Abstract:
In a micro-electromechanical structure (1; 30; 60; 70) of semiconductor material, a detection structure (19; 31) is formed by a stator (5; 35; 61) and by a rotor (4; 34), which are mobile with respect to one another in presence of an external stress and are subject to thermal stress; a compensation structure (24; 46) of a micro-electromechanical type, subject to thermal stress and invariant with respect to the external stress, is connected to the detection structure (19; 31) thereby the micro-electromechanical structure (1; 30; 60; 70) supplies an output signal (ΔC, V OUT ) correlated to the external stress and compensated in temperature.
Abstract:
A planar inertial sensor (1), comprising a first region and a second region (3, 2) of semiconductor material, the second region (2) being capacitively coupled and being mobile with respect to the first region (3), which is fixed. The second region (2) extends in a plane and has second portions (4), which face respective first portions (11) of the first region (3) and are mobile with respect to these so as to modify the distance between them the second region (2) translate with respect to the first region (3) in any direction belonging to the plane of the second region (2).
Abstract:
In a micro-electromechanical structure, in particular an accelerometer (1;30;60), a movable mass or rotor (4;34;61) has a centroidal axis (G;G') and includes a suspended structure (8;38;62) which carries mobile electrodes (10;40). A stator (5;35;77) carries fixed electrodes (12;42) facing the mobile electrodes. The suspended structure (4;34;61) is connected to a rotor-anchoring region (16;44) via elastic elements (15;45;65). The stator includes at least one stator element (20;55;67),which carries a plurality of fixed electrodes (12;42) and is fixed to a stator-anchoring region (21;54). One of the rotor-anchoring regions and stator-anchoring regions extends along the centroidal axis (G;G') which is an axis perpendicular to the plane of the structure, through its centre of gravity, and at least another of the rotor-anchoring regions and stator-anchoring regions extends in the proximity of the centroidal axis (G;G'). Due to the small distance of all anchoring regions to each other, and to the centre of gravity, stresses due to thermal mismatches can be reduced.
Abstract:
A process for the fabrication of an inertial sensor with failure threshold, including the steps of: forming, on top of a substrate (2) of a semiconductor wafer (1), at least one sample element (6) embedded in a sacrificial region (3, 12); forming, on top of the sacrificial region (3, 12), a body (18) connected to the sample element (6); and etching the sacrificial region (3, 12), so as to free the body (18) and the sample element (6).
Abstract:
An integrated gyroscope (1), including an acceleration sensor (23) formed by: a driving assembly (16); a sensitive mass (6) extending in at least one first and second directions (X, Y) and being moved by the driving assembly (16) in the first direction (X); and by a capacitive sensing electrode (20), facing the sensitive mass. The acceleration sensor (23) has an rotation axis (A) parallel to the second direction (Y), and the sensitive mass (6) is sensitive to forces acting in a third direction (Z) perpendicular to the other directions. The capacitive sensing electrode (20) is formed by a conductive material region extending underneath the sensitive mass (6) and spaced therefrom by an air gap.
Abstract:
Described herein is an inertial sensor (1) provided with a detection structure (9, 19) sensitive to a first, a second and a third component of acceleration (a x , a y , a z ) along respective directions of detection (x, y, z), and generating respective electrical quantities as a function of said components of acceleration. The detection structure (9, 19) supplies at output a resultant electrical quantity (C) obtained as combination of said electrical quantities, and correlated to the value of a resultant acceleration (a) acting on the inertial sensor (1), given by a vector sum of the components of acceleration (a x , a y , a z ) . In particular, the detection structure (9, 19) is of a microelectromechanical type, and comprises a mobile portion (2, 12) made of semiconductor material forming with a fixed portion (8, 18) a first, a second and a third detection capacitor, and an electrical-interconnection portion (10, 20), connecting the detection capacitors in parallel; the resultant electrical quantity (C) being the capacitance obtained from said connection in parallel.
Abstract:
Described herein is an inertial sensor (1) provided with a detection structure (9, 19) sensitive to a first, a second and a third component of acceleration (a x , a y , a z ) along respective directions of detection (x, y, z), and generating respective electrical quantities as a function of said components of acceleration. The detection structure (9, 19) supplies at output a resultant electrical quantity (C) obtained as combination of said electrical quantities, and correlated to the value of a resultant acceleration (a) acting on the inertial sensor (1), given by a vector sum of the components of acceleration (a x , a y , a z ) . In particular, the detection structure (9, 19) is of a microelectromechanical type, and comprises a mobile portion (2, 12) made of semiconductor material forming with a fixed portion (8, 18) a first, a second and a third detection capacitor, and an electrical-interconnection portion (10, 20), connecting the detection capacitors in parallel; the resultant electrical quantity (C) being the capacitance obtained from said connection in parallel.
Abstract:
Described herein is an inertial sensor (1) provided with a detection structure (9, 19) sensitive to a first, a second and a third component of acceleration (a x , a y , a z ) along respective directions of detection (x, y, z), and generating respective electrical quantities as a function of said components of acceleration. The detection structure (9, 19) supplies at output a resultant electrical quantity (C) obtained as combination of said electrical quantities, and correlated to the value of a resultant acceleration (a) acting on the inertial sensor (1), given by a vector sum of the components of acceleration (a x , a y , a z ) . In particular, the detection structure (9, 19) is of a microelectromechanical type, and comprises a mobile portion (2, 12) made of semiconductor material forming with a fixed portion (8, 18) a first, a second and a third detection capacitor, and an electrical-interconnection portion (10, 20), connecting the detection capacitors in parallel; the resultant electrical quantity (C) being the capacitance obtained from said connection in parallel.
Abstract:
A micro-electromechanical device includes a semiconductor body (5), in which at least one first microstructure (2) and one second microstructure (3) of reference are integrated. The first microstructure (2) and the second microstructure (3) are arranged in the body (5) so as to undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansions of said body (5; 105; 205; 305). Furthermore, the first microstructure (2) is provided with movable parts (6) and fixed parts (7) with respect to the body (5), and the second microstructure (3) has a shape that is substantially symmetrical to the first microstructure (2) and is fixed with respect to the body (5).