Disc resonator gyroscopes

• US 7,581,443 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Kubena, Randall L., Chang, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok; Helen C.
• Application Number:
  US11/458,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20070017287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 735/041.3, 735/041.2, 735/040.4, 735/141.6, 735/142.9
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5684 the devices involving a micromechanical structure

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to apparatuses and methods of making a micromachined resonator gyroscope, e.g. a disc resonator gyro (DRG), including one or more of the following novel features. Embodiments of the invention may comprise a triple-wafer stack gyroscope with an all fused quartz (or all silicon) construction for an electrical baseplate, resonator and vacuum cap. This can yield superior thermal stability over prior art designs. A typical resonator embodiment may include a centrally anchored disc with high aspect-ratio in-plane electrostatic drive and sense electrodes to create large capacitance. A silicon sacrificial layer may be employed for attaching a quartz resonator wafer to a quartz handle wafer for high aspect-ratio etching. In addition, embodiments of the invention may comprise a low thermal stress, wafer-level vacuum packaged gyroscope with on-chip getter. An ultra-thin conductive layer deposited on the quartz resonator may also be utilized for high Q.

Claims

1. A sensor, comprising:

a disc resonator having a central support and an ultra thin conductive layer deposited on etched side walls of the disc resonator;

a baseplate wafer for supporting the disc resonator at the central support; and

a cap wafer covering the disc resonator;

wherein the baseplate wafer and the cap wafer comprise an enclosure of the disc resonator and the cap wafer comprises a single wafer having a cavity forming a wall surrounding the disc resonator and the wall is bonded directly to the baseplate wafer to enclose the disc resonator.

2. The sensor of claim 1, where the baseplate wafer and the cap wafer enclose the disc resonator under a vacuum seal.

3. The sensor of claim 1, where the disc resonator includes a plurality of circumferential slots and electrodes for driving the disc resonator and sensing motion of the disc resonator occupy at least some of the plurality of circumferential slots where the electrodes are supported by the baseplate wafer.

4. The sensor of claim 1, where electrodes for driving the disc resonator and sensing motion of the disc resonator are electrically coupled to electrical interconnects patterned on the baseplate wafer and passing under the wall of the cap wafer.

5. The sensor of claim 4, where the electrical interconnects are electrically coupled to control electronics on an exterior surface of the baseplate wafer.

6. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising an on-chip getter within the enclosure.

7. The sensor of claim 6, wherein the on-chip getter is activated with the baseplate and the cap wafer in near separation before sealing the enclosure.

8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein both the disc resonator and electrodes for driving the disc resonator and sensing motion of the disc resonator are formed by through etching a resonator wafer.

9. The sensor of claim 8, wherein through etching the resonator wafer comprises deep reactive ion etching (DRIE).

10. The sensor of claim 8, wherein the disc resonator, the baseplate wafer and the cap wafer each comprise silicon and the disc resonator and the electrodes are formed by through etching a silicon resonator wafer bonded to the baseplate wafer.

11. The sensor of claim 8, wherein the disc resonator, the baseplate wafer and the cap wafer each comprise quartz and the disc resonator and the electrodes are formed by through etching a quartz resonator wafer bonded to a handle wafer.

12. The sensor of claim 11, wherein the handle wafer is removed after aligning and bonding the formed disc resonator to the baseplate wafer.

13. A method of producing a sensor, comprising the steps of:

producing a disc resonator having a central support;

depositing an ultra thin conductive layer on etched side walls of the disc resonator;

producing a baseplate wafer for supporting the disc resonator at the central support;

producing a cap wafer covering the disc resonator, the cap wafer comprising a single wafer having a cavity forming a wall surrounding the disc resonator; and

bonding the wall directly to the baseplate wafer to enclose the disc resonator where the baseplate wafer and the cap wafer comprise an enclosure of the disc resonator.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising enclosing the disc resonator under a vacuum seal with the baseplate wafer and the cap wafer.

15. The method of claim 13, where the disc resonator includes a plurality of circumferential slots and electrodes for driving the disc resonator and sensing motion of the disc resonator occupy at least some of the plurality of circumferential slots where the electrodes are supported by the baseplate wafer.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising electrically coupling electrodes for driving the disc resonator and sensing motion of the disc resonator to electrical interconnects patterned on the baseplate wafer and passing under the wall of the cap wafer.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising electrically coupling the electrical interconnects to control electronics on an exterior surface of the baseplate wafer.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising enclosing an on-chip getter within the enclosure.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising activating the on-chip getter with the baseplate and the cap wafer in near separation before sealing the enclosure.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising forming both the disc resonator and electrodes for driving the disc resonator and sensing motion of the disc resonator by through etching a resonator wafer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein through etching the resonator wafer comprises deep reactive ion etching (DRIE).

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the disc resonator, the baseplate wafer and the cap wafer each comprise silicon and the disc resonator and the electrodes are formed by through etching a silicon resonator wafer bonded to the baseplate wafer.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the disc resonator, the baseplate wafer and the cap wafer each comprise quartz and the disc resonator and the electrodes are formed by through etching a quartz resonator wafer bonded to a handle wafer.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising removing the handle wafer after aligning and bonding the formed disc resonator to the baseplate wafer.

25. A sensor, comprising:

a disc resonator means for sensing motion having a central support and an ultra thin conductive layer deposited on etched side walls of the disc resonator means;

a baseplate wafer means for supporting the disc resonator at the central support; and

a cap wafer means for covering the disc resonator;

wherein the baseplate wafer means and the cap wafer means comprise an enclosure of the disc resonator means and the cap wafer means comprises a single wafer having a cavity forming a wall surrounding the disc resonator means and the wall is bonded directly to the baseplate wafer means to enclose the disc resonator means.