Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Nokia Corporation

Guido Spinola Durante

Sarah Zerbini

Angelo Merassi

Simone Sassolini

Biagio De Masi

Marco Ferrera

Mauro Marchi

Alessandro Balzelli Ludovico

Simone Gardella

Andrea Rusconi Clerici

A driving mass of an integrated microelectromechanical structure is moved with a rotary motion about an axis of rotation, and a first sensing mass is connected to the driving mass via elastic supporting elements so as to perform a first detection movement in a presence of a first 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 first sensing mass is arranged within the opening. The elastic supporting and anchorage elements render the first sensing mass fixed to the driving mass in the rotary motion, and substantially decoupled from the driving mass in the first detection movement. A second sensing mass is connected to the driving mass so as to perform a second detection movement in a presence of a second external stress. A first movement is a rotation about an axis lying in a plane, and a second movement is a linear movement along an axis of the plane.

Microelectromechanical integrated sensor structure with rotary driving motion

A process for the fabrication of an inertial sensor with failure threshold includes the step of forming, on top of a substrate of a semiconductor wafer, a sample element embedded in a sacrificial region, the sample element configured to break under a preselected strain. The process further includes forming, on top of the sacrificial region, a body connected to the sample element and etching the sacrificial region so as to free the body and the sample element. The process may also include forming, on the substrate, additional sample elements connected to the body.

Process for the fabrication of an inertial sensor with failure threshold

Micro-electro-mechanical structure formed by a substrate of semiconductor material and a suspended mass extending above the substrate and separated therefrom by an air gap. An insulating region of a first electrically insulating material extends through the suspended mass and divides it into at least one first electrically insulated suspended region and one second electrically insulated suspended region. A plug element of a second electrically insulating material different from the first electrically insulating material is formed underneath the insulating region and constitutes a barrier between the insulating region and the air gap for preventing removal of the insulating region during fabrication, when an etching agent is used for removing a sacrificial layer and forming the air gap.

Micro-electro-mechanical structure having electrically insulated regions and manufacturing process thereof

An Integrated gyroscope includes a suspended mass; mobile actuation electrodes extending from the suspended mass; and a sensing mass connected to the actuation mass through coupling springs. The suspended mass is formed by an external part and an internal part, electrically separated by an electrical-insulation region having a closed annular shape. The electrical-insulation region is laterally completely surrounded by the external part and by the internal part. In one embodiment, the suspended mass has the shape of a closed frame delimiting an opening, the sensing mass is formed inside the opening and is connected to the internal part, and the mobile actuation electrodes are connected to the external part.

Micro-electro-mechanical gyroscope having electrically insulated regions

An integrated gyroscope, including an acceleration sensor formed by: a driving assembly; a sensitive mass extending in at least one first and second directions and being moved by the driving assembly in the first direction; and by a capacitive sensing electrode, facing the sensitive mass. The acceleration sensor has an rotation axis parallel to the second direction, and the sensitive mass is sensitive to forces acting in a third direction perpendicular to the other directions. The capacitive sensing electrode is formed by a conductive material region extending underneath the sensitive mass and spaced therefrom by an air gap.

Integrated gyroscope of semiconductor material with at least one sensitive axis in the sensor plane

An inertial sensor with failure threshold includes a first body and a second body, which can move relative to one another and are constrained by a plurality of elastic elements, and a sample element connected between the first body and the second body and shaped so as to be subjected to a stress when the second body is outside of a relative resting position with respect to the first body. The sample element has at least one weakened region. The sensor may also include additional sample elements connected between the first and second bodies.

Sensor with failure threshold

The gyroscope is formed by a driving system including a driving mass having an open concave shape; an accelerometer including a sensing mass and comprising mobile sensing electrodes; a linkage connecting the driving mass to the sensing mass. The sensing mass is surrounded on three sides by the driving mass and has a peripheral portion not facing the sensing mass. The mobile sensing electrodes extend integral with the sensing mass from the peripheral portion not facing the driving mass and are interleaved with fixed sensing electrodes. Thereby, there are no passing electrical connections extending below the sensing mass. Moreover the linkage includes springs placed equidistant from the center of gravity of the accelerometer, and the gyroscope is anchored to the substrate with anchoring springs placed equidistant from the center of gravity of the assembly formed by the driving system and by the accelerometer.

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Gavirate, Italy

Guido Spinola Durante