Micromechanical capacitive acceleration sensor

• US 7,343,801 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Kapser, Konrad, Toelg, Sebastian, Weinacht, Manfred, Seidel, Helmut, Knittl, Peter, Prechtel, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/471,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,203 Days
• Field of Search: 735/143.2, 735/142.9, 735/141.6, 735/143.6, 735/143.8, 735/041.2
• US Class Current: 73/514.32
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 11/08 with mechanical drive, other than directly by springs or weights lubricating-pumps F16N13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0834 the mass constituting a pendulum having the pivot axis disposed symmetrically between the longitudinal ends, the center of mass being shifted away from the plane of the pendulum which includes the pivot axis
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0845 using a plurality of spring-mass systems being arranged on one common planar substrate, the systems not being mechanically coupled and the sensitive direction of each system being different
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0857 using a particular shape of the suspension spring
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/086 using a torsional suspension spring

Abstract

A micromechanical capacitive acceleration sensor is described for picking up the acceleration of an object in at least one direction. The sensor includes a frame structure (110), a sensor inertia mass (101) made of a wafer and movably mounted relative to the frame structure (110) about a rotation axis, and a capacitive pick-up unit (120) for producing at least one capacitive output signal representing the position of the sensor mass (101) relative to the frame structure (110). The sensor inertia mass (101) has a center of gravity which offset relative to the rotation axis in a direction perpendicularly to a wafer plane for measuring accelerations laterally to the wafer plane. The sensor mass (101) and the frame structure (110) are made monolithically of one single crystal silicon wafer. A cover section (112) forms a common connector plane (150) for the connection of capacitor electrodes (125,126). Torqueable elements (105) form an electrically conducting bearing device for the sensor mass (101).

Claims

1. A micromechanical capacitive acceleration sensor for picking up an acceleration of an object in at least one direction, said sensor comprising a sensor inertia mass having a center of gravity, a frame structure and a rotation axis movably supporting said sensor inertia mass in said frame structure, said sensor inertia mass comprising a first section forming a first part of a wafer defining a wafer plane in which said rotation axis extends, said sensor inertia mass comprising a second section forming a second part of said wafer and having a center of gravity determining configuration such that said center of gravity of said sensor inertia mass is positioned outside said rotation axis and outside said wafer plane in a direction perpendicularly to said wafer plane, said capacitive acceleration sensor further comprising at least one capacitive pick-up unit for producing at least one capacitive output signal representing a position of said sensor inertia mass relative to said frame structure.

2. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, wherein any one of said sensor inertia mass and said frame structure is made monolithically of a single crystal silicon member.

3. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, further comprising a bearing device including torqueable elements made of silicon for supporting said sensor inertia mass.

4. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, further comprising an electrical contacting area on said frame structure and a bearing device for supporting said sensor inertia mass, said bearing device forming an electrically conducting connection between said sensor inertia mass and said electrical contacting area on said frame structure.

5. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, further comprising a bearing device arranged on said sensor inertia mass close to a surface of said wafer.

6. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, wherein said center of gravity determining configuration of said second section of said sensor inertia mass has a shape selected from any one of the following shapes:

a cubic shape, a parallelepiped, a frustum and a truncated pyramid.

7. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, comprising a plurality of sensor inertia masses movably mounted relative to a respective rotation axis (A_X, A_Y, A_Z) for measuring accelerations in a plurality of directions (x, y, z) extending perpendicularly to one another, wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor inertia masses has said center of gravity which is positioned offset relative to said respective rotation axis in a direction extending perpendicularly to a respective wafer plane defined by said at least one sensor inertia mass, wherein said rotation axis extends in said respective wafer plane.

8. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, wherein said capacitive pick-up unit comprises first capacitor electrodes provided on said first section of said sensor inertia mass and second capacitor electrodes provided on said frame structure opposite said first capacitor electrodes, said pick-up unit further comprising first connector elements for electrically connecting said first capacitor electrodes, and second connector elements for electrically connecting said second capacitor electrodes, said first and second connector elements being arranged in a common connector plane.

9. The acceleration sensor of claim 8, wherein at least one connector element of said first and second connector elements is contacted on a single side.

10. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, wherein said at least one capacitive pick-up unit is contacted electrically on a single side.

11. The acceleration sensor of claim 8, wherein said second capacitor electrodes on said frame structure and said first and second connector elements are supported by said common connector plane.

12. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, further comprising a coupling arrangement for coupling of first capacitor electrodes provided on said sensor inertia mass to first connector elements provided on said frame structure, said coupling arrangement comprising any one of a galvanic connection and a capacitive connection for bridging an elevational difference between said first capacitor electrodes and a common connector plane.

13. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, wherein said frame structure comprises a central frame section laterally enclosing said sensor inertia mass and a first cover section elevationally displaced relative to said sensor inertia mass, said first cover section being arranged on said central frame section, and wherein capacitor electrodes are provided on a facing side of said cover section, said facing side of said cover section facing said sensor inertia mass.

14. The acceleration sensor of claim 13, wherein said facing side of said first cover section facing said sensor inertia mass forms a common connector plane for an electrical connection of said capacitive pick-up unit.

15. The acceleration sensor of claim 8, wherein said first capacitor electrodes are formed by any one of a metallizing layer on said sensor inertia mass and by said sensor inertia mass made of an electrically conducting material.

40. The acceleration sensor of claim 1, comprising a plurality of sensor inertia masses and wherein each sensor inertia mass comprises a respective capacitive pick-up unit for picking up an acceleration of an object in a plurality of directions (x, y, z), said acceleration sensor further comprising a plurality of bearing devices, each of said plurality of sensor inertia masses being supported by a respective bearing device in said frame structure independently of one another, each sensor inertia mass comprising a respective capacitive pick-up unit for producing an output signal representing the position of the respective sensor inertia mass relative to said frame structure.

41. The acceleration sensor of claim 40, wherein said sensor inertia masses are mounted in a common plane in said frame structure, and wherein first and second connector elements of all sensor inertia masses are provided in a common connector plane.

48. A method for producing an acceleration sensor as defined in claim 40, said method comprising the following steps:

a) first producing each of said plurality of sensor inertia masses as a single sensor, each single sensor having a respective frame structure, and

b) assembling said single sensors to a complete sensor.

16. A micromechanical capacitive acceleration sensor for picking up an acceleration of an object in at least one direction (x, y, z), said capacitive acceleration sensor comprising a frame structure which is stationary relative to said object, a sensor inertia mass defining an inertia mass plane, a bearing device elastically supporting said sensor inertia mass for movement relative to said frame structure and for movement relative to a starting position of said sensor inertia mass, said sensor inertia mass having a center of gravity positioned outside said bearing device and outside said inertia mass plane in a direction perpendicularly to said inertia mass plane, said capacitive acceleration sensor further comprising a capacitive pick-up unit for producing at least one capacitive output signal representing a position of said sensor inertia mass relative to said frame structure, said capacitive pick-up unit comprising first capacitor electrodes provided on said sensor inertia mass and second capacitor electrodes provided on said frame structure opposite said first capacitor electrodes, and a coupling arrangement including first connector elements coupled to said first capacitor electrodes, said first connector elements being provided on said frame structure, and second connector elements coupled to said second capacitor electrodes.

17. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein at least said first connector elements are arranged in a common connector plane which is elevationally displaced relative to said first capacitor electrodes provided on said sensor inertia mass, and wherein said coupling arrangement comprises means for bridging an elevational difference between said first capacitor electrodes and said common connector plane.

18. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein at least said second connector elements are arranged in a common connector plane which is elevationally displaced relative to said second capacitor electrodes provided on said frame structure, and wherein said coupling arrangement comprises means for bridging an elevational difference between said second capacitor electrodes and said common connector plane.

19. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein said second capacitor electrodes provided on said frame structure and said first and second connector elements are supported by a common connector plane, and wherein said coupling arrangement comprises means for bridging an elevational difference to said common connector plane.

20. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein said coupling arrangement forms any one of a galvanic and a capacitive connection which bridges an elevational difference to a common connector plane.

21. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein said frame structure comprises a central frame section laterally surrounding said sensor inertia mass and a first cover section elevationally displaced relative to said sensor inertia mass, said first cover section being arranged on said central frame section, wherein said, second capacitor electrodes are provided on that side of said first cover section which faces said sensor inertia mass, and wherein said first capacitor electrodes are provided on said sensor inertia mass opposite said second capacitor electrodes.

22. The acceleration sensor of claim 21, wherein said first connector elements and said second connector elements are arranged in a common connector plane, which is formed by that side of said first cover section which faces said sensor inertia mass, and wherein said second capacitor electrodes are also supported by said side of said first cover section facing said sensor inertia mass.

23. The acceleration sensor of claim 22, wherein said first connector elements, said second connector elements and said second capacitor electrodes which are connected to the second connector elements, are made of a single conductive layer formed on that side of said first cover section which faces said sensor inertia mass.

24. The acceleration sensor of claim 23, wherein said coupling arrangement comprises first and second coupling electrodes, said second coupling electrode being formed on that side of said first cover section which faces said sensor inertia mass, said first coupling electrode being provided on said sensor inertia mass opposite said second coupling electrode, whereby said first and second coupling electrodes form a capacitive connection of the coupling arrangement for coupling the first capacitor electrodes provided on the sensor inertia mass with a first connector element of said first connector elements provided on said frame structure.

25. The acceleration sensor of claim 24, wherein said second coupling electrode and said first connector element are provided in a common connector plane which is formed by that side of said first cover section which faces the sensor inertia mass.

26. The acceleration sensor of claim 25, wherein said second coupling electrode and said first connector element connected to said first coupling electrode, said second capacitor electrodes and said second connector elements connected with the second capacitor electrodes are made of a single conducting layer formed on that side of said first cover section which faces said sensor inertia mass.

27. The acceleration sensor of claim 21, further comprising a second cover section positioned elevationally displaced relative to said sensor inertia mass, said second cover section being positioned at said central frame section opposite said first cover section, said second cover section forming together with said central frame section and with said first cover section a hermetically sealed housing enclosing said sensor inertia mass, said first capacitor electrodes and said second capacitor electrodes.

28. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein said bearing device comprises torsion elements through which said sensor inertia mass is mounted to said frame structure in a torsion elastic manner for motion relative to and about said starting position.

29. The acceleration sensor of claim 28, wherein said torsion elements forming said bearing device are positioned relative to a common rotation axis, said torsion elements being effective on opposite sides of said sensor inertia mass, whereby said sensor inertia mass is movable only in a single direction (x, y, z) relative to said frame structure.

30. The acceleration sensor of claim 28, wherein one side of said torsion elements is secured to said sensor inertia mass and, wherein another side of said tension elements is secured to a central section of said frame structure.

31. The acceleration sensor of claim 28, wherein said coupling arrangement is formed by a galvanic connection which includes said torsion elements.

32. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein said bearing device comprises at least one bending element by which said sensor inertia mass is supported in a bending elastic manner for motion around said starting position and relative to said frame structure.

33. The acceleration sensor of claim 32, wherein two bending elements are provided in a common plane spaced from each other and rigidly connected to said sensor inertia mass, whereby said sensor inertia mass is movable only in a single direction (x) relative to said frame structure.

34. The acceleration sensor of claim 32, wherein two bending elements are rigidly connected to said inertia mass and to said first cover section of said frame structure.

35. The acceleration sensor of claim 32, wherein said coupling arrangement is formed by a galvanic connection which includes said at least one bending element.

36. The acceleration sensor of claim 32, wherein said at least one bending element is centrally and rigidly connected to said sensor inertia mass, whereby said sensor inertia mass is movable with respect to two different directions (x, y) relative to said frame structure, and wherein said pick-up unit is adapted for producing two capacitive output signals which represent the position of said sensor inertia mass relative to said frame structure.

37. The acceleration sensor of claim 36, wherein said pick-up unit comprises four first capacitor electrodes secured to said sensor inertia mass in pairs positioned opposite each other and on opposite aides of said bending element, and four second capacitor electrodes secured to said first cover section of said frame structure, said second capacitor electrodes being arranged in pairs positioned opposite each other on opposite sides of said bending element and opposite said first capacitor electrodes.

38. The acceleration sensor of claim 36, wherein said coupling arrangement comprises a first coupling electrode provided on said sensor inertia mass and surrounding said bending element, and a second coupling electrode provided on said first cover section of said frame structure, and wherein said second coupling electrode is positioned opposite said first coupling electrode and surrounding said bending element.

39. The acceleration sensor of claim 36, wherein said coupling arrangement comprises a galvanic connection including said at least one bending element.

42. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein said sensor inertia mass is adapted for picking-up an acceleration of said object in a horizontal direction (x, y), and wherein said bearing device of said sensor inertia mass is elevationally displaced upwardly relative to said center of gravity, whereby said sensor inertia mass performs, in response to an acceleration of said object, a rotational motion about a rotation axis defined by said bearing device.

43. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein said sensor inertia mass is adapted for picking-up an acceleration of said object in a vertical direction (z), and wherein said bearing device of said sensor inertia mass is laterally offset relative to said center of gravity whereby said sensor inertia mass performs, in response to an acceleration of said object, a rotational motion about a rotation axis defined by said bearing device.

44. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein said first capacitor electrodes are provided in pairs on said sensor inertia mass and respectively on opposite sides of a rotation axis (A_X, A_Y, A_Z) defined by said bearing device, wherein said second capacitor electrodes are provided in pairs on said frame structure and respectively positioned opposite said first capacitor electrodes, and wherein a differential capacity of said first and second capacitor electrodes forming pairs is used for producing a capacitive output signal of said pick-up unit.

45. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein said first capacitor electrodes provided on said sensor inertia mass are formed of a conducting material of which the sensor inertia mass is made.

46. The acceleration sensor of claim 21, wherein said first cover section of said frame structure is made of a glass containing an alkali metal.

47. The acceleration sensor of claim 27, wherein said second cover section of said frame structure is made of a glass containing an alkali metal.