Coupled pivoted acceleration sensors

• US 7,987,716 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PCB Piezotronics of North Carolina, Inc. (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Endevco Corporation (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilner, Leslie Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah; Samir M
• Application Number:
  US12/055,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20090241669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 735/143.3, 735/141.7, 735/141.8, 735/141.9, 735/142.1, 735/142.2, 735/142.3, 735/142.4, 341/145
• US Class Current: 73/514.33
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0888 for indicating angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/123 by piezo-resistive elements, e.g. semiconductor strain gauges

Abstract

A pivoted acceleration sensor has a substrate that is substantially parallel to first and second surfaces. A reference frame is provided. A first unbalanced seismic mass is suspended within the reference frame and is coupled with the reference frame through first and second strain gauges. The first and second strain gauges are located along a pivot axis of the first unbalanced seismic mass. The first and second strain gauges are first and second piezoresistors on the first surface of the substrate, A second unbalanced seismic mass is flexibly coupled with the first unbalanced seismic mass. The second unbalanced seismic mass is suspended within the reference frame and is coupled with the reference frame through third and fourth strain gauges. The third and fourth strain gauges are located along a pivot axis of the second unbalanced seismic mass. The third and fourth strain gauges are third and fourth piezoresistors on the first surface of the substrate. Metallization on the first surface of the substrate is configured to connect the first, second, third and fourth piezoresistors in a bridge configuration without crossovers.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate having substantially parallel first and second surfaces, comprising;

a reference frame;

a first unbalanced seismic mass suspended within the reference frame and coupled with the reference frame at two separate locations through first and second strain gauges, respectively, wherein the first and second strain gauges are aligned to enable the first unbalanced seismic mass to rotate around a first common axis of the first and second strain gauges, the first and second strain gauges comprising first and second piezoresistors on the first surface of the substrate;

a second unbalanced seismic mass flexibly coupled with the first unbalanced seismic mass, the second unbalanced seismic mass suspended within the reference frame and coupled with the reference frame at two separate locations through third and fourth strain gauges, respectively, wherein the third and fourth strain gauges are aligned to enable the second unbalanced seismic mass to rotate around a second common axis of the third and fourth strain gauges, the third and fourth strain gauges comprising third and fourth piezoresistors on the first surface of the substrate; and

metallization on the first surface of the substrate configured to connect the first, second, third and fourth piezoresistors in a bridge configuration without crossovers, wherein the first and the second unbalanced seismic masses are configured to rotate cooperatively to detect acceleration in a single direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a single crystal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the single crystal substrate comprises an n-type silicon substrate, and the piezoresisitors are p-type diffusion in the n-type silicon substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the p-type diffusion comprises a diffusion density in a range from approximately 10¹⁷ p-type dopant atoms per cubic centimeter to approximately 10²¹ p-type dopant atoms per cubic centimeter.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a resistance of each piezoresistor is in the range of approximately 1000 ohms to approximately 10,000 ohms.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a thermal coefficient of sensitivity of a gauge factor of each piezoresistor is in a range from approximately 0.07% per Centigrade degree to approximately 0.25% per Centigrade degree.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a thermal coefficient of resistance of each piezoresistor is in a range from approximately 0.1% per Centigrade degree to approximately 0.3% per Centigrade degree.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the piezoresistors are aligned in an 111 direction and the pivot axis are orthogonal to that 111 direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the piezoresistors are aligned in an 110 direction and the pivot axis are orthogonal to that 110 direction.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second unbalanced seismic masses are configured to pivot cooperatively in response to a linear acceleration component perpendicular to the first surface of the substrate.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the linear acceleration component in a first direction places the first and third strain gauges in compression and the second and fourth strain gauges in tension, and wherein the linear acceleration component in a second direction places the first and third strain gauges in tension and the second and fourth strain gauges in compression.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second unbalanced seismic masses are configured to pivot in opposition in response to a rotational acceleration of the reference plane, wherein an acceleration response signal is suppressed.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

a metallic connection between the first and second piezoresistors on the first unbalanced seismic mass comprises a first bridge input node,

wherein a metallic connection between the third and fourth piezoresistors on the second unbalanced seismic mass comprises a second bridge input node,

wherein a metallic connection between the second and third piezoresistors on the reference frame comprises a first bridge output node, and wherein

a metallic connection between the first and fourth piezoresistors on the reference frame comprises a second bridge output node.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a first flexible coupling between the first unbalanced seismic mass and the reference frame, the first flexible coupling substantially aligned with the first pivot axis, disposed between the first and second strain gauges and configured to provide a conductive path from the first bridge input node to a first bonding pad on the reference frame;

a second flexible coupling between the second unbalanced seismic mass and the reference frame, the second flexible coupling substantially aligned with the second pivot axis, disposed between the third and fourth strain gauges and configured to provide a conductive path from the second bridge input node to a second bonding pad on the reference frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis lie in a plane separated from a plane that includes the strain gauges, wherein the strain gauges lie about perpendicular to the directions of the pivot axis.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis define a pivot plane, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth strain gauges comprises a pair of piezoresistors on a corresponding pair of strain concentrators, each strain concentrator approximately perpendicular to the pivot plane.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each pair of piezoresistors is connected in series via metallization on a respective unbalanced seismic mass, wherein

a metallic connection between the first and second piezoresistors on the reference frame comprises a first bridge input node, wherein

a metallic connection between the third and fourth piezoresistors on the reference frame comprises a second bridge input node, wherein

a metallic connection between the second and third piezoresistors on the reference frame comprises a first bridge output node, and wherein

a metallic connection between the first and fourth piezoresistors on the reference frame comprises a second bridge output node.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is monolithic.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the substrate is SOI with a handle layer, a gauge layer and an oxide barrier layer between the handle and gauge layers.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the gauge layer is p type silicon with piezoresistors aligned in a high sensitivity direction.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the handle layer is of any orientation of any type.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a base fixture bonded to the reference frame on the second surface of the substrate, the base fixture comprising a cavity configured to provide relief for deflection of the first and second unbalanced seismic masses, the base fixture configured to mechanically couple the substrate to an accelerated body and to thermally and electrically isolate the substrate from the accelerated body.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the base fixture is electrically insulated from an n type body of a single crystal substrate sensor.