CAPACITIVE SENSOR
First Claim
1. A capacitive sensor comprising a fixed electrode and a movable electrode that is movably supported by a fixed portion of a semiconductor layer through a beam, in which the fixed electrode and the movable electrode are opposed to each other with a gap interposed therebetween, thereby constituting a detecting unit, a capacitance suitable for a size of the gap is detected, thereby detecting a predetermined physical value, wherein at least one of an end of the beam connected to the fixed portion and an end of the beam connected to the movable electrode is provided with a stress moderating unit that moderates a local stress concentration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitive sensor includes a fixed electrode and a movable electrode that is movably supported by an anchor portion through a beam portion. The fixed electrode and the movable electrode are opposed to each other with a gap interposed therebetween, thereby constituting a detecting unit. A capacitance suitable for a size of the gap is detected to detect a predetermined physical value. At least one of an end of the beam portion connected to the anchor portion and an end of the beam portion connected to the movable electrode is provided with a stress moderating unit that moderates a stress.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A capacitive sensor comprising a fixed electrode and a movable electrode that is movably supported by a fixed portion of a semiconductor layer through a beam, in which the fixed electrode and the movable electrode are opposed to each other with a gap interposed therebetween, thereby constituting a detecting unit, a capacitance suitable for a size of the gap is detected, thereby detecting a predetermined physical value, wherein at least one of an end of the beam connected to the fixed portion and an end of the beam connected to the movable electrode is provided with a stress moderating unit that moderates a local stress concentration.
- 7. A capacitive sensor comprising a first detecting unit that is movably supported by a fixed portion of a semiconductor layer through a beam portion such that asymmetric weight balance is kept, in which a first movable electrode that moves according to displacement of a physical value in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer and a first fixed electrode formed on a support substrate that supports the semiconductor layer are opposed to each other with a gap interposed therebetween, and the first detecting unit detects the physical value based on a capacitance detected according to sizes of the first movable electrode and the first fixed electrode, the semiconductor layer is a single crystal silicon layer, and the capacitive sensor includes a movable mechanism of the first movable electrode comprising the fixed portion, the beam portion and the first movable electrode formed by vertically etching the single crystal silicon layer.
Specification