A microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor, such as an accelerometer, has one more proof masses that respond to movement of the sensor, the movement of which is measured based on a distance between the one or more proof masses and on one or more sense electrodes. The accelerometer also has a plurality of auxiliary electrodes and a signal generator configured to apply an auxiliary signal having a first harmonic frequency to the plurality of auxiliary electrodes. Circuitry receives a sensed signal from the plurality of sense electrodes and identifies a portion of the sensed signal having the first harmonic frequency. Based on this identified portion of the sensed signal, the circuitry determines whether a residual voltage is present on the one or more proof masses or on the one or more sense electrodes, and the circuitry modifies the operation of the accelerometer when the residual voltage is determined to be present in order to compensate for the residual voltage.

Processes for fabricating capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) are described, as are CMUTs of various doping configurations. An insulating layer separating conductive layers of a CMUT may be formed by forming the layer on a lightly doped epitaxial semiconductor layer. Dopants may be diffused from a semiconductor substrate into the epitaxial semiconductor layer, without diffusing into the insulating layer. CMUTs with different configurations of N-type and P-type doping are also described.

A component intended to be in friction contact with another component, the component being coated with an electrically conductive layer in one piece, at least partially covering every surface of the component, the friction occurring on at least one of these surfaces, called the functional surface, the functional surface being surrounded by a plurality of side surfaces, the component having on its functional surface a texture formed of a succession of troughs coated with the electrically conductive layer, the troughs each extending between two side surfaces such that the electrically conductive layer remains in one piece over the component despite the wear caused by friction on the functional surface. The invention also relates to the method for manufacturing the component by the DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) process, wherein surface defects on the sides machined by the DRIE process are used to form the troughs.

An approach includes a method of fabricating a switch. The approach includes forming a first cantilevered electrode over a first electrode, forming a second cantilevered electrode over a second electrode and operable to directly contact the first cantilevered electrode upon an application of a voltage to at least one of the first electrode and a second electrode, and the first cantilevered electrode includes an arm with an extending protrusion which extends upward from an upper surface of the arm.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor structure having a bottom substrate, a sacrificial layer on the bottom substrate, and a top substrate on the sacrificial layer. The sacrificial layer has a first opening exposing a first portion of the bottom substrate and a second opening exposing a second portion of the bottom substrate. The method further includes forming a first metal layer on the top substrate and/or on the exposed first portion of the bottom substrate, forming an adhesive layer on the first metal layer, and forming a second metal layer on the adhesive layer defining one or more pads.

A method for protecting a MEMS unit, in particular a MEMS sensor, against infrared investigations, at least one area of the MEMS unit being doped, the at least one doped area absorbing, reflecting or diffusely scattering more than 50%, in particular more than 90%, of an infrared light incident upon it.

A method of fabricating a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) according to one aspect of the present invention may include forming, on a semiconductor substrate, a first region implanted with impurity ions at a first average concentration and a second region implanted with no impurity ions or implanted with the impurity ions at a second average concentration lower than the first average concentration, forming an insulating layer by oxidizing the semiconductor substrate wherein the insulating layer includes a first oxide layer having a first thickness on at least a part of the first region and a second oxide layer having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness on at least a part of the second region, and forming a membrane layer on the insulating layer such that a gap is defined between the second oxide layer and the membrane layer.

MEMS switches and methods of manufacturing MEMS switches is provided. The MEMS switch having at least two cantilevered electrodes having ends which overlap and which are structured and operable to contact one another upon an application of a voltage by at least one fixed electrode.

A semiconductor device includes a bottom substrate, a sacrificial layer on the bottom substrate and including a first opening exposing a first portion of the bottom substrate and a second opening exposing a second portion of the bottom substrate, a top substrate on the sacrificial layer and on the second opening forming a cavity, a first metal layer on the top substrate and/or on the exposed first portion of the bottom substrate, an adhesive layer on the first metal layer, and a second metal layer on the adhesive layer defining one or more pads. The pad includes a stack-layered structure of a first metal layer on the bottom substrate, an adhesive layer on the first metal layer, and a second metal layer on the adhesive layer. The thus formed structure reduces the pad contact resistance.

A micro structure with a substrate having a top surface; a first electrode with a horizontal orientation parallel to the top surface of the substrate, wherein the first electrode is embedded within the substrate so that a top surface of the first electrode coincides with the top surface of the substrate; a dielectric layer arranged on the top surface of the first electrode; and a second electrode arranged above the dielectric layer.