Invensense, Inc.

Joseph Seeger

Matthew Julian Thompson

Ozan Anac

Steven Saeed Nasiri

Martin Lim

Jongwoo Shin

Houri Johari-Galle

Baris Cagdaser

Doruk Senkal

Goksen G Yaralioglu

Bruno Borovic

Derek Keith Shaeffer

Michael Julian Daneman

Kegang Huang

Chiung C Lo

Alexander Castro

Chung-Hsien Lin

Babak A Taheri

Bongsang Kim

Ilya Gurin

Pei-Wen Yen

Robert Hennessy

Behrad Aria

Jye Ren

Stephen Lloyd

Jin Qiu

Milton T Tormey

Hasan Akyol

Calin Miclaus

David Sachs

Cerina Zhang

Ting-Yuan Liu

Pradeep Shettigar

Anthony Francis Flannery, Jr

Michael J Dueweke

Kirt Williams

Sushil Bharatan

Sarah Nitzan

Igor Tchertkov

Tsung Lin Tang

Logeeswaran Veerayah Jayaraman

Dongyang Kang

Michael John Foster

Ali Rastegar

Andrew Randles

Matthew Thompson

Robert Hennessey

Embodiments for constant charge or capacitance for capacitive micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensors are presented herein. A MEMS device comprises a sense element circuit comprising a bias resistance, a charge-pump, and a capacitive sense element comprising an electrode and a sense capacitance. The charge-pump generates, at a bias resistor electrically coupled to the electrode, a bias voltage that is inversely proportional to a capacitance value comprising a value of the sense capacitance to facilitate maintenance of a nominally constant charge on the electrode. A sensing circuit comprises an alternating current (AC) signal source that generates an AC signal at a defined frequency; and generates, based on the AC signal, an AC test voltage at a test capacitance that is electrically coupled to the electrode. The sense element circuit generates, based on the AC test voltage at the defined frequency, an output signal representing the value of the sense capacitance.

Constant charge or capacitance for capacitive micro-electrical-mechanical system sensors

A dynamically balanced 3-axis gyroscope architecture is provided. Various embodiments described herein can facilitate providing linear and angular momentum balanced 3-axis gyroscope architectures for better offset stability, vibration rejection, and lower part-to-part coupling.

Drive and sense balanced, semi-coupled 3-axis gyroscope

A device includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor die comprising a deformable membrane, a MEMS heating element, and a substrate. The MEMS heating element is integrated within a same layer and a same plane as the deformable membrane. The MEMS heating element surrounds the deformable membrane and is separated from the deformable membrane through a trench. The MEMS heating element is configured to generate heat to heat up the deformable membrane. The substrate is coupled to the deformable membrane.

Sensor with integrated heater

The present invention relates to a fixed-fixed membrane for a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone. In one embodiment,

Fixed-fixed membrane for microelectromechanical system microphone

Reducing a sensitivity of an electromechanical sensor is presented herein. The electromechanical sensor comprises a sensitivity with respect to a variation of a mechanical-to-electrical gain of a sense element of the electromechanical sensor; and a voltage-to-voltage converter component that minimizes the sensitivity by coupling, via a defined feedback capacitance, a positive feedback voltage to a sense electrode of the sense element&#x2014;the sense element electrically coupled to an input of the voltage-to-voltage converter component. In one example, the voltage-to-voltage converter component minimizes the sensitivity by maintaining, via the defined feedback capacitance, a constant charge at the sense electrode. In another example, the electromechanical sensor comprises a capacitive sense element comprising a first node comprising the sense electrode. Further, a bias voltage component can apply a bias voltage to a second node of the electromechanical sensor. In yet another example, the electromechanical sensor comprises a piezoelectric sense element.

Applying a positive feedback voltage to an electromechanical sensor utilizing a voltage-to-voltage converter to facilitate a reduction of charge flow in such sensor representing spring softening

In a first aspect, the angular rate sensor comprises a substrate and a rotating structure anchored to the substrate. The angular rate sensor also includes a drive mass anchored to the substrate and an element coupling the drive mass and the rotating structure. The angular rate sensor further includes an actuator for driving the drive mass into oscillation along a first axis in plane to the substrate and for driving the rotating structure into rotational oscillation around a second axis normal to the substrate; a first transducer to sense the motion of the rotating structure in response to a Coriolis force in a sense mode; and a second transducer to sense the motion of the sensor during a drive mode. In a second aspect the angular rate sensor comprises a substrate and two shear masses which are parallel to the substrate and anchored to the substrate via flexible elements. In further embodiments, a dynamically balanced 3-axis gyroscope architecture is provided. Various embodiments described herein can facilitate providing linear and angular momentum balanced 3-axis gyroscope architectures for better offset stability, vibration rejection, and lower part-to-part coupling.

A MEMS device may output a signal during operation that may include an in-phase component and a quadrature component. An external signal having a phase that corresponds to the quadrature component may be applied to the MEMS device, such that the MEMS device outputs a signal having a modified in-phase component and a modified quadrature component. A phase error for the MEMS device may be determined based on the modified in-phase component and the modified quadrature component.

Demodulation phase calibration using external input

Applying a positive feedback voltage to an electromechanical sensor utilizing a voltage-to-voltage converter to facilitate a reduction of charge flow in such sensor representing spring

Reducing, at a common sense electrode of a group of sensors of a system, a common charge flow due to a common motion of the group of sensors is presented herein. The group of electromechanical sensors generates a common charge flow as a result of a common motion of the group of electromechanical sensors and a differential charge flow as a result of a differential motion of the group of electromechanical sensors&#x2014;respective sense elements of the group of electromechanical sensors being electrically connected at the common sense electrode. The system further comprises a voltage-to-voltage converter component that generates, via an output of the voltage-to-voltage converter component, a positive feedback voltage, and minimizes the common charge flow by coupling, via a defined feedback capacitance, the positive feedback voltage to the common sense electrode&#x2014;the common sense electrode being electrically coupled to an input of the voltage-to-voltage converter component.

Embodiments for modifying a spring mass configuration are disclosed that minimize the effects of unwanted nonlinear motion on a MEMS sensor. The modifications include any or any combination of providing a rigid element between rotating structures of the spring mass configuration, tuning a spring system between the rotating structures and coupling an electrical cancellation system to the rotating structures. In so doing unwanted nonlinear motion such as unwanted 2harmonic motion is minimized.

Configuration to reduce non-linear motion

A device comprising a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) substrate with protrusions of different heights that has been integrated with a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) substrate is presented herein. The MEMS substrate comprises defined protrusions of respective distinct heights from a surface of the MEMS substrate, and the MEMS substrate is bonded to the CMOS substrate. In an aspect, the defined protrusions can be formed from the MEMS substrate. In another aspect, the defined protrusions can be deposited on, or attached to, the MEMS substrate. In yet another aspect, the MEMS substrate comprises monocrystalline silicon and/or polysilicon. In yet even another aspect, the defined protrusions comprise respective electrodes of sensors of the device.

Device comprising a micro-electro-mechanical system substrate with protrusions of different heights that has been integrated with a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor substrate

A sensor includes a substrate, an electrode, a deformable membrane, and a compensating structure. The substrate includes a first side and a second side. The first side is opposite to the second side. The substrate comprises a cavity on the first side. The electrode is positioned at a bottom of the cavity on the first side of the substrate. The deformable membrane is positioned on the first side of the substrate. The deformable membrane encloses the cavity and deforms responsive to external stimuli. The compensation structure is connected to outer periphery of the deformable membrane. The compensation structure creates a bending force that is opposite to a bending force of the deformable membrane responsive to temperature changes and thermal coefficient mismatch.

Deformable membrane and a compensating structure thereof

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Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Joseph Seeger