Method of making an X-Y axis dual-mass tuning fork gyroscope with vertically integrated electronics and wafer-scale hermetic packaging
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing a sensor for measuring angular velocity in a sensing plane, the method comprising:
- a) etching a sensing subassembly from a gyroscope wafer, the subassembly comprising;
i) a substantially planar frame parallel to said plane; and
ii) a linkage connected to said frame and comprising a first mass and a second mass laterally disposed in said plane and constrained to move in opposite directions perpendicular to said plane;
b) providing an actuator for driving a first portion of said subassembly into oscillation at a drive frequency; and
c) providing a transducer for sensing motion of a second portion of said subassembly responsive to said angular velocity.
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Abstract
A method for making an angular velocity sensor having two masses which are laterally disposed in an X-Y plane and indirectly connected to a frame is provided. The two masses are linked together by a linkage such that they necessarily move in opposite directions along Z. Angular velocity of the sensor about the Y axis can be sensed by driving the two masses into Z-directed antiphase oscillation and measuring the angular oscillation amplitude thereby imparted to the frame. In a preferred embodiment, the angular velocity sensor is fabricated from a bulk MEMS gyroscope wafer, a cap wafer and a reference wafer. In a further preferred embodiment, this assembly of wafers provides a hermetic barrier between the masses and an ambient environment.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a sensor for measuring angular velocity in a sensing plane, the method comprising:
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a) etching a sensing subassembly from a gyroscope wafer, the subassembly comprising;
i) a substantially planar frame parallel to said plane; and
ii) a linkage connected to said frame and comprising a first mass and a second mass laterally disposed in said plane and constrained to move in opposite directions perpendicular to said plane;
b) providing an actuator for driving a first portion of said subassembly into oscillation at a drive frequency; and
c) providing a transducer for sensing motion of a second portion of said subassembly responsive to said angular velocity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification