Micromechanical resonating devices and related methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A micromechanical device comprising:
- a mechanical resonating structure;
an actuation structure constructed and arranged to actuate the resonating structure; and
a detection structure constructed and arranged to detect motion of the resonating structure,wherein an actuation gap is defined between a first portion of the resonating structure and a portion of the actuation structure, and a detection gap is defined between a second portion of the resonating structure and a portion of the detection structure,wherein at least one of the actuation structure and the detection structure is constructed and arranged to move relative to the resonating structure to respectively tune the actuation gap and/or the detection gap.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Micromechanical resonating devices, as well as related methods, are described herein. The resonating devices can include a micromechanical resonating structure, an actuation structure that actuates the resonating structure, and a detection structure that detects motion of the resonating structure.
-
Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A micromechanical device comprising:
-
a mechanical resonating structure; an actuation structure constructed and arranged to actuate the resonating structure; and a detection structure constructed and arranged to detect motion of the resonating structure, wherein an actuation gap is defined between a first portion of the resonating structure and a portion of the actuation structure, and a detection gap is defined between a second portion of the resonating structure and a portion of the detection structure, wherein at least one of the actuation structure and the detection structure is constructed and arranged to move relative to the resonating structure to respectively tune the actuation gap and/or the detection gap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A micromechanical device comprising:
-
a mechanical resonating structure including a suspended resonating portion defined between a first end and a second end; an actuation structure constructed and arranged to actuate the resonating structure, the actuation structure including a suspended actuation portion defined between a third end and a fourth end; and a detection structure constructed and arranged to detect motion of the resonating structure, the detection structure including a suspended detection portion defined between a fifth and a sixth end. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A micromechanical device comprising:
-
a capacitive structure comprising a suspended first portion and a suspended second portion separated from the first portion by a distance, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion is designed to actuate in response to an applied bias to change the distance; and a mechanical resonating structure located, at least in part, between the first portion and the second portion.
-
-
24. A timing oscillator comprising:
-
a mechanical resonating structure including a major element and a minor element coupled to the major element; a drive circuit designed to provide an input signal to the mechanical resonating structure; a compensation circuit coupled to the mechanical resonating structure; an actuation structure constructed and arranged to actuate the mechanical resonating structure; and a detection structure constructed and arranged to detect motion of the mechanical resonating structure, wherein an actuation gap is defined between a portion of the mechanical resonating structure and a portion of the actuation structure, and a detection gap is defined between a portion of the mechanical resonating structure and a portion of the detection structure, wherein at least one of the actuation structure and the detection structure is constructed and arranged to move relative to the mechanical resonating structure to respectively tune the actuation gap and/or the detection gap. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A method of operating a micromechanical device comprising:
-
providing a micromechanical device including; a mechanical resonating structure; an actuation structure constructed and arranged to actuate the resonating structure; and a detection structure constructed and arranged to detect motion of the resonating structure, wherein an actuation gap is defined between a portion of the resonating structure and a portion of the actuation structure, and a detection gap is defined between a portion of the resonating structure and a portion of the detection structure; moving the actuation structure and/or the detection structure relative to the resonating structure to respectively tune the actuation gap and/or detection gap; and actuating the resonating structure. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
-
Specification