Combined magnetometer accelerometer MEMS devices and methods
First Claim
1. A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device comprising:
- a structural member;
a plurality of supports suspending the structural member above a bottom electrode; and
a plurality of top electrical contacts, each top electrical contact associated with a support;
whereinthe structural member acts as a current carrying element for a magnetometer operable in at least two dimensions; and
the structural member acts as a proof mass for an accelerometer operable in at least two dimensions and supporting concurrent use as a magnetometer and an accelerometer with the same structural MEMS element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Considerations for selecting capacitive sensors include accuracy, repeatability, long-term stability, ease of calibration, resistance to chemical and physical contaminants, size, packaging, integration options with other sensors and/or electronics, and cost effectiveness. It is beneficial if such sensors are amenable to above-IC integration with associated control/readout circuitry for reduced parasitics and reduced footprint through area sharing. The inventors have established a combined Lorentz force based magnetometer and accelerometer MEMS sensor exploiting a low temperature, above-IC-compatible fabrication process operating without requiring vacuum packaging. By switching an electrical current between two perpendicular directions on the device structure a 2D in-plane magnetic field measurement can be achieved while concurrently, the device serves as a 1D accelerometer for out-of-plane acceleration, by switching the current off and by monitoring the structure'"'"'s capacitive change in response to acceleration. The design can thus separate magnetic and inertial force measurements, utilizing a single compact device.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device comprising:
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a structural member; a plurality of supports suspending the structural member above a bottom electrode; and a plurality of top electrical contacts, each top electrical contact associated with a support;
whereinthe structural member acts as a current carrying element for a magnetometer operable in at least two dimensions; and the structural member acts as a proof mass for an accelerometer operable in at least two dimensions and supporting concurrent use as a magnetometer and an accelerometer with the same structural MEMS element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification