Patents by Inventor Pamela R. Patterson

Abstract: A method of three dimensional heterogeneous integration including forming HBT devices on a first substrate, each HBT device having a collector, removing the first substrate, forming first bonding pads on each collector of the heterojunction bipolar transistor devices, forming high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) devices on a first side of a growth substrate, wherein the growth substrate comprises a thermally conductive substrate, such as SiC or diamond, forming second bonding pads on the first side of the growth substrate, aligning and bonding the first bonding pads to the second bonding pads, forming CMOS devices on a Si substrate, bonding the CMOS devices on the Si substrate to a second side of the growth substrate, and forming selectively interconnects between the HBT devices, the HEMT devices, and the CMOS devices by forming vias and first and second level metal interconnects.

Abstract: A tunable metamaterial has a two dimensional array of resonant annular ring elements; and a plurality of voltage controllable electrical tuning elements disposed in or adjacent openings in each of said ring elements, each of said voltage controllable electrical tuning element ohmically contacting portions of only one of said ring elements. The voltage controllable electrical tuning elements may comprise highly doped semiconductor tunnel diodes, or the charge accumulation layer at the semiconductor/insulator interface of a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure, or nanoelectromechanical (NEMs) capacitors. The tunable metamaterial may be used, for example, in an optical beam steering device using the aforementioned tunable optical metamaterial in which a free-space optical beam is coupled into a receiving portion of a plane of the optical metamaterial and is steered out of a transmitter portion of the plane of the optical metamaterial in controllable azimuthal and elevational directions.

Abstract: A tunable metamaterial has a two dimensional array of resonant annular ring elements; and a plurality of voltage controllable electrical tuning elements disposed in or adjacent openings in each of said ring elements, each of said voltage controllable electrical tuning element ohmically contacting portions of only one of said ring elements. The voltage controllable electrical tuning elements may comprise highly doped semiconductor tunnel diodes, or the charge accumulation layer at the semiconductor/insulator interface of a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure, or nanoelectromechanical (NEMs) capacitors. The tunable metamaterial may be used, for example, in an optical beam steering device using the aforementioned tunable optical metamaterial in which a free-space optical beam is coupled into a receiving portion of a plane of the optical metamaterial and is steered out of a transmitter portion of the plane of the optical metamaterial in controllable azimuthal and elevational directions.

Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor having an emitter, a base, and a collector, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a metallic sub-collector electrically and thermally coupled to the collector wherein the metallic sub-collector comprises a metallic thin film, and a collector contact electrically connected to the metallic sub-collector.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a load cell assembly and methods of folding a circuit device are disclosed. A flexible circuit body including a strip having at least one hinge is provided, with the strip being in a first position or an unfolded position. A plurality of strain gauges are attached to the strip, with the hinge disposed between the strain gauges. A jig is provided and the strip of the flexible circuit body is folded along the hinge utilizing the jig to define a second position or folded position of the strip.

Abstract: A tunable metamaterial has a two dimensional array of resonant annular ring elements; and a plurality of voltage controllable electrical tuning elements disposed in or adjacent openings in each of said ring elements, each of said voltage controllable electrical tuning element ohmically contacting portions of only one of said ring elements. The voltage controllable electrical tuning elements may comprise highly doped semiconductor tunnel diodes, or the charge accumulation layer at the semiconductor/insulator interface of a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure, or nanoelectromechanical (NEMs) capacitors. The tunable metamaterial may be used, for example, in an optical beam steering device using the aforementioned tunable optical metamaterial in which a free-space optical beam is coupled into a receiving portion of a plane of the optical metamaterial and is steered out of a transmitter portion of the plane of the optical metamaterial in controllable azimuthal and elevational directions.

Abstract: This invention provides a micro-supercapacitor with high energy density and high power density. In some variations, carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, coated with a metal oxide, such as ruthenium oxide, are grown in a supercapacitor cavity that contains no separator. A lid is bonded to the cavity using a bonding process to form a hermetic seal. These micro-supercapacitors may be fabricated from silicon-on-insulator wafers according to the disclosed methods. An exemplary micro-supercapacitor is cubic with a length of about 50-100 ?m. The absence of a separator translates to higher energy storage volume and less wasted space within the supercapacitor cell. The energy density of the micro-supercapacitor may exceed 150 J/cm3 and the peak output power density may be in the range of about 2-20 W/cm3, in various embodiments.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a resonator is presented in the present application. The method includes providing a handle substrate, providing a host substrate, providing a quartz substrate comprising a first surface opposite a second surface, applying interposer film to the first surface of the quartz substrate, bonding the quartz substrate to the handle substrate wherein the interposer film is disposed between the quartz substrate and the handle substrate, thinning the second surface of the quartz substrate, removing a portion of the bonded quartz substrate to expose a portion of the interposer film, bonding the quartz substrate to the host substrate, and removing the handle substrate and the interposer film, thereby releasing the quartz substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a load cell assembly and methods of folding a circuit device are disclosed. A flexible circuit body including a strip having at least one hinge is provided, with the strip being in a first position or an unfolded position. A plurality of strain gauges are attached to the strip, with the hinge disposed between the strain gauges. A jig is provided and the strip of the flexible circuit body is folded along the hinge utilizing the jig to define a second position or folded position of the strip.

Abstract: This invention provides a micro-supercapacitor with high energy density and high power density. In some variations, carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, coated with a metal oxide, such as ruthenium oxide, are grown in a supercapacitor cavity that contains no separator. A lid is bonded to the cavity using a bonding process to form a hermetic seal. These micro-supercapacitors may be fabricated from silicon-on-insulator wafers according to the disclosed methods. An exemplary micro-supercapacitor is cubic with a length of about 50-100 ?m. The absence of a separator translates to higher energy storage volume and less wasted space within the supercapacitor cell. The energy density of the micro-supercapacitor may exceed 150 J/cm3 and the peak output power density may be in the range of about 2-20 W/cm3, in various embodiments.

Abstract: In one implementation, a method of fabrication of stretchable electronic skin is provided. The method may include receiving an elastic material net. An elastic conductor mesh is formed on the elastic material net. A device is electrically bonded to the elastic conductor mesh. The implementation may further include forming a mold comprising a net pattern on a substrate and creating the elastic material net by coating the mold with an elastic material precursor, and then removing the elastic net from the substrate with the elastic conductor thereon. In one embodiment, a stretchable electronic skin including a net structure having a non-conducting elastic material with an elastic conductor mesh formed on the non-conducting elastic material, and a device electrically connected to the elastic conductor mesh.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a low frequency quartz resonator includes metalizing a top-side of a quartz wafer with a metal etch stop, depositing a first metal layer over the metal etch stop, patterning the first metal layer to form a top electrode, bonding the quartz wafer to a silicon handle, thinning the quartz wafer to a desired thickness, depositing on a bottom-side of the quartz wafer a hard etch mask, etching the quartz wafer to form a quartz area for the resonator and to form a via through the quartz wafer, removing the hard etch mask without removing the metal etch stop, forming on the bottom side of the quartz wafer a bottom electrode for the low frequency quartz resonator, depositing metal for a substrate bond pad onto a host substrate wafer, bonding the quartz resonator to the substrate bond pad, and removing the silicon handle.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a resonator is presented in the present application. The method includes providing a handle substrate, providing a host substrate, providing a quartz substrate comprising a first surface opposite a second surface, applying interposer film to the first surface of the quartz substrate, bonding the quartz substrate to the handle substrate wherein the interposer film is disposed between the quartz substrate and the handle substrate, thinning the second surface of the quartz substrate, removing a portion of the bonded quartz substrate to expose a portion of the interposer film, bonding the quartz substrate to the host substrate, and removing the handle substrate and the interposer film, thereby releasing the quartz substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a low frequency quartz resonator includes metalizing a top-side of a quartz wafer with a metal etch stop, depositing a first metal layer over the metal etch stop, patterning the first metal layer to form a top electrode, bonding the quartz wafer to a silicon handle, thinning the quartz wafer to a desired thickness, depositing on a bottom-side of the quartz wafer a hard etch mask, etching the quartz wafer to form a quartz area for the resonator and to form a via through the quartz wafer, removing the hard etch mask without removing the metal etch stop, forming on the bottom side of the quartz wafer a bottom electrode for the low frequency quartz resonator, depositing metal for a substrate bond pad onto a host substrate wafer, bonding the quartz resonator to the substrate bond pad, and removing the silicon handle.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a low frequency quartz resonator includes metalizing a top-side of a quartz wafer with a metal etch stop, depositing a first metal layer over the metal etch stop, patterning the first metal layer to form a top electrode, bonding the quartz wafer to a silicon handle, thinning the quartz wafer to a desired thickness, depositing on a bottom-side of the quartz wafer a hard etch mask, etching the quartz wafer to form a quartz area for the resonator and to form a via through the quartz wafer, removing the hard etch mask without removing the metal etch stop, forming on the bottom side of the quartz wafer a bottom electrode for the low frequency quartz resonator, depositing metal for a substrate bond pad onto a host substrate wafer, bonding the quartz resonator to the substrate bond pad, and removing the silicon handle.

Abstract: A MEMS tunable capacitor with angular vertical comb-drive (AVC) actuators is described where high capacitances and a wide continuous tuning range is achieved in a compact space. The comb fingers rotate through a small vertical angle which allows a wider tuning range than in conventional lateral comb drive devices. Fabrication of the device is straightforward, and involves a single deep reactive ion etching step followed by release and out-of-plane assembly of the angular combs.

Abstract: A method for automatically controlling a collimated sputtering source that is controllable by a computer to compensate for the build-up of sputtered material on the collimator. The method involves providing software for the computer including a formula to calculate a multiplier as a function of the age of the collimator, sequentially depositing film on a series of substrates using the sputtering source, monitoring the age of the collimator, and using the software to periodically adjust the value of a controllable sputtering parameter as a function of the multiplier. The sputtering parameter is automatically adjusted by the software such that a property of the film deposited by the source on the series of substrates does not substantially vary among the substrates as sputtered material builds up on the collimator.