BULK ACOUSTIC WAVE GYROSCOPE WITH SPOKED STRUCTURE
First Claim
1. A gyroscope apparatus comprising:
- a bulk acoustic resonator element defining first and second regions and having a resonance state of operation,wherein during the resonance state the first region undergoes a bulk acoustic mode of vibration while the second region undergoes a flexural mode of vibration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A Coriolis-based bulk acoustic wave gyroscope includes a center-supported resonating element with capacitively-coupled drive, sense, and control electrodes. The resonating element has a first substantially solid or perforated region which is connected to the center-support by a second region characterized by a plurality of spokes or beams. When operating in a resonance state, the first region undergoes a bulk acoustic mode of vibration while the second region undergoes a flexural mode of vibration. Energy losses associated with the flexural mode of vibration reduce the overall quality factor (Q) at high resonance frequencies creating a large bandwidth and a fast response time without needing vacuum.
53 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A gyroscope apparatus comprising:
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a bulk acoustic resonator element defining first and second regions and having a resonance state of operation, wherein during the resonance state the first region undergoes a bulk acoustic mode of vibration while the second region undergoes a flexural mode of vibration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 13)
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4. A gyroscope apparatus comprising:
a substantially disk-shaped bulk acoustic resonator element comprising; (i) a first region proximate a central point of the disk-shaped resonator element, (ii) a second region extending inward from a circumference of the resonator element towards the first region, and (iii) a first plurality of spokes connecting the first region with the second region. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26)
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9. A gyroscope apparatus comprising:
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a substantially disk-shaped bulk acoustic resonator element defining (i) a first region extending inward from a circumferential edge of the resonator element towards a central portion of the resonator element but separated therefrom, and (ii) a second region defining a pattern of spokes connecting the first region to the central portion of the resonator element; a substrate supporting the resonator element proximate the central portion thereof; and a plurality of electrodes surrounding and separated from the resonator element by capacitive gaps. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An article of manufacture comprising a disk-shaped element defining a circumferential outer portion separated from an central inner portion by a plurality of spokes connecting the inner and outer portions, wherein the disk-shaped element has a thickness of between 30 μ
- m and 80 μ
m. - View Dependent Claims (20)
- m and 80 μ
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21. A method of manufacturing a bulk acoustic wave resonator element comprising:
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A) forming a resonator element having a perimeter edge and a central region; B) etching a plurality of apertures in the resonator element to collectively define a plurality of spokes extending from the central region at least partially toward the perimeter edge but separated therefrom by an outer region. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification