Temperature-compensated micro-electromechanical device, and method of temperature compensation in a micro-electromechanical device
First Claim
1. A micro-electromechanical device comprising:
- a semiconductor body;
a first microstructure integrated in said body; and
a second microstructure of reference, integrated in said body and arranged so that said first microstructure and said second microstructure undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansions of said body.
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Abstract
A micro-electromechanical device includes a semiconductor body, in which at least one first microstructure and one second microstructure of reference are integrated. The first microstructure and the second microstructure are arranged in the body so as to undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansions of the body. Furthermore, the first microstructure is provided with movable parts and fixed parts with respect to the body, while the second microstructure has a shape that is substantially symmetrical to the first microstructure but is fixed with respect to the body. By subtracting the changes in electrical characteristics of the second microstructure from those of the first, variations in electrical characteristics of the first microstructure caused by thermal expansion can be compensated for.
20 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A micro-electromechanical device comprising:
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a semiconductor body;
a first microstructure integrated in said body; and
a second microstructure of reference, integrated in said body and arranged so that said first microstructure and said second microstructure undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansions of said body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of temperature compensation in a micro-electromechanical device, comprising:
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integrating at least one first microstructure in a semiconductor body; and
integrating a second microstructure of reference in said body so that said first microstructure and said second microstructure undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansions of said body. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A device, comprising:
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a substrate of semiconductor material;
a first body coupled to the substrate and configured to move with respect to the substrate along a first axis; and
a second body having overall dimensions and mass substantially equal to overall dimensions and mass of the first body, the second body being rigidly coupled to the substrate so as to resist movement with respect to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method, comprising:
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detecting a change in value of a first capacitive coupling between a first body and a substrate;
deriving, from the change in value of the first capacitive coupling, a degree of movement of the first body relative to the substrate;
detecting a change in value of a second capacitive coupling between a second body and the substrate; and
interpreting the change in value of the second capacitive coupling as a change in temperature of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification