Method of manufacturing a capacitive acceleration sensor, and a capacitive acceleration sensor

• US 7,426,863 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Inventors: Kuisma, Heikki
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US11/453,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20070000323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 735/143.2, 735/10
• US Class Current: 73/514.32
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• 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: Y10T 29/49007 Indicating transducer

Abstract

The present invention relates to measuring devices used in measuring acceleration and, more precisely, to capacitive acceleration sensors. The object of the invention is to provide an improved method of manufacturing a capacitive acceleration sensor, and to provide a capacitive acceleration sensor, which is applicable for use in small capacitive acceleration sensor solutions, and which, in particular, is applicable for use in small and extremely thin capacitive acceleration sensor solutions measuring acceleration in relation to several axes.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a capacitive acceleration sensor out of a wafer element, comprising:

forming an inertia mass;

forming a movable electrode on a central wafer, the mass being supported by torsion springs, symmetrically in the longitudinal direction of the mass, and asymmetrically in the thickness direction of the mass; and

placing measuring electrodes on a second wafer, which electrodes are positioned facing a first side of the mass, symmetrically in relation to the torsion springs and the mass, wherein asymmetrically located lightening features are manufactured into the mass of the acceleration sensor, on a second side, the one opposite to the first side, said lightening features coinciding with the measurement electrodes and not extending through the mass.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein some mass is removed at the lightening features by a machining method.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein that some mass is removed at the lightening features by an etching method.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the movable electrode is formed utilizing a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the SOI wafer is sealed using two sealing wafers.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the measuring electrodes are positioned on the first sealing wafer facing a first side of the mass, symmetrically in relation to the torsion springs and the mass.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the sealing wafer carrying the measuring electrodes is manufactured using a silicon-glass insulation technology.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein after joining, the first sealing wafer is ground down extremely thin to approximately 200 micro-meters.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second sealing wafer is made of glass.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second sealing wafer is ground down extremely thin to approximately 200 micro-meters.

11. A capacitive acceleration sensor comprising:

an inertia mass forming a movable electrode, the mass being supported by torsion springs, symmetrically in the longitudinal direction of the mass, and asymmetrically in the thickness direction of the mass;

measuring electrodes positioned facing a first side of the mass, symmetrically in relation to the torsion springs and the mass; and

at least one asymmetrically located lightening feature manufactured into the mass, on a second side of it, the one opposite to the first side, said at least one lightening feature coinciding with the measurement electrodes and not extending through the mass.

12. Acceleration sensor according to claim 11, wherein there is one lightening feature.

13. Acceleration sensor according to claim 11, wherein there are several lightening features.

14. Acceleration sensor according to claim 11, wherein the shape of the lightening features varies.

15. Acceleration sensor according to claim 11, further comprising:

an acceleration sensor which comprises three acceleration sensor elements, such that two of the masses are positioned side by side being mirror images of each other in relation to the spring axis, and the third mass is turned by 90°

in relation to the first two masses.

16. Acceleration sensor according to claim 15, wherein one of the masses is implemented with no lightening features.

17. Acceleration sensor according to claim 16, wherein the third mass is implemented with no lightening features.

18. Acceleration sensor according to claim 15, wherein two of the masses are implemented with out lightening features.