A method of making a microfluidic device (200, 201, 300) can include depositing a layer of photoresist onto a first substrate (210, 270, 310), selectively removing the photoresist to expose portions of the first substrate (210, 270, 310), etching the exposed portions of the first substrate (210, 270, 310) to form an array of nano-wells (240, 340), coating each nano-well (240, 340) with metal oxide, and coating the metal oxide on each nano-well (240, 340) with a first material to increase binding of DNA, proteins, and polynucleotides to the metal oxide. A layer of a second material can be deposited on interstitial areas between the nano-wells (240, 340) to inhibit binding of DNA, proteins, and polynucleotides to the interstitial areas. A second substrate (220, 320) can be bonded to the first substrate (210, 270, 310) to enclose the array of nano-wells (240, 340) in a cavity.

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) inertial sensors exhibiting reduced parasitic capacitance are described. The reduction in the parasitic capacitance may be achieved by forming localized regions of thick dielectric material. These localized regions may be formed inside trenches. Formation of trenches enables an increase in the vertical separation between a sense capacitor and the substrate, thereby reducing the parasitic capacitance in this region. The stationary electrode of the sense capacitor may be placed between the proof mass and the trench. The trench may be filled with a dielectric material. Part of the trench may be filled with air, in some circumstances, thereby further reducing the parasitic capacitance. These MEMS inertial sensors may serve, among other types of inertial sensors, as accelerometers and/or gyroscopes. Fabrication of these trenches may involve lateral oxidation, whereby columns of semiconductor material are oxidized.

A multi-purpose Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) thermopile sensor able to use as a thermal conductivity sensor, a Pirani vacuum sensor, a thermal flow sensor and a non-contact infrared temperature sensor, respectively. The sensor comprises a rectangular membrane created in a silicon substrate which has a thin polysilicon layer and a thin residual thermal reorganized porous silicon layer both attached on its back side, and configured to have its three sides clamped to the frame formed in the silicon substrate which surrounds and supports the membrane and the other side free to the frame, a cavity created in the silicon substrate, positioned under the membrane and having its flat bottom opposite to the membrane, its three side walls shaped as curved planes and the other side wall shaped as a vertical plane, a heater or an infrared absorber positioned on the membrane, close to and parallel with the free side of the membrane and a thermopile positioned on the membrane and consists of several thermocouples connected in series and having its hot junctions close to the heater and its cold junctions extended to the frame.

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided such that a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) element is protected at an early manufacturing stage. A method for protecting a MEMS element includes: providing at least one MEMS element, having a sensitive area, on a substrate; and depositing, prior to a package assembly process, a protective material over the sensitive area of the at least one MEMS element such that the sensitive area of at least one MEMS element is sealed from an external environment, where the protective material permits a sensor functionality of the at least one MEMS element.

A system includes a semiconductor substrate having a first cavity. The semiconductor substrate forms a pedestal adjacent the first cavity. A device overlays the pedestal and is bonded to the semiconductor substrate by metal within the first cavity. A plurality of second cavities are formed in a surface of the pedestal beneath the device, wherein the second cavities are smaller than the first cavity. In some of these teachings, the second cavities are voids. In some of these teachings, the metal in the first cavity comprises a eutectic mixture. The structure relates to a method of manufacturing in which a layer providing a mask to etch the first cavity is segmented to enable easy removal of the mask-providing layer from the area over the pedestal.

A microfabricated gas flow structure includes an array of vertical gas flow channels in a side-by-side parallel flow arrangement. Adjacent gas flow channels are separated by a thin wall having a thickness which can be an order of magnitude or more less than the channel width, offering exceptionally high area efficiency for the array. Channel walls can be formed from a dielectric material to provide the walls with sufficient integrity at nanoscale thicknesses and to provide thermal insulative properties in the lateral direction, thereby controlling power losses when the gas flow structure is employed as a Knudsen pump. The gas flow structure can be microfabricated as a monolithic structure from an SOI wafer, with the gas flow channels formed in the device layer and the heat sink formed from the handle layer.

A multi-purpose Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) thermopile sensor able to use as a thermal conductivity sensor, a Pirani vacuum sensor, a thermal flow sensor and a non-contact infrared temperature sensor, respectively. The sensor comprises a rectangular membrane created in a silicon substrate which has a thin polysilicon layer and a thin residual thermal reorganized porous silicon layer both attached on its back side, and configured to have its three sides clamped to the frame formed in the silicon substrate which surrounds and supports the membrane and the other side free to the frame, a cavity created in the silicon substrate, positioned under the membrane and having its flat bottom opposite to the membrane, its three side walls shaped as curved planes and the other side wall shaped as a vertical plane, a heater or an infrared absorber positioned on the membrane, close to and parallel with the free side of the membrane and a thermopile positioned on the membrane and consists of several thermocouples connected in series and having its hot junctions close to the heater and its cold junctions extended to the frame.

A semiconductor element includes a processed substrate arrangement including a processed semiconductor substrate and a metallization layer arrangement on a main surface of the processed semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor element further includes a passivation layer arranged at an outer border of the processed substrate arrangement.

A semiconductor device includes first and second exposed electrical contacts and a cavity having a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structure therein. A conductive path extends from the first exposed electrical contact to the cavity and an over-voltage protection element electrically is coupled between the first and second exposed electrical contacts.

A method for manufacturing a micromechanical inertial sensor, including: forming a movable MEMS structure in a MEMS wafer; connecting a cap wafer to the MEMS wafer; forming an access opening into the cavity, the access opening to the cavity being formed from two opposing sides; a defined narrow first access opening being formed from one side of the movable MEMS structure and a defined wide second access opening being formed from a surface of the MEMS wafer, the second access opening being formed to be wider in a defined manner than the first access opening; and closing the first access opening while enclosing a defined internal pressure in the cavity.