MICRO-ELECTRO MECHANICAL APPARATUS WITH INTERDIGITATED SPRING

• US 20140245832A1
• Filed: 01/10/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Lin, Shih-Chieh, Huang, Chao-Ta, Su, Chung-Yuan, Hsu, Yu-Wen
• Granted Patent: US 9,529,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.35
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0814 for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0857 using a particular shape of the suspension spring

Abstract

A micro-electro mechanical apparatus with interdigitated spring including a substrate, at least one first mass, a movable electrode, a stationary electrode, an anchor and an interdigitated spring is provided. The movable electrode is disposed on the mass along an axial direction. The stationary electrode is disposed on the substrate along the axial direction, and the movable electrode and the stationary electrode have a critical gap there between. The interdigitated springs connects the mass and the anchor along the axial direction. The interdigitated spring includes first folded portions, first connecting portions, second folded portions, and second connecting portions. Each first folded portion includes two first spans and a first head portion. Each second folded portion includes two second spans and a second head portion. A width of the first span and a width of the second span are greater than the critical gap respectively.

Claims

1. A micro-electro mechanical apparatus, adapted to sense an acceleration, comprising:

a substrate;

a first mass;

a movable electrode, disposed on the first mass along a first axial direction;

a stationary electrode, disposed on the substrate along the first axial direction, wherein the movable electrode and the stationary electrode have a critical gap there between;

an anchor; and

an interdigitated spring, connecting the first mass and the anchor along the first axial direction, and comprising;

a plurality of first folded portions, wherein each of the first folded portions comprising two first spans and a first head portion configured to connect the two first spans;

a plurality of first connecting portions, wherein each of the first connecting portions is respectively connected to the first spans of two adjacent first folded portions to define a first space;

a plurality of second folded portions, wherein each of the second folding portions comprising two second spans and a second head portion configured to connect the two second spans; and

a plurality of second connecting portions, wherein each of the second connecting portions is respectively connected to the second spans of two adjacent second folded portions to define a second space;

wherein at least one of the first folded portions is disposed in the second space, and at least one of the second folded portions is disposed in the first space, a width of the first span is greater than the critical gap and a width of the second span is greater than the critical gap.

2. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one bridge connecting the first span and the second span.

3. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bridge comprises a first bridge, the first bridge is connected to the portion of the first span which is near the first connecting portion, and the first bridge is connected to the portion of the second span which is near the second head portion.

4. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bridge comprises a second bridge, the second bridge is connected to the portion of the first span which is near the first head portion, and the second bridge is connected to the portion of the second span which is near the second connecting portion.

5. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein a location of the first bridge and a location of the second bridge are origin symmetric.

6. A micro-electro mechanical apparatus, adapted to sense an angular velocity, comprising:

a substrate;

a first mass;

a second mass;

a movable electrode, disposed on the second mass along a second axial direction;

a stationary electrode, disposed on the substrate along the second axial direction, wherein the movable electrode and the stationary electrode have a critical gap there between;

an anchor; and

an interdigitated spring, connecting the second mass and the anchor along the second axial direction, and comprising;

a plurality of first folded portions, wherein each of the first folded portion comprising two first spans and a first head portion configured to connect the two first spans;

a plurality of first connecting portions, wherein each of the first connecting portions is respectively connected to the first spans of two adjacent first folded portions to define a first space;

a plurality of second folded portions, wherein each of the second folded portion comprising two second spans and a second head portion configured to connect the two second spans; and

a plurality of second connecting portions, wherein each of the second connecting portions is respectively connected to the second spans of two adjacent second folded portions to define a second space;

wherein at least one of the first folded portions is disposed in the second space, and at least one of the second folded portions is disposed in the first space, a width of the first span is greater than the critical gap and a width of the second span is greater than the critical gap.

7. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the width of the first span is greater than a resonance spring width and the width of the second span is greater than the resonance spring width.

8. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising at least one bridge connecting the first span and the second span.

9. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bridge comprises a first bridge, the first bridge is connected to the portion of the first span which is near the first connecting portion, and the first bridge is connected to the portion of the second span which is near the second head portion.

10. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the bridge comprises a second bridge, the second bridge is connected to the portion of the first span which is near the first head portion, and the second bridge is connected to the portion of the second span which is near the second connecting portion.

11. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein a location of the first bridge and a location of the second bridge are origin symmetric.

12. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising another interdigitated spring connecting the first mass and the second mass along the first axial direction, wherein the second mass is a frame.

13. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the interdigitated spring connecting the first mass and the second mass along the first axial direction further comprising:

a plurality of third folded portions, wherein each of the third folded portion comprising two third spans and a third head portion configured to connect the two third spans;

a plurality of third connecting portions, wherein each of the third connecting portions is respectively connected to the third spans of two adjacent third folded portions to define a third space;

a plurality of fourth folded portions, wherein each of the fourth folded portion comprising two fourth spans and a fourth head portion configured to connect the two fourth spans; and

a plurality of fourth connecting portions, wherein each of the fourth connecting portions is respectively connected to the fourth spans of two adjacent fourth folded portions to define a fourth space;

a third bridge, the third bridge is connected to the portion of the third span which is near the third connecting portion, and the third bridge is connected to the portion of the fourth span which is near the fourth head portion; and

a fourth bridge, the fourth bridge is connected to the portion of the fourth span which is near the fourth connecting portion, and the forth bridge is connected to the portion of the third span which is near the third head portion;

wherein a location of the third bridge and a location of the fourth bridge are origin symmetric.

14. A micro-electro mechanical apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

at least one mass;

a movable electrode, disposed on the mass along an axial direction;

a stationary electrode, disposed on the substrate along the axial direction, wherein the movable electrode and the stationary electrode have a critical gap there between;

an anchor; and

an interdigitated spring, connecting the mass and the anchor, and comprising;

a plurality of first folded portions, wherein each of the first portions comprising two first spans and a first head portion configured to connect the two first spans;

a plurality of first connecting portions, wherein each of the first connecting portions is respectively connected to the first spans of two adjacent first folded portions to define a first space;

a plurality of second folded portions, wherein each of the second portions comprising two second spans and a second head portion configured to connect the two second spans; and

a plurality of second connecting portions, wherein each of the second connecting portions is respectively connected to the second spans of two adjacent second folded portions to define a second space;

wherein at least one of the first folded portions is disposed in the second space, and at least one of the second folded portions is disposed in the first space, a width of the first span is greater than the critical gap and a width of the second span is greater than the critical gap.

15. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the width of the first span is greater than a resonance spring width and the width of the second span is greater than the resonance spring width.

16. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising at least one bridge connecting the first span and the second span.

17. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bridge comprises a first bridge, the first bridge is connected to the portion of the first span which is near the first connecting portion, and the first bridge is connected to the portion of the second span which is near the second head portion.

18. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the bridge comprises a second bridge, the second bridge is connected to the portion of the first span which is near the first head portion, and the second bridge is connected to the portion of the second span which is near the second connecting portion.

19. The micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein a location of the first bridge and a location of the second bridge are origin symmetric.

20. A method for mitigating frequency drift of a micro-electro mechanical apparatus, comprising:

using an interdigitated spring to connect at least one mass and an anchor of the micro-electro mechanical apparatus, wherein the interdigitated spring comprises;

a plurality of first folded portions, wherein each of the first folded portions comprises two first spans and a first head portion connecting the two first spans;

a plurality of first connecting portions, wherein each of the first connecting portions is respectively connected to the first spans of two adjacent first folded portions to define a first space;

a plurality of second folded portions, wherein each of the second folded portions comprises two second spans and a second head portion connecting the two second spans; and

a plurality of second connecting portions, wherein each of the second connecting portions is respectively connected to the second spans of two adjacent second folded portions to define a second space; and

arranging at least one of the first folded portions in the second space, and arranging at least one of the second folded portions in the first space; and

defining the width of the first span which is greater than a critical gap and defining a width of the second span which is greater than a critical gap, wherein the critical gap is located between a movable electrode and a stationary electrode of the micro-electro mechanical apparatus.

21. The method for mitigating frequency drift of the micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 20, further comprising defining the width of the first span which is greater than the resonance spring width and defining the width of the second span which is greater than the resonance spring width.

22. The method for mitigating frequency drift of the micro-electro mechanical apparatus as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the step of arranging at least one bridge, the at least one bridge is arranged between the first span and the second span to connect the first span and the second span, wherein the step of arranging at least one bridge comprises:

disposing a first bridge to connect the portion of the first span which is near the first connecting portion and to connect the portion of the second span which is near the second head portion, disposing the second bridge to connect the portion of the first span which is near the first head portion and to connect the portion of the second span which is near the second connecting portion, wherein the location of the first bridge and the location of the second bridge are origin symmetric.