Micromachined device with enhanced dimensional control
First Claim
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1. A micromachined device comprising:
- a substrate;
a movable mass suspended over the substrate and having a central member extending along an axis;
a spring structure coupled to the movable mass for performing a mechanical spring function, the spring structure including a first leg and a second leg;
a first structure having an elongated portion extending parallel and next to the first leg and spaced a distance d from the first leg, the first structure not performing the spring function;
a plurality of sense fingers extending perpendicular to the axis away from the central member; and
a plurality of fixed fingers, each disposed next to a respective sense finger at approximately the distance d.
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Abstract
A micromachined device is provided that establishes select dimensional relationships between micromachined structures to achieve correlation in dimensional variation among these structures.
121 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate;
a movable mass suspended over the substrate and having a central member extending along an axis;
a spring structure coupled to the movable mass for performing a mechanical spring function, the spring structure including a first leg and a second leg;
a first structure having an elongated portion extending parallel and next to the first leg and spaced a distance d from the first leg, the first structure not performing the spring function;
a plurality of sense fingers extending perpendicular to the axis away from the central member; and
a plurality of fixed fingers, each disposed next to a respective sense finger at approximately the distance d. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate;
a first structure suspended over the substrate and performing a mechanical function, the first structure having a first side and a second side, the first structure being positioned relative to any nearby components such that the spacing to other components in the device next to the first and second sides is set at a predefined distance; and
a second structure suspended over the substrate and coupled to the first structure, the second structure performing an electrical function and having a first external side that faces outwardly from the second structure, the second structure being laid out so that the spacing to components next to the external side is set at the predefined distance, whereby a dimensional relationship is established between the first and second structures. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A micromachined device comprising:
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a substrate;
a movable mass suspended in a plane over and parallel to the substrate and movable along a first axis, the movable mass including a beam elongated along the first axis, and a plurality of parallel movable fingers arranged in a row extending away from the beam and perpendicular to the first axis;
a first plurality of fixed fingers that are stationary with respect to the substrate, the first plurality of fixed fingers being on one side of the row of movable fingers to form a first capacitance, each of the first plurality of fixed fingers being spaced a distance d from one of the movable fingers;
a second plurality of fixed fingers that are stationary with respect to the substrate, the second plurality of fixed fingers being on the other side of the row of movable fingers to form a second capacitance, each of the second plurality of fixed fingers being spaced a distance d from one of the movable fingers;
spring anchored to the substrate and coupled to the movable mass to allow the mass to move relative to the substrate, the spring having first and second legs parallel to each other and perpendicular to the first axis for performing a spring function; and
a dimensional control structure having an elongated side and formed next to the first long leg of the spring and spaced from the first leg by the distance d, wherein the dimensional control structure does not perform the spring function. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification