Electronic device, method of manufacturing electronic device, physical quantity sensor, electronic apparatus and moving object

• US 10,408,856 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunlap, Jonathan M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Irving A
• Application Number:
  US14/987,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20160195567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 7350412, 361761, 257E2307
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0072 For controlling internal stress or strain in moving or flexible elements, e.g. stress compensating layers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up

Abstract

A physical quantity sensor includes a first sensor element, an outer edge portion arranged on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the first sensor element, in which a first groove portion extending in a first direction is provided on the outer edge portion when the outer edge portion is seen in plan view.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first sensor detecting a physical quantity in a first direction, the first sensor detecting acceleration based on variation of capacitance;

a second sensor detecting a physical quantity in a second direction different from the first direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction; and

an outer edge portion arranged on at least a portion of an outer periphery of the first sensor,

wherein a plurality of first elongated grooves are arranged extending in a first elongated direction or lined up along the first elongated direction and are provided on the outer edge portion when the outer edge portion is seen in plan view, the plurality of first elongated grooves being configured to reduce transmission of leakage vibration or leakage force transferred from the outer edge portion to the first sensor,

the plurality of first elongated grooves are through-holes extending through a thickness of the outer periphery and have a closed shape defined by the outer edge portion,

at least a portion of the plurality of first elongated grooves are sandwiched between the first sensor and the second sensor,

a plurality of second elongated grooves are arranged extending in a second elongated direction intersecting the first elongated direction or lined up along the second elongated direction and are provided on the outer edge portion when the outer edge portion is seen in plan view, and

the plurality of first elongated grooves alternate with the plurality of the second elongated grooves on at least one side of the outer edge portion such that one of the plurality of second elongated grooves is sandwiched by two of the plurality of first elongated grooves.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of first elongated grooves and the plurality of second elongated grooves are arranged on at least one side in the outer periphery of the first sensor.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of third elongated grooves arranged extending or lined up in a direction orthogonal to a central line passing through a center of the first sensor and provided on the outer edge portion when the outer edge portion is seen in plan view.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3,

wherein the outer edge portion is rectangular, and

the third groove portion includes the third grooves arranged extending or lined up in a direction orthogonal to the center line that is a diagonal line of the outer edge portion.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3,

wherein the shape configured by the plurality of first elongated grooves, the plurality of second elongated grooves, and the plurality of third elongated grooves is arranged to be rotationally symmetrical when the first sensor is seen in plan view.

6. The electronic device according to claim 3,

wherein at least one of the plurality of first elongated grooves, the plurality of second elongated grooves, and the plurality of third elongated grooves penetrates the outer edge portion or a substrate in a thickness direction of the first sensor.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the first sensor includes

a fixed portion,

a support unit that extends from the fixed portion, and

a movable portion supported to be displaceable by the support unit.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7,

wherein the first direction is the direction in which the movable portion is displaced in plan view of the first sensor.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the first sensor and the outer edge portion are the same material.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the outer edge portion is a fixed potential that is a ground potential or a constant potential.

11. An electronic apparatus comprising:

the electronic device according to claim 1.

12. A moving object comprising:

the electronic device according to claim 1.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the first groove includes a length in a first axis direction and a width in a second axis direction, with the length being longer than the width, and

the length is a maximum of 70% of a first width of the outer periphery in the first axis direction, and the width is a maximum of 10% of a second width of the outer periphery in the second axis direction.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the first groove is of a closed-rectangular shape and includes a length in a first axis direction and a width in a second axis direction, the length being longer than the width, and

the first axis direction is parallel to a detection axis of the first sensor.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

a first sensor detecting a physical quantity in a first direction, the first sensor detecting acceleration based on variation of capacitance;

a second sensor detecting a physical quantity in a second direction different from the first direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction;

an outer edge portion arranged on at least a portion of an outer periphery of the first sensor; and

a substrate,

wherein the first sensor is provided on a main surface of the substrate,

at least two of a first groove portion in which first elongated grooves are arranged extending or lined up in a first elongated direction, a second groove portion in which second elongated grooves are arranged extending or lined up in a second elongated direction that intersects the first elongated direction, and a third groove portion in which third elongated grooves are arranged extending or lined up in a direction orthogonal to a center line passing through the center of the first sensor are provided on at least one of the outer edge portion and a region overlapping the outer edge portion when seen in plan view, the at least two of the first elongated grooves, second elongated grooves, and third elongated grooves being configured to reduce transmission of leakage vibration or leakage force transferred from the outer edge portion to the first sensor,

the at least two of the first elongated grooves, the second elongated grooves, and the third elongated grooves are through-holes extending through a thickness of the outer edge portion or the region overlapping the outer edge portion when seen in the plan view and have a closed shape defined by the outer edge portion,

the at least two of the first elongated grooves, the second elongated grooves, and the third elongated grooves are sandwiched between the first sensor and the second sensor, and

the at least two of the first elongated grooves, the second elongated grooves, and the third elongated grooves alternate on at least one side of the outer edge portion such that one of a first of the at least two of the first elongated grooves, the second elongated grooves, and the third elongated grooves is sandwiched by two of a second of the at least two of the first elongated grooves, the second elongated grooves, and the third elongated grooves.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15,

wherein the first sensor includes

a fixed portion,

a support unit that extends from the fixed portion, and

a movable portion supported to be displaceable by the support unit.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16,

wherein the fixed portion is fixed on the main surface of the substrate, and

the movable portion is supported to be displaceable while isolated from the substrate by the support unit.

18. The electronic device according to claim 15, further comprising:

a second sensor on the main surface of the substrate,

wherein at least one of the first, second and third groove portions is provided between the first and second sensors.

19. A physical quantity sensor, comprising:

a first sensor element detecting a physical quantity in a first direction, the first sensor element detecting acceleration based on variation of capacitance;

a second sensor element detecting a physical quantity in a second direction different from the first direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction; and

an outer edge portion arranged on at least a portion of an outer periphery of the first sensor element,

wherein a first groove portion in which first elongated grooves are arranged extending in a first elongated direction or lined up along the first elongated direction is provided on the outer edge portion when the outer edge portion is seen in plan view, the first elongated grooves being configured to reduce transmission of leakage vibration or leakage force transferred from the outer edge portion to the first sensor element,

the first elongated grooves are through-holes extending through a thickness of the outer edge portion and have a closed shape defined by the outer edge portion,

at least a portion of the first elongated grooves are sandwiched between the first sensor element and the second sensor element,

a second groove portion in which second elongated grooves are arranged extending in a second elongated direction intersecting the first elongated direction or lined up along the second elongated direction is provided on the outer edge portion when the outer edge portion is seen in plan view, and

the first elongated grooves alternate with the second elongated grooves on at least one side of the outer edge portion such that one of the second elongated grooves is sandwiched by two of the first elongated grooves.

20. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 19,

wherein the first and second groove portions are arranged lined up on at least one side in the outer periphery of the first sensor element.

21. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 19, further comprising:

a third groove portion in which third grooves are arranged extending or lined up in a direction orthogonal to a central line passing through a center of the first sensor element is provided on the outer edge portion when the outer edge portion is seen in plan view.

22. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 19,

wherein the first groove portion is a groove group that includes a plurality of the grooves.

23. A physical quantity sensor, comprising:

a first sensor element detecting a physical quantity in a first direction, the first sensor element detecting acceleration based on variation of capacitance;

a second sensor element detecting a physical quantity in a second direction different from the first direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction;

an outer edge portion arranged on at least a portion of an outer periphery of the first sensor element, and

a substrate,

wherein the first sensor element and the second sensor element are provided on a main surface of the substrate;

at least two of a first groove portion in which first elongated grooves are arranged extending or lined up in a first direction, a second groove portion in which second elongated grooves are arranged extending or lined up in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and a third groove portion in which third elongated grooves are arranged extending or lined up in a direction orthogonal to a center line passing through a center of the first sensor element are provided on at least one of the outer edge portion and a region overlapping the outer edge portion when seen in plan view, the at least two of the first elongated grooves, second elongated grooves, and third elongated grooves being configured to reduce transmission of leakage vibration or leakage force transferred from the outer edge portion to the first sensor,

the at least two of the first elongated grooves, the second elongated grooves, and the third elongated grooves are through-holes extending through a thickness of the outer edge portion or the region overlapping the outer edge portion when seen in the plan view and have a closed shape defined by the outer edge portion,

at least a portion of the at least two of the first elongated grooves, second elongated grooves, and third elongated grooves are sandwiched between the first sensor element and the second sensor element, and

the at least two of the first elongated grooves, the second elongated grooves, and the third elongated grooves alternate on at least one side of the outer edge portion such that one of a first of the at least two of the first elongated grooves, the second elongated grooves, and the third elongated grooves is sandwiched by two of a second of the at least two of the first elongated grooves, the second elongated grooves, and the third elongated grooves.