at least the via, wherein the platinum (Pt) layer directly contacts the top surface of the tungsten layer.

Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices are disclosed, including a MEMS device comprising a semiconductor die including integrated circuitry, a structure mounted on the semiconductor die and covering at least a portion of the circuitry, the structure defining a space between the structure and the at least a portion of the circuitry, and a transducer including a membrane, the transducer located outside of the space.

The present disclosure relates to a micro-electromechanical system (MEMs) package. In some embodiments, the MEMs package has a plurality of conductive interconnect layers disposed within a dielectric structure over an upper surface of a first substrate. A heating element is electrically coupled to a semiconductor device within the first substrate by one or more of the plurality of conductive interconnect layers. The heating element is vertically separated from the first substrate by the dielectric structure. A MEMs substrate is coupled to the first substrate and has a MEMs device. A hermetically sealed chamber surrounding the MEMs device is disposed between the first substrate and the MEMs substrate. An out-gassing material is disposed laterally between the hermetically sealed chamber and the heating element.

Methods and apparatus for preventing solar damage, and other heat-related damage, to uncooled microbolometer pixels. In certain examples, a thermochroic membrane that becomes highly reflective at temperatures above a certain threshold is applied over at least some of the microbolometer pixels to prevent the pixels from being damaged by excessive heat.

A micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) includes a circuit substrate comprising electronic circuitry, a support substrate having a recess, a bonding layer disposed between the circuit substrate and the support substrate, through holes passing through the circuit substrate to the recess, a first conductive layer disposed on a front side of the circuit substrate, and a second conductive layer disposed on an inner wall of the recess. The first conductive layer extends into the through holes and the second conductive layer extends into the through holes and coupled to the first conductive layer.