PHYSICAL QUANTITY SENSOR AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20150377919A1
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: YODA, Mitsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,817,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0831 the mass being of the paddle type having the pivot axis between the longitudinal ends of the mass, e.g. see-saw configuration

Abstract

An acceleration sensor includes a base substrate provided with a first recess part, and a sensor part located on the first recess part and swingably supported in a depth direction of the first recess part by a support part, wherein the sensor part is sectioned into a first part and a second part by the support part, includes a movable electrode part in the first part and the second part, a through hole is provided at least at an end side in the second part larger in mass than the first part, and the base substrate includes a fixed electrode part in a position opposed to the movable electrode part in the first recessed part, and a second recess part deeper than the first recess part is provided in a position opposed to the end side of the sensor part.

Claims

1. A physical quantity sensor comprising:

a base substrate provided with a first recess having a first bottom surface and a second recess having a second bottom surface, the second bottom surface being deeper than the first bottom surface;

a fixed electrode that is provided in the first recess;

a conducting part that is provided in the second recess; and

a sensor that is located above the base substrate by way of the first and second recesses and that is movably supported by a support, the support extending in a first direction, with the sensor moving in a depth direction of the first recess by the support, wherein

the sensor is sectioned into a first part and a second part by the support, the sensor including a movable electrode in the first part and the second part, the second part being larger in mass than the first part, and wherein a through hole is provided at least in one of the first part and the second part,

the fixed electrode is overlapped with the movable electrode in a plan view,

the second recess is overlapped with an edge of the sensor in the plan view, and

the conducting part is connected to the movable electrode, and the conducting part outwardly extends away from the edge of the sensor in the plan view.

2. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of through holes are provided along the first direction of the support, and

each of the plurality of through holes is in a belt-like shape in the plan view.

3. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

a third bottom surface is provided in the first bottom surface of the first recess, the third bottom surface is deeper than the first bottom surface, the third bottom surface is located closer to the edge of the sensor than the support, and the first and third bottom surfaces are continuously provided via a first step.

4. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 2, wherein

a third bottom surface is provided in the first bottom surface of the first recess, the third bottom surface is deeper than the first bottom surface, the third bottom surface is located closer to the edge of the sensor than the support, and the first and third bottom surfaces are continuously provided via a first step.

5. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

an insulating material is used for the base substrate, and

a semiconductor material is used for the sensor.

6. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 2, wherein

an insulating material is used for the base substrate, and

a semiconductor material is used for the sensor.

7. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 3, wherein

an insulating material is used for the base substrate, and

a semiconductor material is used for the sensor.

8. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 4, wherein

an insulating material is used for the base substrate, and

a semiconductor material is used for the sensor.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 1.