Surface/bulk micromachined single-crystalline silicon micro-gyroscope
First Claim
1. A micromachined single-crystalline silicon micro-gyroscope, comprising:
- a reference electrode, driving electrodes, driving sensing electrodes, and sensing electrodes which are fixed structures, andan outer mass which is connected to the reference electrode via driving springs, and an inner mass which is connected to the outer mass via sensing springs, wherein the outer mass and the inner mass are movable structures, and are released and separated from the bottom surface of the micro-gyroscope by a certain predetermined distance,wherein the outer mass and the inner mass are vibrated in the driving direction when voltage is applied to the driving electrodes, and if the angular rate is applied to the micro-gyroscope, the inner mass is vibrated in the direction perpendicular to the driving direction of the outer mass, and the sensing electrodes located in the inner mass detect the vibration of the inner mass, and thus the micro-gyroscope senses the angular rate;
wherein an insulation layer and a conductive layer are deposited on the surface of the micro-gyroscope,a metal layer is further deposited on the top of the micro-gyroscope, andthe conductive layer is etched away at the bottom among the reference electrode, driving electrodes, driving sensing electrodes, and sensing electrodes so as to isolate these electrodes from each other.
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Abstract
A micromachined single-crystalline silicon micro-gyroscope comprising oxide/polysilicon/metal triple layer for electrical isolation is disclosed. The isolation method includes forming the triple layer composed of an insulation layer formed over an exposed surface of the silicon microstructure, a conductive layer formed over the entire insulation layer, and a metal layer formed over a top portion of the microstructure; and etching the conductive layer at the bottom to form electrical isolation between parts of the microstructure. The method does not require a separate photolithography process for isolation, and can be effectively applied to microstructures having high aspect ratios and narrow trenches.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A micromachined single-crystalline silicon micro-gyroscope, comprising:
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a reference electrode, driving electrodes, driving sensing electrodes, and sensing electrodes which are fixed structures, and an outer mass which is connected to the reference electrode via driving springs, and an inner mass which is connected to the outer mass via sensing springs, wherein the outer mass and the inner mass are movable structures, and are released and separated from the bottom surface of the micro-gyroscope by a certain predetermined distance, wherein the outer mass and the inner mass are vibrated in the driving direction when voltage is applied to the driving electrodes, and if the angular rate is applied to the micro-gyroscope, the inner mass is vibrated in the direction perpendicular to the driving direction of the outer mass, and the sensing electrodes located in the inner mass detect the vibration of the inner mass, and thus the micro-gyroscope senses the angular rate; wherein an insulation layer and a conductive layer are deposited on the surface of the micro-gyroscope, a metal layer is further deposited on the top of the micro-gyroscope, and the conductive layer is etched away at the bottom among the reference electrode, driving electrodes, driving sensing electrodes, and sensing electrodes so as to isolate these electrodes from each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification