Nxp Usa, Inc.

Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Zyvex Labs, LLC

Aaron A Geisberger

Margaret Leslie Kniffin

Jun Tang

Andrew C McNeil

Bruno J Debeurre

Raimondo P Sessego

Tehmoor M Dar

Fengyuan Li

Richard A Deken

Krithivasan Suryanarayanan

Yizhen Lin

Robert F Steimle

Daniel N Koury, Jr

Chad S Dawson

Ruben B Montez

Thierry Cassagnes

Gerhard Trauth

Gary G Li

Dubravka Bilic

Yean Ling Teo

Laurent Cornibert

Peng Shao

Kemiao Jia

Kenneth Tsui

Jeffrey D Hanna

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer comprises a compliant spring structure with a first beam, a second beam, and a rigid structure. One end of the first beam and one end of the second beam are coupled to the rigid structure and a proof mass is coupled to another end of the second beam. Further, a spring anchor is coupled to another end of the first beam. In response to the proof mass moving, an extension coupled to the rigid structure moves in an opposite direction to motion of the proof mass to contact the proof mass and stop the movement of the proof mass.

Accelerometer having an over travel stop with a stop gap less than a minimum etch size

An angular rate sensor includes first, second, third, and fourth proof masses spaced apart from a surface of a substrate, each of the first, second, third, and fourth proof masses being configured to move along first and second transverse axes parallel to the surface of the substrate. A first coupling structure is interposed between and interconnects the first and second proof masses. A second coupling structure is interposed between and interconnects the second and third proof masses. A third coupling structure is interposed between and interconnects the third and fourth proof masses. A fourth coupling structure is interposed between and interconnects the fourth and first proof masses. The first, second, third, and fourth coupling structures are configured to constrain an in-phase motion of adjacent ones of the first, second, third, and fourth proof masses along the first and second transverse axes.

Angular rate sensor with centrally positioned coupling structures

An angular rate sensor includes first and second proof masses spaced apart from a surface of a substrate. One each of first and second drive systems is interconnected with one each of the first and second proof masses. The first and second drive systems enable drive motion of the first and second proof masses along both of first and second axes in an orbital drive direction at a drive frequency, the first axis being perpendicular to the surface of the substrate and the second axis being parallel to the surface of the substrate. The sensor is sensitive to angular velocity about a third axis oriented parallel to the surface of the substrate and perpendicular to the second axis, and the drive frequency of the drive motion of the first and second proof masses changes in response to the angular velocity of the angular rate sensor about the third axis.

Angular rate sensor based on frequency modulation and drive strategy for same

A MEMS device includes first, second, third, and fourth sense masses spaced apart from a surface of a substrate. A first drive coupler interconnects the first sense mass with a first actuator, a second drive coupler interconnects the second sense mass with a second actuator, a third drive coupler interconnects the third sense mass with a third actuator, and a fourth drive coupler interconnects the fourth sense mass with a fourth actuator. Each of the drive couplers includes a torsion bar having a length aligned parallel to an outer sidewall of an adjacent sense mass and first and second coupling links coupled to opposing first and second ends of the torsion bar. The first and second coupling links couple an adjacent one of the first, second, third, and fourth sense masses with a corresponding one of the first, second, third, and fourth actuators.

Angular rate sensor with in-phase drive and sense motion suppression

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device and a method for calibrating a MEMS device. The device includes a first semiconductor substrate including at least one MEMS component. The device also includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) comprising a second semiconductor substrate. The second semiconductor substrate is attached to the first semiconductor substrate. The second semiconductor substrate includes at least one piezoresistive strain gauge. Each piezoresistive strain gauge includes at least one doped semiconductor region having a resistivity that is determined by a strain on said doped semiconductor region. The second semiconductor substrate also includes a circuit for evaluating a trim algorithm for the at least one MEMs component using one or more output values received from the at least one piezoresistive strain gauge.

MEMS device and method for calibrating a MEMS device

A MEMS device includes a substrate, a proof mass capable of moving relative to the substrate, and a motion limit structure. The motion limit structure includes an arm structure flexibly coupled to the proof mass or the substrate. The arm structure has a first contact region and a second contact region. In response to a shock force that causes the proof mass to move, the first contact region contacts a first stop region on the other one of the proof mass and the substrate. Following contact of the first contact region with the first stop region and upon continuation of the shock force, the second contact region contacts a second stop region on the other one of the proof mass and the substrate such that the contact between the second contact and stop regions reduces a contact force between the first contact and stop regions.

MEMS device with two-stage motion limit structure

An integrated device includes a MEMS device, such as a gyroscope, having a movable mass spaced apart from a substrate, the movable mass being configured to oscillate in a drive direction relative to the substrate. The integrated device further comprises an integrated circuit (IC) die having a surface coupled with the MEMS device such that the movable mass is interposed between the substrate and the surface of the IC die. An electrode structure is formed on the surface of the IC die, the electrode structure including a plurality of electrode segments vertically spaced apart from the movable mass. Openings extend through the movable mass and the electrode segments overlie the openings. Suitably selected electrode segments can be activated to electrostatically attract the movable mass toward sense electrodes vertically spaced apart from the MEMS to reduce quadrature motion of the movable mass.

Segmented electrode structure for quadrature reduction in an integrated device

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, such as a single axis accelerometer, includes a movable mass suspended from a substrate. The movable mass has a first portion and a second portion. A first spring system interconnects the first portion of the movable mass with the second portion of the movable mass. A second spring system interconnects the first portion with an anchor system. The first spring system enables movement of the second portion of the movable mass in response to a shock event force imposed on the movable mass in a first direction that is orthogonal to a sense direction, wherein the first spring system inhibits movement of the first portion of the movable mass in the first direction in response to the shock event force. However, the first and second movable masses move together in response to an acceleration force in the sense direction.

MEMS device with off-axis shock protection

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope device includes a substrate having a surface parallel to a plane; first and second proof masses driven to slide back and forth past one another in a first directional axis of the plane, where the first and second proof masses respectively have a first and second recess in a respective side closest to the other proof mass; a pivot structure coupled to the first proof mass within the first recess and to the second proof mass within the second recess; an anchor between the first and second recesses and coupled to a mid-point of the pivot structure; and third and fourth proof masses driven to move toward and away from one another in a second directional axis of the plane that is perpendicular to the first directional axis; where the proof masses move in response to angular velocity in one or more directional axes.

MEMS gyroscope device

A MEMS sensor for measuring rotational motion about a first axis includes a frame, a base structure under the frame, a drive mass mounted in the frame for rotational movement about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and a first drive paddle in the drive mass. A first link includes a first end coupled to a first spring that movably couples the first drive paddle to the drive mass and a second end coupled to a second spring that movably couples the first link to the frame. A drive system includes an electrode aligned to exert electromotive force to pivot the first drive paddle and move the drive mass about the second axis. Deflection of the drive mass is greater than deflection of the first drive paddle when the drive system is operating.

Angular rate sensor

A sensor system includes a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor, processing circuitry, measurement circuitry, stimulus circuitry and memory. The system is configured to provide an output responsive to physical displacement within the MEMS sensor to the measurement circuitry. The stimulus circuitry is configured to provide a stimulus signal to the MEMS sensor to cause a physical displacement within the MEMS sensor. The measurement circuitry is configured to process the output from the MEMS sensor and provide it to the processing circuitry, which is configured to generate stimulus signals and provide them to the stimulus circuitry for provision to the MEMS sensor. Output from the measurement circuitry corresponding to the physical displacement occurring in the MEMS sensor is monitored and used to calculate MEMS sensor characteristics. Methods for monitoring and calibrating MEMS sensors are also provided.

Compensation and calibration for MEMS devices

A differential capacitive output pressure sensor device includes a pressure sensor diaphragm layer comprising a pressure sensing diaphragm portion, a movable electrode on the pressure sensing diaphragm portion, a fixed electrode, and a device layer electrode. The pressure sensor device further includes a device layer including a fixed element connected to the device layer electrode and a movable element connected to the movable electrode. As the pressure changes, the pressure sensing diaphragm portion including the movable electrode and the movable element move. This changes the capacitance between the movable electrode and the fixed element inversely to the change in capacitance between the fixed electrode and the moveable element. Accordingly, a differential capacitive output is provided that has improved linearity with respect to the pressure change and increased sensitivity allowing the change in pressure to be measured readily and accurately.

Differential capacitive output pressure sensor and method

An embodiment of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device is provided, which includes a substrate; a proof mass positioned in space above a surface of the substrate, wherein the proof mass is configured to pivot on a rotational axis parallel to the substrate; an anchor structure that includes two or more separated anchors mounted to the surface of the substrate, wherein the anchor structure is aligned with the rotational axis; and an isolation sub-frame structure that surrounds the anchor structure and is flexibly connected to each of the two or more separated anchors of the anchor structure, where the proof mass is flexibly connected to the isolation sub-frame structure.

MEMS device with isolation sub-frame structure

An inertial sensor includes first and second movable elements suspended from a substrate and interconnected by a beam. The second movable element is positioned laterally adjacent to the first movable element, and each of the movable elements has a mass that is asymmetric relative to a rotational axis. A first spring system couples the first movable element to the substrate and a second spring system couples the second movable element to the substrate. The spring systems and the beam enable the movable elements to move together in response to force imposed upon the movable elements. In particular, the first and second movable elements can undergo in-plane torsion motion in response to force, such as acceleration, imposed in a sense direction. Additionally, damping structures may be integrated into the first and second movable elements to effectively increase a damping ratio of the device resulting from the in-plane torsion motion.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Aaron A Geisberger