MEMS device with central anchor for stress isolation
First Claim
1. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device comprising:
- a substrate;
a first structure including a body and fixed fingers extending outwardly from an outer periphery of said body, wherein a central area of said body is coupled to said substrate and a remainder of said first structure is suspended over said substrate;
a frame structure surrounding said first structure and suspended over said substrate, said frame structure being movably coupled to said first structure, said frame structure including a movable finger extending inwardly from an inner periphery of said frame structure, said movable finger being disposed between a pair of said fixed fingers;
an anchor element extending through said body of said first structure and coupled to said substrate; and
a signal trace electrically connecting said frame structure to said anchor element, and said frame structure, said signal trace, and said anchor element being electrically isolated from said first structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A MEMS device (20) includes a proof mass (32) coupled to and surrounding an immovable structure (30). The immovable structure (30) includes fixed fingers (36, 38) extending outwardly from a body (34) of the structure (30). The proof mass (32) includes movable fingers (60), each of which is disposed between a pair (62) of the fixed fingers (36, 38). A central area (42) of the body (34) is coupled to an underlying substrate (24), with the remainder of the immovable structure (30) and the proof mass (32) being suspended above the substrate (24) to largely isolate the MEMS device (20) from package stress, Additionally, the MEMS device (20) includes isolation trenches (80) and interconnects (46, 50, 64) so that the fixed fingers (36), the fixed fingers (38), and the movable fingers (60) are electrically isolated from one another to yield a differential device configuration.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device comprising:
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a substrate; a first structure including a body and fixed fingers extending outwardly from an outer periphery of said body, wherein a central area of said body is coupled to said substrate and a remainder of said first structure is suspended over said substrate; a frame structure surrounding said first structure and suspended over said substrate, said frame structure being movably coupled to said first structure, said frame structure including a movable finger extending inwardly from an inner periphery of said frame structure, said movable finger being disposed between a pair of said fixed fingers; an anchor element extending through said body of said first structure and coupled to said substrate; and a signal trace electrically connecting said frame structure to said anchor element, and said frame structure, said signal trace, and said anchor element being electrically isolated from said first structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device comprising:
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a substrate; a first structure including a body and fixed fingers extending outwardly from an outer periphery of said body, wherein a central area of said body is coupled to said substrate and a remainder of said first structure is suspended over said substrate; a frame structure surrounding said first structure and suspended over said substrate, said frame structure being movably coupled to said first structure, said frame structure including a movable finger extending inwardly from an inner periphery of said frame structure, said movable finger being disposed between a pair of said fixed fingers; a plurality of isolation trenches extending through said first structure, wherein at least one of said isolation trenches electrically isolates a first fixed finger of said pair from a second fixed finger of said pair of fixed fingers, and at least another of said isolation trenches electrically isolates said frame structure from said first structure; an anchor element extending through said body of said first structure and coupled to said substrate; and a signal trace electrically connecting said frame structure to said anchor element, and said frame structure, said signal trace, and said anchor element being electrically isolated from said first structure. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device comprising:
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a substrate; a first structure including a body and fixed fingers extending outwardly from an outer periphery of said body, wherein a central area of said body is coupled to said substrate and a remainder of said first structure is suspended over said substrate, and said first structure further includes an aperture extending through said body; a frame structure surrounding said first structure and suspended over said substrate, said frame structure being movably coupled to said first structure, said frame structure including a movable finger extending inwardly from an inner periphery of said frame structure, said movable finger being disposed between a pair of said fixed fingers; an anchor element residing within said aperture and extending through said body to couple to said substrate, said anchor element being sized such that a gap region is formed between outer side surfaces of said anchor element and inner side surfaces of said body; and a signal trace electrically connecting said frame structure to said anchor element, said signal trace including; a trace structure having an insulating layer and a conductive layer; a first via at a first end of said trace structure, said first via electrically coupling said frame structure with said conductive layer; and a second via at a second end of said trace structure, said second via electrically coupling said anchor element with said conductive layer, and said insulating layer being interposed between said first structure and said conductive layer such that frame structure, said signal trace, and said anchor element are electrically isolated from said first structure. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification