公开(公告)号：EP4170356A1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-26

申请号：EP22200494.7

申请日：2022-10-10

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l. ,  STMicroelectronics Inc.

Inventor： GARBARINO, Marco ,  CHOI, Davy ,  RIZZINI, Francesco ,  HU, Yamu

IPC: G01P21/00 ,  G01P15/125 ,  G01P15/18 ,  G01P15/08

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer sensor (12x, 12y, 12z) has a mobile mass and a sensing capacitor. To self-test the sensor, a test signal having a variably controlled excitation voltage and a fixed pulse width is applied to the sensing capacitor. The leading and trailing edges of the test signal are aligned to coincide with reset phases of a sensing circuit (32-36) coupled to the sensing capacitor. The variably controlled excitation voltage of the test signal is configured to cause an electrostatic force which produces a desired physical displacement of the mobile mass. During a read phase of the sensing circuit, a variation in capacitance of sensing capacitor due to the actual physical displacement of the mobile mass is sensed for comparison to the desired physical displacement.

公开(公告)号：EP3951403A1

公开(公告)日：2022-02-09

申请号：EP21190136.8

申请日：2021-08-06

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： RIZZINI, Francesco ,  VALZASINA, Carlo ,  GATTERE, Gabriele

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  G01P15/08

Abstract: A microelectromechanical sensor device (20) has a detection structure (21) provided with: a substrate (24) having a top surface (24a) extending in a horizontal plane (xy); a mobile structure (22, 26), having an inertial mass (22) suspended above the substrate at a first area (24') of the surface so as to perform at least one inertial movement with respect to the substrate as a function of a quantity to be detected; and a fixed structure (27a, 27b), having fixed electrodes suspended above the substrate at the first area (24') of the surface and defining with the mobile structure a capacitive coupling to form at least one sensing capacitor, whose capacitance value is indicative of the quantity to be detected. A single mechanical-anchorage structure (32) provides anchoring of both the mobile structure and the fixed structure to the substrate at a second area (24") of the surface, distinct and separate from the first area (24'); connection elements (34a-34c) couple the mobile structure and the fixed structure mechanically to the single mechanical-anchorage structure.

公开(公告)号：EP3226008B1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-05

申请号：EP17162576.7

申请日：2017-03-23

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： TOCCHIO, Alessandro ,  RIZZINI, Francesco ,  VALZASINA, Carlo ,  LANGFELDER, Giacomo

IPC: G01P15/125

CPC classification number: G01P1/006 ,  G01P15/125 ,  G01P2015/0817 ,  G01P2015/0834

Abstract: The accelerometric sensor has a suspended region (21), mobile with respect to a supporting structure (24), and a sensing assembly (37) coupled to the suspended region and configured to detect a movement of the suspended region with respect to the supporting structure. The suspended region (21) has a geometry variable between at least two configurations associated with respective centroids, different from each other. The suspended region (21) is formed by a first region (22) rotatably anchored to the supporting structure (24) and by a second region (23) coupled to the first region (22) through elastic connection elements (25) configured to allow a relative movement of the second region (23) with respect to the first region (22). A driving assembly (40) is coupled to the second region (23) so as to control the relative movement of the latter with respect to the first region.

公开(公告)号：EP4365603A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-08

申请号：EP23204864.5

申请日：2023-10-20

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： RIANI, Manuel ,  GATTERE, Gabriele ,  RIZZINI, Francesco

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  G01P15/097 ,  G01P15/08

CPC classification number: G01P15/125 ,  G01P2015/081420130101 ,  G01P2015/087120130101 ,  G01P2015/085720130101

Abstract: The MEMS device (20) is formed by a substrate (21) and a movable structure (22) suspended on the substrate. The movable structure has a first mass (28), a second mass (29A) and a first elastic group (30A) mechanically coupled between the first and the second masses. The first elastic group is compliant along a first direction (Y). The first mass is configured to move with respect to the substrate along the first direction. The MEMS device also has a second elastic group (23) mechanically coupled between the substrate and the movable structure and compliant along the first direction; and an anchoring control structure (33A, 40A) fixed to the substrate, capacitively coupled to the second mass and configured to exert an electrostatic force on the second mass along the first direction. The anchoring control structure controls the MEMS device in a first operating state, wherein the second mass is free to move with respect to the substrate along the first direction, and in a second operating state, wherein the anchoring control structure applies a pull-in force on the second mass which anchors the second mass to the anchoring control structure.

公开(公告)号：EP4123313A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-25

申请号：EP22183947.5

申请日：2022-07-08

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： GATTERE, Gabriele ,  DARMANIN, Jean Marie ,  RIZZINI, Francesco ,  VALZASINA, Carlo

IPC: G01P15/08 ,  B81B5/00 ,  G01P15/125 ,  G01P15/13

Abstract: A closed-loop microelectromechanical accelerometer includes a substrate (23) of semiconductor material, an out-of-plane sensing mass (13) and feedback electrodes (17a-17d). The out-of-plane sensing mass (13), of semiconductor material, has a first side (13a) facing the supporting body (11) and a second side (13b) opposite to the first side (13a). The out-of-plane sensing mass (13) is also connected to the supporting body (11) to oscillate around a non-barycentric fulcrum axis (F) parallel to the first side (13a) and to the second side (13b) and perpendicular to an out-of-plane sensing axis (Z). The feedback electrodes (17a-17d) are capacitively coupled to the sensing mass (13) and are configured to apply opposite electrostatic forces (F FB1 , F FB2 ) to the sensing mass (13).

公开(公告)号：EP3318882A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-09

申请号：EP17177420.1

申请日：2017-06-22

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： TOCCHIO, Alessandro ,  RIZZINI, Francesco

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  G01P15/18

CPC classification number: G01P15/18 ,  G01P15/097 ,  G01P15/125 ,  G01P2015/0845 ,  G01P2015/0848

Abstract: A MEMS tri-axial accelerometer (32) is provided with a sensing structure (1) having: a single inertial mass (2), with a main extension in a horizontal plane (xy) defined by a first horizontal axis (x) and a second horizontal axis (y) and internally defining a first window (4) that traverses it throughout a thickness thereof along a vertical axis (z) orthogonal to the horizontal plane (xy); and a suspension structure (29), arranged within the window for elastically coupling the inertial mass to a single anchorage element (8), which is fixed with respect to a substrate and arranged within the window, so that the inertial mass (2) is suspended above the substrate and is able to carry out, by the inertial effect, a first sensing movement, a second sensing movement, and a third sensing movement in respective sensing directions parallel to the first, second, and third horizontal axes following upon detection of a respective acceleration component (a x ). In particular, the suspension structure has at least one first decoupling element (6) for decoupling at least one of the first, second, and third sensing movements from the remaining sensing movements.

Abstract translation: MEMS三轴加速度计（32）设置有感测结构（1），该感测结构具有：单个惯性质量块（2），其具有在由第一水平轴（x）限定的水平面（xy）中的主延伸部和 第二水平轴线（y）并且在内部限定第一窗口（4），所述第一窗口沿着垂直于所述水平面（xy）的垂直轴线（z）遍及其整个厚度穿过所述第一窗口; 和悬挂结构（29），布置在窗内用于将惯性质量块弹性地耦合到相对于基板固定并布置在窗内的单个锚固元件（8），从而惯性质量块（2）是 悬挂在衬底上方并且能够通过惯性效应在与第一，第二和第三水平轴平行的相应感测方向上执行第一感测运动，第二感测运动和第三感测运动， 相应的加速度分量（ax）。 特别地，悬架结构具有至少一个第一解耦元件（6），用于将第一，第二和第三感测运动中的至少一个与剩余的感测运动解耦。

公开(公告)号：EP4235190A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-30

申请号：EP23157012.8

申请日：2023-02-16

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： GATTERE, Gabriele ,  RIZZINI, Francesco ,  MANCA, Nicolo'

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  G01P15/13 ,  G01P15/08

Abstract: Micromechanical device (50) comprising: a semiconductor body (51); a movable structure (53) configured to oscillate relative to the semiconductor body (51) along an oscillation direction (61); and an elastic assembly (57) with an elastic constant (K eq ), coupled to the movable structure (53) and to the semiconductor body (51) and configured to deform along the oscillation direction (61) to allow the oscillation of the movable structure (53) as a function of an acceleration applied to the micromechanical device (50). The movable structure (53) and the semiconductor body (51) comprise a control structure (72) for the capacitive control of the oscillation of the movable structure (53): when the control structure (72) is electrically controlled in a first state the micromechanical device (50) is in a first operating mode wherein a total elastic constant (K t ) of the micromechanical device (50) has a first value, and when it is electrically controlled in a second state the micromechanical device (50) is in a second operating mode wherein the total elastic constant (K t ) has a second value lower than, or equal to, the first value.

公开(公告)号：EP3450992A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-06

申请号：EP18188857.9

申请日：2018-08-14

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： TOCCHIO, Alessandro ,  RIZZINI, Francesco ,  VALZASINA, Carlo ,  LANGFELDER, Giacomo ,  MARRA, Cristiano Rocco

IPC: G01P15/097 ,  G01P15/18

Abstract: An inertial sensor (1) for sensing an external acceleration, comprising: a first and a second proof mass (6, 8); a first and a second capacitor formed between first and second fixed electrodes and the first proof mass; a third and a fourth capacitor formed between third and fourth fixed electrodes and the second proof mass; a driving assembly (14a, 14b, 18a, 18b) configured to cause an antiphase oscillation of the first and second proof masses; a biasing circuit (49, 51) configured to bias the first and third capacitors, thus generating first variation of the oscillation frequency in a first time interval, and to bias the second and fourth capacitors, thus generating first variation of the oscillation frequency in a second time interval; a sensing assembly (16a, 16b, 20a, 20b, 40), configured to generate an differential output signal which is a function of a difference between a value of the oscillating frequency during the first time interval and a value of the oscillating frequency during the second time interval. Such differential output signal can be correlated to the value and direction of the external acceleration.

公开(公告)号：EP3156804B1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-02

申请号：EP16193820.4

申请日：2016-10-13

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： TOCCHIO, Alessandro ,  RIZZINI, Francesco ,  GUERINONI, Luca

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  B81B3/00 ,  G01C19/5755 ,  G01P15/08

公开(公告)号：EP3156804A1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-19

申请号：EP16193820.4

申请日：2016-10-13

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： TOCCHIO, Alessandro ,  RIZZINI, Francesco ,  GUERINONI, Luca

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  B81B3/00 ,  G01C19/5755 ,  G01P15/08

CPC classification number: G01P15/125 ,  B81B3/0072 ,  G01C19/5755 ,  G01P1/00 ,  G01P2015/0814

Abstract: A MEMS sensor device (41) provided with a sensing structure (20), having: a substrate (2) with a top surface (2a) extending in a horizontal plane (xy); an inertial mass (30), suspended over the substrate (2); elastic coupling elements (32), elastically connected to the inertial mass (30) so as to enable inertial movement thereof with respect to the substrate (2) as a function of a quantity to be detected along a sensing axis (x) belonging to the horizontal plane (xy); and sensing electrodes (35a, 35b), capacitively coupled to the inertial mass (30) so as to form at least one sensing capacitor (C 1 , C 2 ), a value of capacitance of which is indicative of the quantity to be detected. The sensing structure (20) moreover has a suspension structure (21), to which the sensing electrodes (35a, 35b) are rigidly coupled, and to which the inertial mass (30) is elastically coupled through the elastic coupling elements (32); the suspension structure (21) is connected to an anchorage structure (23), fixed with respect to the substrate (2), by means of elastic suspension elements (28).

Abstract translation: 具有感测结构（20）的MEMS传感器装置（41）具有：具有在水平面（xy）中延伸的顶表面（2a）的基底（2）; 悬浮在基底（2）上的惯性块（30）; 弹性连接元件（32），其弹性地连接到惯性块（30），以便能够沿着属于所述基座（2）的感测轴（x）沿着要检测的量的函数来相对于所述基板（2）的惯性运动 水平面（xy）; 以及感测电极（35a，35b），其电容耦合到所述惯性块（30），以形成至少一个感测电容器（C 1，C 2），其电容值指示要检测的量。 感测结构（20）还具有一个悬置结构（21），感测电极（35a，35b）刚性连接到该悬挂结构上，并且惯性块（30）通过弹性联接元件（32）弹性联接到该悬挂结构上。 悬挂结构（21）通过弹性悬挂元件（28）连接到相对于基板（2）固定的锚固结构（23）。