Analog Devices,inc.

Jinbo Kuang

John Albert Geen

William Albert Clark

Kemiao Jia

Xin Zhang

Jeffrey A Gregory

Gaurav Vohra

Igor P Prikhodko

Tyler Adam Dunn

Eugene Oh Hwang

Charles Blackmer

Laura Cornelia Popa

Erdinc Tatar

John R Martin

Thomas Kieran Nunan

Thomas Chen

Jianglong Zhang

Vineet Kumar

Columnar multi-axis microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices (such as gyroscopes) balanced against undesired linear and angular vibration are described herein. In some embodiments, the columnar MEMS device may comprise at least two multiple-mass columns, each having at least three proof masses and being configured to sense rotation about a respective axis. The motion and mass of the proof masses may be controlled to achieve linear and rotational balancing of the MEMS device. The columnar MEMS device may further comprise one or more modular drive structures disposed alongside each multiple-mass column to facilitate displacement of the proof masses of a respective column. The MEMS devices described herein may be used to sense roll, yaw, and pitch angular rates.

3-axis gyroscope with rotational vibration rejection

Capped microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices are described. In at least some situations, the MEMS device includes one or more masses which move. The cap may include a stopper which damps motion of the one or more movable masses. In at least some situations, the stopper damps motion of one of the masses but not another mass.

Vertical stopper for capping MEMS devices

A two-axis microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope having four proof masses disposed in respective quadrants of a plane is described. The quad proof mass gyroscope may comprise an inner coupler passing between a first and a third proof mass and between a second and a fourth proof mass, and coupling the four proof masses with one another. The quad proof mass gyroscope may further comprising a first outer coupler coupling the first and the second proof masses and a second outer coupler coupling the third and the fourth proof masses. The outer couplers may have masses configured to balance the center of masses of the four proof masses, and may have elastic constants matching the elastic constant of the inner coupler. The quad gyroscope may further comprise a plurality of sense capacitors configured to sense angular rates.

Quad proof mass MEMS gyroscope with outer couplers and related methods

An inertial sensor includes driving piezoelectric transducers for enabling an oscillation of a resonator, sensing piezoelectric transducers for enabling a detection of a movement of the inertial sensor, and piezoelectric compensating elements substantially equidistantly among the driving and the sensing piezoelectric transducers, wherein the compensating elements and the resonator form corresponding capacitors having capacitive gaps, and wherein, during the oscillation of the resonator, changes in electrostatic charges stored in the capacitors are measured with the compensating elements and are modified so as to modify the oscillation of the resonator.

Piezoelectric transducers

Inertial sensors using piezoelectric transducers

Piezoelectric transducers and inertial sensors using piezoelectric transducers

A method of producing a MEMS device provides a MEMS apparatus having released structure. The MEMS apparatus is formed at least in part from an SOI wafer having a first layer, a second layer spaced from the first layer, and an insulator layer between the first layer and second layer. The first layer has a top surface, while the second layer has a bottom surface facing the top surface. After providing the MEMS apparatus, the method increases the roughness of at least the top surface of the first layer or the bottom surface of the second layer.

MEMS device with roughened surface and method of producing the same

Inertial sensors with reduced sensitivity to quadrature errors and micromachining inaccuracies include a gyroscope incorporating two specially-configured single-axis gyroscopes for sensing rotations about two orthogonal axes (the axes of sensitivity) in the device plane, where each single-axis gyroscope includes a resonator having two rotationally-dithered shuttles interconnected by a fork and each shuttle is configured to tilt out-of-plane along a tilt axis perpendicular to the axis of sensitivity and includes corresponding Coriolis sensing electrodes positioned along an axis perpendicular to the tilt axis (i.e., parallel to the axis of sensitivity). The two single-axis gyroscopes may be interconnected, e.g., by one or more in-phase or anti-phase couplings interconnecting the forks and/or the shuttles.

Inertial sensors with reduced sensitivity to quadrature errors and micromachining inaccuracies

In a micromachined devices having a movable shuttle driven in oscillation, measuring the electrical charge accumulated on opposing drive capacitors to determine the displacement of the movable shuttle. Alternately, in such a micromachined device, measuring the electrical charge accumulated on a drive capacitor and comparing the measured electrical charge to a nominal electrical charge to determine the displacement of the movable shuttle.

Method and apparatus for a micromachined multisensor

An inertial sensor includes a cross-quad configuration of four interconnected sensor elements. Each sensor element has a frame and a resonator suspended within the frame. The sensor elements are arranged so that the frames of adjacent sensor elements are allowed to move in anti-phase to one another but are substantially prevented from moving in phase with one another. The sensor elements may be configured in a horizontally coupled arrangement, a vertically coupled arrangement, or a fully coupled arrangement. A pair of sensor elements may be vertically coupled.

Cross-quad and vertically coupled inertial sensors

A coupling apparatus allows anti-phase movements of inertial sensor element frames along parallel axes but substantially prevents in-phase movements of the frames. The coupling apparatus includes a bar coupled between first and second sensor element frames and at least one supporting structure supporting the bar. The at least one structure is coupled to a substrate underlying the frames. The structures allow the bar to rotate at a pivot point when the frames move in anti-phase to one another along substantially parallel axes but substantially prevent in-phase movements of the frames.

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Acton, MA, United States of America

Jinbo Kuang