Physical quantity sensor and electronic apparatus

• US 9,377,484 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2013
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kamisuki, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US13/859,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20130269434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 735/143.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• 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

Abstract

A physical quantity sensor includes: a first substrate including a first fixed electrode portion disposed on a first base surface and a first through-hole penetrating the front and rear of the substrate; a second substrate including a second fixed electrode portion disposed on a second base surface and a second through-hole penetrating the front and rear of the substrate, the second base surface being arranged to face the first base surface; and a movable body arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate with gaps and including a movable electrode portion facing the first fixed electrode portion and the second fixed electrode portion. In the first through-hole, a first through-electrode electrically connected with the first fixed electrode portion is disposed. In the second through-hole, a second through-electrode electrically connected with the second fixed electrode portion is disposed.

Claims

1. A physical quantity sensor comprising:

a first substrate including first and second fixed electrodes disposed on a first base surface of the first substrate, and first and second through-holes provided in the first substrate;

a second substrate including third and fourth fixed electrodes disposed on a second base surface of the second substrate, and third and fourth through-holes provided in the second substrate, the second base surface being arranged to face the first base surface;

a movable body arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, the movable body being configured with first and second movable pieces, the first and second movable pieces respectively being provided with first and second movable electrodes, a first mass of the first movable piece being larger than a second mass of the second movable piece; and

first through fourth through-electrodes being respectively provided in the first through fourth through-holes, the first through fourth through-electrodes being respectively electrically connected to the first through fourth fixed electrodes, wherein

the first and third through-holes overlap with each other in a plan view, and the second and fourth through-holes overlap with each other in the plan view.

2. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

an electrical characteristic of a wiring from the first fixed electrode to the first through-electrode is the same as an electrical characteristic of a wiring from the third fixed electrode to the third through-electrode.

3. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the first through-hole is arranged so as to overlap with at least a portion of the first fixed electrode in the plan view, and

the second through-hole is arranged so as to overlap with at least a portion of the second fixed electrode in the plan view.

4. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the first substrate has a first outer surface opposite to the first base surface,

the second substrate has a second outer surface opposite to the second base surface,

a first wiring connected to the first through-electrode is disposed on the first outer surface,

a second wiring connected to the third through-electrode is disposed on the second outer surface, and

the first wiring has the same electrical characteristic as that of the second wiring.

5. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 4, wherein

the first wiring extends from over the first outer surface of the first substrate to over a side surface of the first substrate, and

the second wiring extends from over the second outer surface of the second substrate to over a side surface of the second substrate.

6. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

a first protruding portion is disposed on the first base surface of the first substrate,

a second protruding portion is disposed on the second base surface of the second substrate, and

the movable body is held between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion.

7. An electronic apparatus comprising:

the physical quantity sensor according to claim 1; and

a display that displays an image.

8. The physical quantity sensor according to claim 1, wherein

a first gap between the first fixed electrode and the first movable piece corresponds to a first variable capacitance value that changes by changing the first gap,

a second gap between the second fixed electrode and the second movable piece corresponds to a second variable capacitance value that changes by changing the second gap,

a third gap between the third fixed electrode and the first movable piece corresponds to a third variable capacitance value that changes by changing the third gap,

a fourth gap between the fourth fixed electrode and the second movable piece corresponds to a fourth variable capacitance value that changes by changing the fourth gap, and

the physical quantity sensor detects magnitude and a direction of acceleration based on the first through fourth variable capacitance values.