Physical Quantity Sensor, Electronic Apparatus, and Moving Object

• US 20170115116A1
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Published: 04/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Ide, Tsugio
• Granted Patent: US 10,634,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5628 Manufacturing; Trimming; Mounting; Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5635 using vibrating wires or strings
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5642 using vibrating bars or beams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5783 Mountings or housings not specific to any of the devices covered by groups G01C19/5607 - G01C19/5719

Abstract

A physical quantity sensor includes: a base; an IC disposed on the base; an angular rate sensor and an acceleration sensor disposed on the IC; a first stress buffer layer disposed between the IC and the angular rate sensor; and a second stress buffer layer disposed between the IC and the acceleration sensor. The first and second stress buffer layers are disposed spaced apart from each other.

Claims

1. A physical quantity sensor comprising:

a base;

a circuit element disposed on the base;

a first physical quantity sensor element disposed over at least one of the base and the circuit element, and driven to vibrate;

a second physical quantity sensor element disposed over at least one of the base and the circuit element; and

a stress buffer layer interpose between at least one of the first physical quantity sensor element and the second physical quantity sensor element and at least one of the base and the circuit element.

2. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first physical quantity sensor element is disposed on the stress buffer layer, and the stress buffer is on the circuit element.

3. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 2, wherein the second physical quantity sensor element is not disposed over the stress buffer layer.

4. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

the stress buffer layer includes a first stress buffer layer component and a second stress buffer layer component disposed spaced apart from each other, both the first stress buffer layer component and second stress buffer layer component are disposed on the circuit element;

the first physical quantity sensor element is disposed on the first stress buffer layer component over the circuit element; and

the second physical quantity sensor element is disposed on the second stress buffer layer component over the circuit element.

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

the stress buffer layer is disposed on the circuit element;

the first physical quantity sensor element is disposed on the stress buffer layer over the circuit element; and

the second physical quantity sensor element is disposed over the base.

6. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 5, wherein:

the stress buffer layer includes a first stress buffer layer component and a second stress buffer layer component disposed spaced apart from each other, first stress buffer layer component being disposed on the circuit element and the second stress buffer layer component being disposed on the base;

the first physical quantity sensor element is disposed on the first stress buffer layer component over the circuit element; and

the second physical quantity sensor element is disposed on the second stress buffer layer component over the base.

7. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

the circuit element is disposed on a first surface of the base; and

the second physical quantity sensor element is disposed on a second surface of the base on a side of the base opposite to a side defined by the first surface.

8. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the circuit element includes:

a drive circuit that drives the first physical quantity sensor element;

a first detection circuit that performs a detection process based on a detection signal from the first physical quantity sensor element; and

a second detection circuit that performs a detection process based on a detection signal from the second physical quantity sensor element.

9. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

the first physical quantity sensor element is an angular rate sensor that detects angular rate; and

the second physical quantity sensor element is an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration.

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

11. An electronic apparatus comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 2.

12. An electronic apparatus comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 3.

13. An electronic apparatus comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 4.

14. An electronic apparatus comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 5.

15. An electronic apparatus comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 6.

16. A moving object comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 1.

17. A moving object comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 2.

18. A moving object comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 3.

19. A moving object comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 4.

20. A moving object comprising the physical quantity sensor according to claim 5.