Vibrating beam accelerometers and methods of forming vibrating beam accelerometers
First Claim
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1. An accelerometer comprising:
- a frame;
a proof mass;
a flexure connected between the frame and the proof mass and defining a hinge axis about which the proof mass can be moved;
a vibrating beam structure connected between the frame and the proof mass;
electrically conductive structure supported over the vibrating beam structure and configured for connection to an external electrical circuit;
said electrically conductive structure defining a first conductive path having a pair of first conductive path portions being supported over said vibrating beam assembly and extending along individual lines which define a first set of lines which are generally parallel with one another;
said electrically conductive structure further defining a second conductive path having a pair of second conductive path portions being supported over said vibrating beam structure and extending along individual lines which define a second set of lines which are different from the first set of lines and generally parallel with one another;
a strut assembly connected between the frame and the proof mass;
wherein said first conductive path of said electrically conductive structure has another pair of first conductive path portions which are supported over the strut assembly and extend along individual lines which define a third set of lines which are generally parallel with one another; and
said second conductive path of said electrically conductive structure has another pair of second conductive path portions which are supported over the strut assembly and extend along individual lines which define a fourth set of lines which are generally parallel with one another.
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Abstract
Accelerometers and methods of forming accelerometers are described. The accelerometers are provided with electrically conductive structure configured for connection with external circuitry. The electrically conductive structure has a folded-back architecture which reduces temperature-induced anomalies which can adversely impact acceleration-sensing function of the accelerometer.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An accelerometer comprising:
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a frame; a proof mass; a flexure connected between the frame and the proof mass and defining a hinge axis about which the proof mass can be moved; a vibrating beam structure connected between the frame and the proof mass; electrically conductive structure supported over the vibrating beam structure and configured for connection to an external electrical circuit; said electrically conductive structure defining a first conductive path having a pair of first conductive path portions being supported over said vibrating beam assembly and extending along individual lines which define a first set of lines which are generally parallel with one another; said electrically conductive structure further defining a second conductive path having a pair of second conductive path portions being supported over said vibrating beam structure and extending along individual lines which define a second set of lines which are different from the first set of lines and generally parallel with one another; a strut assembly connected between the frame and the proof mass; wherein said first conductive path of said electrically conductive structure has another pair of first conductive path portions which are supported over the strut assembly and extend along individual lines which define a third set of lines which are generally parallel with one another; and said second conductive path of said electrically conductive structure has another pair of second conductive path portions which are supported over the strut assembly and extend along individual lines which define a fourth set of lines which are generally parallel with one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An accelerometer comprising:
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a frame; a proof mass; a flexure connected between the frame and the proof mass; a vibrating beam assembly comprising a pair of vibratable beams and a pair of generally non-vibratable beams proximate the vibratable beams, said assembly being connected between the frame and the proof mass; a first conductive path over the accelerometer and configured for connection to an external electrical circuit, said first conductive path comprising electrically conductive material disposed over and supported by one of the non-vibratable beams and one of the vibratable beams; and a second conductive path over the accelerometer and configured for connection to the external electrical circuit, said second conductive path comprising electrically conductive material disposed over and supported by the other of the non-vibratable beams and the other of the vibratable beams. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An accelerometer comprising:
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a frame; a proof mass; a flexure connected between the frame and the proof mass and defining an axis about which the proof mass can be moved; a vibrating beam assembly connected between the frame and the proof mass and comprising a plurality of beams at least some of which being vibratable, others of which being generally non-vibratable; a pair of spaced-apart first bond pads positioned over the frame; a first conductive path joining with and extending between the first bond pads, said first conductive path comprising electrically conductive material disposed over and supported by one non-vibratable beam and one vibratable beam, said first conductive path having individual first path portions over said respective beams which extend from a respective one of the first bond pads to the other of the first bond pads in generally opposite directions relative to one another; a pair of spaced-apart second bond pads positioned over the frame; and a second conductive path joining with and extending between the second bond pads, said second conductive path comprising electrically conductive material disposed over and supported by a different non-vibratable beam and a different vibratable beam, said second conductive path having individual second path portions over said respective different beams which extend from a respective one of the second bond pads to the other of the second bond pads in generally opposite directions relative to one another. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An accelerometer comprising:
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a frame; a first proof mass; a first flexure connected between the frame and the first proof mass and defining a first hinge axis about which the first proof mass can be moved; a first vibrating beam structure connected between the frame and the first proof mass; a first strut assembly connected between the frame and the first proof mass; a second proof mass; a second flexure connected between the frame and the second proof mass and defining a second hinge axis about which the second proof mass can be moved; a second vibrating beam structure connected between the frame and the second proof mass; a second strut assembly connected between the frame and the second proof mass; and electrically conductive structure supported over the first and second vibrating beam assemblies and the first and second strut assemblies and configured for connection to an external electrical circuit, said electrically conductive structure defining a first conductive path having two pairs of first conductive path portions, one of the pair of first conductive path portions being supported over said first vibrating beam assembly and extending along individual lines which define a first set of lines which are generally parallel with one another, the other of the pair of first conductive path portions being supported over said first strut assembly and extending along individual lines which define a second set of lines which are generally parallel with one another, said electrically conductive structure further defining a second conductive path having two pairs of second conductive path portions, one of the pair of second conductive path portions being supported over said first vibrating beam assembly and extending along individual lines which define a third set of lines which are generally parallel with one another, the other of the pair of second conductive path portions being supported over said first strut assembly and extending along individual lines which define a fourth set of lines which are generally parallel with one another, said electrically conductive structure further defining a third conductive path having two pairs of third conductive path portions, one of the pair of third conductive path portions being supported over said second vibrating beam assembly and extending along individual lines which define a fifth set of lines which are generally parallel with one another, the other of the pair of third conductive path portions being supported over said second strut assembly and extending along individual lines which define a sixth set of lines which are generally parallel with one another, said electrically conductive structure further defining a fourth conductive path having two pairs of fourth conductive path portions, one of the pair of fourth conductive path portions being supported over said second vibrating beam assembly and extending along individual lines which define a seventh set of lines which are generally parallel with one another, the other of the pair of fourth conductive path portions being supported over said second strut assembly and extending along individual lines which define a eighth set of lines which are generally parallel with one another. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of forming an accelerometer comprising:
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providing a silicon substrate; providing a frame within the substrate; providing a proof mass within the substrate; providing a flexure connected between the frame and the proof mass; providing a vibrating beam assembly comprising a pair of vibratable beams and a pair of generally non-vibratable beams proximate the vibratable beams, said assembly being connected between the frame and the proof mass; forming a first conductive path over the accelerometer and configured for connection to an external electrical circuit, said first conductive path comprising electrically conductive material disposed over and supported by one of the non-vibratable beams and one of the vibratable beams; and forming a second conductive path over the accelerometer and configured for connection to the external electrical circuit, said second conductive path comprising electrically conductive material disposed over and supported by the other of the non-vibratable beams and the other of the vibratable beams. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A method of forming an accelerometer comprising:
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providing a silicon substrate; providing a frame within the substrate; providing a proof mass within the substrate; providing a flexure connected between the frame and the proof mass and defining an axis about which the proof mass can be moved; providing a vibrating beam assembly connected between the frame and the proof mass and comprising a plurality of beams at least some of which being vibratable, others of which being generally non-vibratable; forming a pair of spaced-apart first bond pads positioned over the frame; forming a first conductive path joining with and extending between the first bond pads, said first conductive path comprising electrically conductive material disposed over and supported by one non-vibratable beam and one vibratable beam, said first conductive path having individual first path portions over said respective beams which extend from a respective one of the first bond pads to the other of the first bond pads in generally opposite directions relative to one another; forming a pair of spaced-apart second bond pads positioned over the frame; and forming a second conductive path joining with and extending between the second bond pads, said second conductive path comprising electrically conductive material disposed over and supported by a different non-vibratable beam and a different vibratable beam, said second conductive path having individual second path portions over said respective different beams which extend from a respective one of the second bond pads to the other of the second bond pads in generally opposite directions relative to one another.
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Specification