High sensitivity microelectromechanical sensor with driving motion
First Claim
1. An integrated microelectromechanical structure, comprising:
- a driving mass designed to be moved with a rotary motion about an axis of rotation configured to move in a plane with a driving motion;
ana central anchorage arranged along saida central axis of rotationthe structure;
elastic anchorage elements anchoring elastically coupling said driving mass to said central anchorage;
a first opening provided within said driving mass;
a first sensing mass arranged inside said first opening; and
first and second elastic supporting elements connectingcoupling the first sensing mass to said driving mass such that the first sensing mass performsis configured to perform a detection movement out of the plane and along a rotation axis in the presence of a first external stressresponse to the structure being rotated, said first and second elastic supporting elements and said elastic anchorage elements being so configured so that said first sensing mass is fixed to said driving mass in said rotary driving motion, and is substantially decoupled from said driving mass in said detection movement;
wherein at least one of said first and second elastic supporting elements define a defines said rotation axis for said first sensing mass during said detection movement; and
wherein said first sensing mass has a first edge proximate said rotation axis and a second edge proximate a portion of said driving mass farthest from said rotation axis, said first sensing mass having a shape so configured to have that a centroid that of said first sensing mass is positioned at a distance farther away from said rotation axis than a centroid of any rectangular-shaped sensing mass inscribable in said driving mass and rotatable about said rotation axis said first edge than said second edge.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A driving mass of an integrated microelectromechanical structure is moved with a rotary motion about an axis of rotation, and a sensing mass is connected to the driving mass via elastic supporting elements so as to perform a detection movement in the presence of an external stress. The driving mass is anchored to an anchorage arranged along the axis of rotation by elastic anchorage elements. An opening is provided within the driving mass and the sensing mass is arranged within the opening. The elastic supporting and anchorage elements render the sensing mass fixed to the driving mass in the rotary motion, and substantially decoupled from the driving mass in the detection movement. The detection movement is a rotation about an axis lying in a plane. The sensing mass has, in plan view, a non-rectangular shape; in particular, the sensing mass has a radial geometry and, in plan view, the overall shape of a radial annulus sector.
72 Citations
34 Claims
-
1. An integrated microelectromechanical structure, comprising:
-
a driving mass designed to be moved with a rotary motion about an axis of rotation configured to move in a plane with a driving motion; ana central anchorage arranged along saida central axis of rotationthe structure; elastic anchorage elements anchoring elastically coupling said driving mass to said central anchorage; a first opening provided within said driving mass; a first sensing mass arranged inside said first opening; and first and second elastic supporting elements connectingcoupling the first sensing mass to said driving mass such that the first sensing mass performsis configured to perform a detection movement out of the plane and along a rotation axis in the presence of a first external stressresponse to the structure being rotated, said first and second elastic supporting elements and said elastic anchorage elements being so configured so that said first sensing mass is fixed to said driving mass in said rotary driving motion, and is substantially decoupled from said driving mass in said detection movement; wherein at least one of said first and second elastic supporting elements define a defines said rotation axis for said first sensing mass during said detection movement; and wherein said first sensing mass has a first edge proximate said rotation axis and a second edge proximate a portion of said driving mass farthest from said rotation axis, said first sensing mass having a shape so configured to have that a centroid that of said first sensing mass is positioned at a distance farther away from said rotation axis than a centroid of any rectangular-shaped sensing mass inscribable in said driving mass and rotatable about said rotation axis said first edge than said second edge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A microelectromechanical sensor device, comprising:
-
a driving mass designed to be moved with a rotary motion about an axis of rotation; an anchorage arranged along said axis of rotation; elastic anchorage elements anchoring said driving mass to said anchorage; a first opening provided within said driving mass; a first sensing mass arranged inside said first opening and having side surfaces enclosed by said driving mass;
andelastic supporting elements connecting the first sensing mass to said driving mass such that the first sensing mass performs a detection movement in the presence of a first external stress, said elastic supporting elements and said elastic anchorage elements being so configured that said first sensing mass is fixed to said driving mass in said rotary motion, and is substantially decoupled from said driving mass in said detection movement;
anda read stage configured to switch a mode of operation of said microelectromechanical structure between a gyroscope mode and an accelerometer mode, wherein said first sensing mass has, in plan view, a non-rectangular shape. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 23)
-
-
22. A microelectromechanical gyroscope comprising:
-
an anchorage; elastic anchorage elements; a driving mass operable to move in a rotary motion about an axis of rotation, the driving mass being anchored via the elastic anchorage elements to the anchorage, the anchorage being arranged along the axis of rotation and the driving mass substantially extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation; a first opening disposed within the driving mass; elastic supporting elements; a first sensing mass disposed within the first opening and coupled to the driving mass via the elastic supporting elements to allow for a detection movement in response to an external stress, the elastic supporting elements and the elastic anchorage elements being configured to fix the first sensing mass to the driving mass, and wherein the elastic anchorage elements are substantially decoupled from the driving mass during the first detection movement, and the first detection movement is a rotational movement about a rotation axis lying in the plane; wherein said first sensing mass has a radial geometry and, in plan view, the overall shape of a radial annulus sector.
-
-
24. A device, comprising:
-
a substrate; a driving mass configured to move in a plane above the substrate; elastic elements; and a non-rectangular first sensing mass coupled to the driving mass by the elastic elements, the first sensing mass configured to be driven by the driving mass in the plane and configured to move out of the plane in response to a rotation of the device about a first rotation axis, the first sensing mass having a shape that places a centroid of the first sensing mass a first distance from an outer edge of the sensing mass and a second distance from an inner edge of the first sensing mass, the second distance being greater than the first distance; and a non-rectangular second sensing mass coupled to the driving mass, the second sensing mass configured to move with the driving mass in the plane and configured to move out of the plane in response to a rotation of the device about a second rotation axis that is perpendicular to the first rotation axis. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
-
-
27. A device, comprising:
-
a substrate; a driving mass configured to move in a plane above the substrate; elastic elements; and non-rectangular first, second, third, and fourth sensing masses coupled to the driving mass by the elastic elements, the first, second, third and fourth sensing masses configured to be driven by the driving mass in the plane and configured to move out of the plane in response to a rotation of the device about one or more rotation axes, the first, second, third and fourth sensing masses having shapes that places a centroid of the sensing masses a first distance from an outer edge of the respective sensing mass and a second distance from an inner edge of the respective sensing mass, the second distance being greater than the first distance.
-
-
28. A device, comprising:
-
an anchor; a driving assembly having a first set of driving electrodes on a first side of the driving assembly and a second set of driving electrode on a second side of the driving assembly, the anchor being between the first and second set of driving electrodes; and four non-rectangular sensing masses positioned around the anchor and between the first set of driving electrodes and the second set of driving electrodes, each of the sensing masses configured to be driven by the driving assembly in a plane and configured to move out of the plane in response to a rotation of the device, an inner edge of each sensing mass being smaller than an outer edge of the same sensing mass, the inner edge being proximate to the anchor and the outer edge being proximate to one of the first or second set of driving electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
Specification