Sensor and sensor package

• US 10,473,685 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Fuji, Yoshihiko, Hara, Michiko, Masunishi, Kei, Higashi, Yoshihiro, Kaji, Shiori, Yuzawa, Akiko, Nagata, Tomohiko, Otsu, Kenji, Okamoto, Kazuaki, Baba, Shotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Herbert K
• Application Number:
  US15/445,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20180080953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5607 using vibrating tuning forks double-ended tuning forks using planar vibrating masses suspended at opposite ends G01C19/5719
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5719 using planar vibrating masses driven in a translation vibration along an axis
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/09 by piezoelectric pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0922 of the bending or flexing mode type
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/097 by vibratory elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/105 by magnetically sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0814 for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0828 the mass being of the paddle type being suspended at one of its longitudinal ends
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/44 for measuring angular speed G01P3/56 takes precedence

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a first support portion, a first movable portion, a first piezoelectric element, and a first magnetic element. The first movable portion extends in a first extension direction and is connected to the first support portion. The first piezoelectric element is fixed to the first movable portion. The first piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a second electrode provided between the first electrode and the first movable portion, and a first piezoelectric layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first magnetic element is fixed to the first movable portion. The first magnetic element includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

Claims

1. A sensor, comprising:

a first support portion;

a first movable portion extending in a first extension direction and being connected to the first support portion;

a first piezoelectric element fixed to the first movable portion, the first piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a second electrode provided between the first electrode and the first movable portion, and a first piezoelectric layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a first magnetic element fixed to the first movable portion, the first magnetic element including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer,

wherein a length in the first extension direction of the first piezoelectric element is longer than a length in the first extension direction of the first magnetic element.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a second piezoelectric element,

a direction connecting the first magnetic element and the first piezoelectric element being aligned with a first crossing direction crossing the first extension direction,

the second piezoelectric element being fixed to the first movable portion and separated from the first piezoelectric element in the first crossing direction,

the second piezoelectric element including:

a third electrode;

a fourth electrode provided between the third electrode and the first movable portion; and

a second piezoelectric layer provided between the third electrode and the fourth electrode,

the first magnetic element being positioned between the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element in the first crossing direction.

3. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein

a length in the first extension direction of the second piezoelectric element is longer than the length in the first extension direction of the first magnetic element.

4. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein the first magnetic element is multiply provided, and at least a portion of the plurality of first magnetic elements is connected in series.

5. The sensor according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of first magnetic elements are arranged along the first extension direction.

6. The sensor according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second movable portion extending in the first extension direction and being connected to the first support portion;

a third piezoelectric element fixed to the second movable portion, the third piezoelectric element including a fifth electrode, a sixth electrode provided between the fifth electrode and the second movable portion, and a third piezoelectric layer provided between the fifth electrode and the sixth electrode;

a fourth piezoelectric element fixed to the second movable portion and separated from the third piezoelectric element in the first crossing direction, the fourth piezoelectric element including a seventh electrode, an eighth electrode provided between the seventh electrode and the second movable portion, and a fourth piezoelectric layer provided between the seventh electrode and the eighth electrode; and

a second magnetic element fixed to the second movable portion and provided between the third piezoelectric element and the fourth piezoelectric element in the first crossing direction, the second magnetic element including a third magnetic layer, a fourth magnetic layer, and a second intermediate layer provided between the third magnetic layer and the fourth magnetic layer.

7. The sensor according to claim 6, further comprising a controller electrically connected to the first to eighth electrodes,

the controller performing an operation of setting a polarity of a first potential of the first electrode referenced to a second potential of the second electrode to be the reverse of a polarity of a third potential of the third electrode referenced to a fourth potential of the fourth electrode.

8. The sensor according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second support portion;

a third movable portion extending in a second extension direction and being connected to the second support portion, the second extension direction crossing the first extension direction;

a fifth piezoelectric element fixed to the third movable portion, the fifth piezoelectric element including a ninth electrode, a tenth electrode provided between the ninth electrode and the third movable portion, and a fifth piezoelectric layer provided between the ninth electrode and the tenth electrode;

a sixth piezoelectric element fixed to the third movable portion and separated from the fifth piezoelectric element in a second crossing direction crossing the second extension direction, the sixth piezoelectric element including an eleventh electrode, a twelfth electrode provided between the eleventh electrode and the third movable portion, and a sixth piezoelectric layer provided between the eleventh electrode and the twelfth electrode;

a third magnetic element fixed to the third movable portion and provided between the fifth piezoelectric element and the sixth piezoelectric element in the second crossing direction, the third magnetic element including a fifth magnetic layer, a sixth magnetic layer, and a third intermediate layer provided between the fifth magnetic layer and the sixth magnetic layer;

a fourth movable portion extending in the second extension direction and being connected to the second support portion;

a seventh piezoelectric element fixed to the fourth movable portion, the seventh piezoelectric element including a thirteenth electrode, a fourteenth electrode provided between the thirteenth electrode and the fourth movable portion, and a seventh piezoelectric layer provided between the thirteenth electrode and the fourteenth electrode;

an eighth piezoelectric element fixed to the fourth movable portion and separated from the seventh piezoelectric element in the second crossing direction, the eighth piezoelectric element including a fifteenth electrode, a sixteenth electrode provided between the fifteenth electrode and the fourth movable portion, and an eighth piezoelectric layer provided between the fifteenth electrode and the sixteenth electrode; and

a fourth magnetic element fixed to the fourth movable portion and provided between the seventh piezoelectric element and the eighth piezoelectric element in the second crossing direction, the fourth magnetic element including a seventh magnetic layer, an eighth magnetic layer, and a fourth intermediate layer provided between the seventh magnetic layer and the eighth magnetic layer.

9. The sensor according to claim 2, further comprising:

a third support portion;

a fifth movable portion connected to the third support portion, the fifth movable portion including a first extension portion and a first connection portion, the first extension portion extending in a third extension direction, the first connection portion extending in a fourth extension direction and being connected to the first extension portion, the fourth extension direction crossing the third extension direction;

a ninth piezoelectric element fixed to the first extension portion, the ninth piezoelectric element including a seventeenth electrode, an eighteenth electrode provided between the seventeenth electrode and the first extension portion, and a ninth piezoelectric layer provided between the seventeenth electrode and the eighteenth electrode;

a tenth piezoelectric element fixed to the first extension portion and separated from the ninth piezoelectric element in a third crossing direction crossing the third extension direction, the tenth piezoelectric element including a nineteenth electrode, a twentieth electrode provided between the nineteenth electrode and the first extension portion, and a tenth piezoelectric layer provided between the nineteenth electrode and the twentieth electrode;

a fifth magnetic element fixed to the first connection portion, the fifth magnetic element including a ninth magnetic layer, a tenth magnetic layer, and a fifth intermediate layer provided between the ninth magnetic layer and the tenth magnetic layer;

a sixth movable portion connected to the third support portion, the sixth movable portion including a second extension portion and a second connection portion, the second extension portion extending in the third extension direction, the second connection portion extending in the fourth extension direction and being connected to the second extension portion;

an eleventh piezoelectric element fixed to the second extension portion, the eleventh piezoelectric element including a twenty-first electrode, a twenty-second electrode provided between the twenty-first electrode and the second extension portion, and an eleventh piezoelectric layer provided between the twenty-first electrode and the twenty-second electrode;

a twelfth piezoelectric element fixed to the second extension portion and separated from the eleventh piezoelectric element in the third crossing direction, the twelfth piezoelectric element including a twenty-third electrode, a twenty-fourth electrode provided between the twenty-third electrode and the second extension portion, and a twelfth piezoelectric layer provided between the twenty-third electrode and the twenty-fourth electrode; and

a sixth magnetic element fixed to the second connection portion, the sixth magnetic element including an eleventh magnetic layer, a twelfth magnetic layer, and a sixth intermediate layer provided between the eleventh magnetic layer and the twelfth magnetic layer.

10. The sensor according to claim 2, further comprising:

a third support portion;

a fifth movable portion extending in a third extension direction;

a fifth movable connection portion extending along a third crossing direction and connecting the fifth movable portion to the third support portion, the third crossing direction crossing the third extension direction;

a ninth piezoelectric element fixed to the fifth movable portion, the ninth piezoelectric element including a seventeenth electrode, an eighteenth electrode provided between the seventeenth electrode and the fifth movable portion, and a ninth piezoelectric layer provided between the seventeenth electrode and the eighteenth electrode;

a tenth piezoelectric element fixed to the fifth movable portion and separated from the ninth piezoelectric element in the third crossing direction, the tenth piezoelectric element including a nineteenth electrode, a twentieth electrode provided between the nineteenth electrode and the fifth movable portion, and a tenth piezoelectric layer provided between the nineteenth electrode and the twentieth electrode;

a sixth movable portion extending in the third extension direction;

a sixth movable connection portion extending along the third crossing direction and connecting the sixth movable portion to the third support portion, at least a portion of the third support portion being positioned between the fifth movable connection portion and the sixth movable connection portion in the third crossing direction;

an eleventh piezoelectric element fixed to the sixth movable portion, the eleventh piezoelectric element including a twenty-first electrode, a twenty-second electrode provided between the twenty-first electrode and the sixth movable portion, and an eleventh piezoelectric layer provided between the twenty-first electrode and the twenty-second electrode;

a twelfth piezoelectric element fixed to the sixth movable portion and separated from the eleventh piezoelectric element in the third crossing direction, the twelfth piezoelectric element including a twenty-third electrode, a twenty-fourth electrode provided between the twenty-third electrode and the sixth movable portion, and a twelfth piezoelectric layer provided between the twenty-third electrode and the twenty-fourth electrode;

a seventh movable portion extending in the third extension direction and being connected to the third support portion, a position of the seventh movable portion in the third crossing direction being between a position of the fifth movable portion in the third crossing direction and a position of the sixth movable portion in the third crossing direction, the seventh movable portion including a first movable region and a second movable region, the second movable region being between the first movable region and the sixth movable portion;

a fifth magnetic element fixed to the first movable region, the fifth magnetic element including a ninth magnetic layer, a tenth magnetic layer, and a fifth intermediate layer provided between the ninth magnetic layer and the tenth magnetic layer; and

a sixth magnetic element fixed to the second movable region, the sixth magnetic element including an eleventh magnetic layer, a twelfth magnetic layer, and a sixth intermediate layer provided between the eleventh magnetic layer and the twelfth magnetic layer.

11. A sensor package, comprising:

a sensor; and

a housing,

the sensor including;

a first support portion;

a first movable portion extending in a first extension direction and being connected to the first support portion;

a first piezoelectric element fixed to the first movable portion, the first piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a second electrode provided between the first electrode and the first movable portion, and a first piezoelectric layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

a first magnetic element fixed to the first movable portion, the first magnetic element including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer,

wherein a length in the first extension direction of the first piezoelectric element is longer than a length in the first extension direction of the first magnetic element.