Segmented electrode structure for quadrature reduction in an integrated device

• US 10,330,475 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Cassagnes, Thierry, Trauth, Gerhard, Kniffin, Margaret Leslie, Geisberger, Aaron A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Raevis, Robert R
• Application Number:
  US15/637,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20180017387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 73 177, 73496, 735033, 7350404, 735048, 7350412, 7350414-50416, 7350418, 7350402, 7350415, 7351432
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0285 Vibration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00198 comprising elements which are movable in relation to each other, e.g. comprising slidable or rotatable elements
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00246 Monolithic integration, i.e. micromechanical structure and electronic processing unit are integrated on the same substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5726 Signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5733 Structural details or topology
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5755 the devices having a single sensing mass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5769 Manufacturing; Mounting; Housings

Abstract

An integrated device includes a MEMS device, such as a gyroscope, having a movable mass spaced apart from a substrate, the movable mass being configured to oscillate in a drive direction relative to the substrate. The integrated device further comprises an integrated circuit (IC) die having a surface coupled with the MEMS device such that the movable mass is interposed between the substrate and the surface of the IC die. An electrode structure is formed on the surface of the IC die, the electrode structure including a plurality of electrode segments vertically spaced apart from the movable mass. Openings extend through the movable mass and the electrode segments overlie the openings. Suitably selected electrode segments can be activated to electrostatically attract the movable mass toward sense electrodes vertically spaced apart from the MEMS to reduce quadrature motion of the movable mass.

Claims

1. An integrated device comprising:

a gyroscope that includes a movable mass and a substrate, said movable mass being spaced apart from said substrate, said movable mass being configured to oscillate in a drive direction relative to said substrate;

an integrated circuit (IC) die having a surface coupled with said substrate of said gyroscope such that said movable mass is interposed between said substrate and said surface of said IC die; and

an electrode structure formed on said surface of said IC die, said electrode structure including a plurality of electrode segments vertically spaced apart from said movable mass, wherein a quadrature compensation voltage applied to at least a portion of said electrode segments is configured to modulate a magnitude of an electrostatic force applied to said movable mass to reduce quadrature motion of said movable mass.

2. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein said movable mass and said electrode structure are enclosed within a cavity formed by coupling said integrated circuit die with said gyroscope.

3. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of electrode segments are vertically spaced apart from a first side of said movable mass, and said gyroscope further comprises a sense electrode formed on said substrate and vertically spaced apart from a second side of said movable mass, said second side opposing said first side.

4. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein said movable mass includes at least one opening extending through and fully encircled by said movable mass, and at least a portion of said electrode segments overlies said at least one opening.

5. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of electrode segments has a longitudinal dimension that is oriented approximately perpendicular to said drive direction.

6. The integrated device of claim 1 further comprising control circuitry for providing said quadrature compensation voltage, wherein each of said plurality of electrode segments is selectively connected to said control circuitry in order to apply said quadrature compensation voltage to selected ones of said electrode segments.

7. The integrated device of claim 6 further comprising:

a switch structure formed in one or more routing layers of said IC die, said each of said plurality electrode segments being individually interconnectable with said switch structure, and said switch structure enabling selective connection of individual ones of said electrode segments to said control circuitry.

8. The integrated device of claim 7, wherein a quantity of said electrode segments connected to said control circuitry via said switch structure is configured to modulate said magnitude of said electrostatic force applied to said movable mass in response to said applied quadrature compensation voltage.

9. The integrated device of claim 6, wherein said plurality of electrode segments comprises:

a first subset of said electrode segments; and

a second subset of said electrode segments laterally displaced away from said first subset of said electrode segments, wherein said quadrature compensation voltage is applied to said first subset of said electrode segments, and a voltage potential of said second set of said electrode segments is set to the same voltage potential as said movable mass.

10. The integrated device of claim 6, wherein said quadrature compensation voltage is applied to a first quantity of said electrode segments of said electrode structure, said first quantity being less than a total quantity of said electrode segments of said electrode structure.

15. The integrated device of claim 4 wherein an overlap area of said at least a portion of said electrode segments overlying said at least one opening changes as said movable mass oscillates in said drive direction.

11. A method for making an integrated device comprising:

providing a gyroscope that includes a movable mass and a substrate, said movable mass being spaced apart from said substrate, said movable mass being configured to oscillate in a drive direction relative to said substrate;

providing an integrated circuit (IC) die having a surface;

providing an electrode structure on said surface of said IC die, said electrode structure including a plurality of electrode segments; and

coupling said surface of said IC die with said substrate of said gyroscope such that said movable mass and said electrode structure are enclosed within a cavity formed by the coupling of said IC die with said substrate of said gyroscope, and said plurality of electrode segments is vertically spaced apart from said movable mass, wherein a quadrature compensation voltage applied to at least a portion of said electrode segments is configured to modulate a magnitude of an electrostatic force applied to said movable mass to reduce quadrature motion of said movable mass.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said movable mass includes at least one opening extending through and fully encircled by said movable mass, and said forming said electrode structure includes arranging said plurality of electrode segments such that at least a portion of said electrode segments overlies said at least one opening.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

providing control circuitry for applying said quadrature compensation voltage to said electrode structure; and

forming a switch structure in one or more routing layers of said IC die, each of said plurality of electrode segments being individually connectable with said switch structure, and said switch structure enabling selective connection of individual ones of said electrode segments to said control circuitry in order to apply said quadrature compensation voltage to connected ones of said electrode segments.

14. A system comprising:

an integrated device comprising;

a gyroscope that includes a movable mass and a substrate, said movable mass being spaced apart from said substrate, said movable mass being configured to oscillate in a drive direction relative to said substrate;

an integrated circuit (IC) die having a surface coupled with said substrate of said gyroscope such that said movable mass is interposed between said substrate and said surface of said IC die; and

an electrode structure formed on said surface of said IC die, said electrode structure including a plurality of electrode segments vertically spaced apart from said movable mass; and

control circuitry for providing a quadrature compensation voltage, wherein each of said plurality of electrode segments is selectively connected to said control circuitry in order to apply said quadrature compensation voltage to selected ones of said electrode segments, said quadrature compensation voltage being configured to modulate a magnitude of an electrostatic force applied to said movable element to reduce quadrature motion of said movable mass.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said movable mass includes at least one opening extending through and fully encircled by said movable mass, at least a portion of said electrode segments overlies said at least one opening, and an overlap area of said at least a portion of said electrode segments overlying said at least one opening changes as said movable mass oscillates in said drive direction.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a switch structure formed in one or more routing layers of said IC die, said each of said plurality electrode segments being individually interconnectable with said switch structure, and said switch structure enabling selective connection of individual ones of said electrode segments to said control circuitry.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said plurality of electrode segments comprises:

a first subset of said electrode segments; and

a second subset of said electrode segments laterally displaced away from said first subset of said electrode segments, wherein said quadrature compensation voltage is applied to said first subset of said electrode segments, and a voltage potential of said second set of said electrode segments is set to the same voltage potential as said movable mass.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said quadrature compensation voltage is applied to a first quantity of said electrode segments of said electrode structure, said first quantity being less than a total quantity of said electrode segments of said electrode structure.