Acceleration sensor having a reduced bias and manufacturing method for an acceleration sensor

• US 9,983,226 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Litef Gmbh (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Litef Gmbh (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Leinfelder, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): West, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shabman, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US15/541,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20170343579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 7351432
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/131 with electrostatic counterbalancing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0814 for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups

Abstract

The invention relates to an acceleration sensor (400) comprising an excitation mass (420) having excitation electrodes (430), which excitation mass is movably mounted over a substrate (410) along a movement axis (x) and comprising detection electrodes (440) which are permanently connected to the substrate (410) and allocated to the excitation electrodes (430). A first group of pairings (450) of excitation electrode (430) and allocated detection electrodes (440) is suitable for deflecting the excitation mass (420) along the movement axis (x) in a first direction (460). A second group of pairings (450) of excitation electrodes (430) and allocated detection electrodes (440) is suitable for deflecting the excitation mass (420) along the movement axis (x) in a second direction (465), which is opposite the first direction (460). The number of pairings (450) in the first group is equal to the number of pairings (450) in the second group. The averaged distance between excitation electrodes (430) and detection electrodes (440) of the pairings (450) of the first group corresponds to the averaged distance between excitation electrodes (430) and detection electrodes (440) of the pairings (450) of the second group.

Claims

1. An acceleration sensor comprising:

an excitation mass having excitation electrodes, which excitation mass is mounted moveably along a movement axis above a substrate;

detection electrodes that are fixedly connected to the substrate and that correspond to the excitation electrodes;

wherein

a first group of pairings of excitation electrodes and corresponding detection electrodes is configured to deflect the excitation mass along the movement axis in a first direction;

a second group of pairings of excitation electrodes and corresponding detection electrodes is configured to deflect the excitation mass along the movement axis in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction;

the number of pairings in the first group is equal to the number of parings in the second group;

the excitation electrodes and the detection electrodes of the first group of pairings and of the second group of pairings are arranged such that the averaged distance between excitation electrodes and detection electrodes of pairings of the first group corresponds to the averaged distance between excitation electrodes and detection electrodes of pairings of the second group;

the first group comprises at least two subgroups of pairings;

the second group comprises at least two subgroups of pairings

in the subgroups excitation electrodes and detection electrodes are arranged alternatingly;

a virtual first connecting line between centers of the two subgroups of the first group crosses a virtual second connection line between centers of the two subgroups of the second group.

2. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein

at a first side of the excitation mass that is parallel to the movement axis there are consecutively arranged along the first direction at least two excitation electrodes of the first group and at least two excitation electrodes of the second group;

at a second side of the excitation mass that is parallel to the movement axis there are consecutively arranged along the first direction at least two excitation electrodes of the second group and at least two excitation electrodes of the first group; and

wherein

the two excitation electrodes of the first group arranged at the first side of the excitation mass are opposite to the two excitation electrodes of the second group arranged at the second side of the excitation mass.

3. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the excitation electrodes and the detection electrodes comprise comb electrodes having electrode fingers extending along the movement axis;

the electrode fingers of the excitation electrodes of the first group extend along the first direction;

the electrode fingers of the detection electrodes of the first group extend along the second direction;

the electrode fingers of the excitation electrodes of the second group extend along the second direction;

the electrode fingers of the detection electrodes of the second group extend along the first direction; and

wherein

the distance between excitation electrodes and detection electrodes is defined by the distance between the electrode fingers of the corresponding excitation electrodes and detection electrodes.

4. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the pairings of excitation electrodes and detection electrodes form plate capacitors.

5. The acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration sensor is a micro-electro-mechanical structure.

6. A method for manufacturing an acceleration sensor comprising the steps:

forming of an excitation mass having excitation electrodes, which excitation mass is mounted moveably along a movement axis above a substrate;

forming of detection electrodes that are fixedly connected with the substrate and that correspond to the excitation electrodes;

wherein

the steps comprise;

forming of a first group of pairings of excitation electrodes and corresponding detection electrodes that is configured to deflect the excitation mass along the movement axis in a first direction;

forming of a second group of pairings of excitation electrodes and corresponding detection electrodes that is configured to deflect the excitation mass along the movement axis in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, wherein

the number of pairings in the first group is equal to the number of parings in the second group; and

the excitation electrodes and the detection electrodes of the first group of pairings and of the second group of pairings are formed such that the averaged distance between excitation electrodes and detection electrodes of pairings of the first group such that it corresponds to the averaged distance between excitation electrodes and detection electrodes of the pairings of the second group;

the first group comprises at least two subgroups of pairings;

the second group comprises at least two subgroups of pairings;

in the subgroups, excitation electrodes and detection electrodes are arranged alternatingly;

a virtual first connecting line between centers of the two subgroups of the first group crosses a virtual second connection line between centers of the two subgroups of the second group.