Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Attilio Frangi

Gabriele Gattere

Francesco Procopio

Valentina Zega

Biagio De Masi

Manuel Riani

Andrea Opreni

Barbara Simoni

Leonardo Baldasarre

MEMS actuator including: a substrate; a first and a second semiconductive layer; a frame including transverse regions formed by the second semiconductive layer, elongated parallel to a first direction and offset along a second direction, the frame being movable parallel to the second direction. The MEMS actuator includes, for each transverse region: corresponding front rotor regions, which are fixed to the transverse region and are suspended above the substrate; a first and a second stator region, which are formed by the first semiconductive layer in such a way that, when the frame is in rest position, the transverse region is laterally offset with respect to the first and the second stator regions and a first front rotor region partially faces the first stator region, and in such a way that, during a translation of the frame along the second direction, the first and/or a second front rotor region at least partially face the second stator region, when the transverse region begins to superimpose on the first stator region.

Long stroke MEMS actuator resilient to the pull-in and electronic system including the same

The present disclosure is directed to a detection structure for a vertical-axis resonant accelerometer. The detection structure includes an inertial mass suspended above a substrate and having a window provided therewithin and traversing it throughout a thickness thereof. The inertial mass is coupled to a main anchorage, arranged in the window and integral with the substrate, through a first and a second anchoring elastic element of a torsional type. The detection structure also includes at least a first resonant element having longitudinal extension, coupled between the first elastic element and a first constraint element arranged in the window. The first constraint element is suspended above the substrate, to which it is fixedly coupled through a first auxiliary anchoring element which extends below the first resonant element with longitudinal extension and is integrally coupled between the first constraint element and the main anchorage.

Z-axis resonant accelerometer with improved-performance detection structure

A piezoelectric transducer includes an anchorage and a beam of semiconductor material extending in cantilever fashion from the anchorage in a main direction parallel to a first axis and having a face parallel to a first plane defined by the first axis and by a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. A piezoelectric layer is on the face of the beam. A cross-section of the beam is perpendicular to the first axis and is asymmetrical and shaped so the beam deformations out of the first plane in response to forces applied to the anchorage and oriented parallel to the first axis.

Cantilever piezoelectric transducer

A piezoelectric transducer includes: an anchorage; a beam of semiconductor material, extending in cantilever fashion from the anchorage in a main direction parallel to a first axis and having a face parallel to a first plane defined by the first axis and by a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and a piezoelectric layer on the face of the beam. A cross-section of the beam perpendicular to the first axis is asymmetrical and is shaped so that the beam presents deformations out of the first plane in response to forces applied to the anchorage and oriented according to the first axis.

A shock sensor includes: a supporting body; a bistable mechanism, configured to switch from a first stable mechanical configuration to a second stable mechanical configuration in response to an impact force applied along a detection axis and such as to supply to the bistable mechanism an amount of energy higher than a transition energy; and a detection device, coupled to the bistable mechanism and having a first state, when the bistable mechanism is in an initial stable mechanical configuration and a second state, after the bistable mechanism has made a transition from the initial stable mechanical configuration to a final stable mechanical configuration. The bistable mechanism includes at least one elastic element, constrained to the supporting body in at least two opposite peripheral regions and defining a first concavity in the first stable mechanical configuration and a second concavity, opposite to the first concavity, in the second stable mechanical configuration.

Shock sensor with bistable mechanism and method of shock detection

A micromechanical structure for a MEMS structure is provided with: a substrate; a single inertial mass having a main extension in a plane and arranged suspended above the substrate; and a frame element, elastically coupled to the inertial mass by coupling elastic elements and to anchorages, which are fixed with respect to the substrate by anchorage elastic elements. The coupling elastic elements and the anchorage elastic elements are configured so as to enable a first inertial movement of the inertial mass in response to a first external acceleration acting in a direction lying in the plane and also a second inertial movement of the inertial mass in response to a second external acceleration acting in a direction transverse to the plane.

Growing community of inventors

Milan, Italy

Attilio Frangi