Abstract:
In a device (2) for determining the position (P 1 (x, y) ) of a touch on a contact surface (1a), a plurality of vibration sensors (4) are configured to detect mechanical vibrations (9) generated by the touch on the contact surface (1a) and to generate corresponding vibration signals, and a processing circuit (6) is connected to the vibration sensors (4) and is configured to determine the touch position (P 1 (x, y) ) via a time-of-f light algorithm, based on differences between times of detection (t 1 , t 2 , t 3 ) of the mechanical vibrations (9) by the vibration sensors (4).
Abstract:
The inertial sensor (1) comprises an inner stator (2) and an outer rotor (3) which are electrostatically coupled together by means of mobile sensor arms (5) and fixed sensor arms (9a, 9b). The rotor (3) is connected to a calibration microactuator (12) comprising four sets (27) of actuator elements (13) arranged one for each quadrant of the inertial sensor. There are two actuator elements (13) making up each set, which are identical to each other, are angularly equidistant, and each of which comprises a mobile actuator arm (15) connected to the rotor (3) and bearing a plurality of mobile actuator electrodes (16), and a pair of fixed actuator arms (17a, 17b) which are set on opposite sides with respect to the corresponding mobile actuator arm and bear a plurality of fixed actuator electrodes (19a, 19b). The mobile actuator electrodes (16) and fixed actuator electrodes (19a, 19b) are connected to a driving unit (20) which biases them so as to cause a preset motion of the rotor (3), the motion being detected by a sensing unit (24) connected to the fixed sensor arms (9a, 9b).
Abstract:
The hard disk read/write unit (30) is formed in a monolithic body (31) of semiconductor material, including a suspension structure (44), a coupling (36) integral with the suspension structure, and a microactuator (37), integral with the coupling. The monolithic body (31) has a first portion (31a) accommodating integrated electronic components (33), and a second portion (31b), accommodating the coupling (36) and the microactuator (37). The coupling (36) is formed from a central region (40), accommodating the microactuator (37); an annular region (41), separated from the central region (40) by a first trench (45), and from the suspension (44) by a second trench (46); a first pair of suspension arms (42), extending between the central region (40) and the annular region (41), along a first axis; and a second pair of suspension arms (43), extending between the annular region (41) and the suspension (44), along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The first and second pair of arms (42, 43), with a reduced thickness, impart to the coupling (36) yielding for rotations around the first and second axes of the central region.
Abstract:
To increase the sensitivity of the sensor, the movable mass (40) forming the seismic mass is formed starting from the epitaxial layer (13) and is covered by a weighting region of tungsten (26c) which has high density. To manufacture it, buried conductive regions (2) are formed in the substrate (1); then, at the same time, a sacrificial region is formed in the zone where the movable mass is to be formed and oxide insulating regions (9a-9d) are formed on the buried conductive regions (2) so as to cover them partially; the epitaxial layer (13) is then grown, using a nucleus region; a tungsten layer (26) is deposited and defined and, using a silicon carbide layer (31) as mask, the suspended structure (40) is defined; finally the sacrificial region is removed, forming an air gap (38).
Abstract:
An electromagnetic head (130) for a storage device comprises a magnetic core (205) forming a magnetic circuit, the magnetic core (205) being interrupted by a first air-gap (230) for magnetic coupling with a memory cell of the device, and by at least one second air-gap (235) which separates a first pole (240) and a second pole (245) of the magnetic core (205), and magnetoresistive means (250) disposed in the region of the second air-gap (235) for reading the memory cell; the magnetoresistive means (250) are connected to the magnetic core (205) in the region of the first pole (240) and of the second pole (245) so as to be connected in the magnetic circuit.