Invensense, Inc.

Sarah Nitzan

Matthew Julian Thompson

Houri Johari-Galle

David deKoninck

Jongwoo Shin

Vadim M Tsinker

Logeeswaran Veerayah Jayaraman

Le Jin

Varun Subramaniam Kumar

Leonardo Baldasarre

Kirt Williams

Joseph Seeger

Alexander Castro

Matthew Thompson

An exemplary microelectromechanical device includes a MEMS layer, portions of which respond to an external force in order to measure the external force. A substrate layer is located below the MEMS layer and an anchor couples the substrate layer and MEMS layer to each other. A plurality of temperature sensors are located within the substrate layer to identify a temperature gradient being experienced by the MEMS device. Compensation is performed or operations of the MEMS device are modified based on temperature gradient.

Systems and methods for operating a mems device based on sensed temperature gradients

Systems and methods for operating a MEMS device based on sensed temperature gradients

A MEMS sensor includes a proof mass that is suspended over a substrate. A sense electrode is located on a top surface of the substrate parallel to the proof mass, and forms a capacitor with the proof mass. The sense electrodes have a plurality of slots that provide improved performance for the MEMS sensor. A measured value sensed by the MEMS sensor is determined based on the movement of the proof mass relative to the slotted sense electrode.

Electrode layer partitioning

Facilitating self-calibration of a sensor device via modification of a sensitivity of the sensor device is presented herein. A sensor system can comprise a sensor component comprising a sensor that generates an output signal based on an external excitation of the sensor; a sensitivity modification component that modifies a sensitivity of the sensor by a defined amount; and a calibration component that measures a first output value of the output signal before a modification of the sensitivity by the defined amount, measures a second output value of the output signal after the modification of the sensitivity by the defined amount, and determines, based on a difference between the first output value and the second output value, an offset portion of the output signal. Further, the calibration component can modify, based on the offset portion, the output signal.

Sensor self-calibration

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer has a proof mass and a fixed electrode. The fixed electrode is located relative to the proof mass such that a capacitance formed by the fixed electrode and the proof mass changes in response to a linear acceleration along a sense axis of the accelerometer. The MEMS accelerometer is exposed to heat sources that produce a z-axis thermal gradient in MEMS accelerometer and an in-plane thermal gradient in the X-Y plane of the MEMS accelerometer. The z-axis thermal gradient is sensed with a plurality of thermistors located relative to anchoring regions of a CMOS layer of the MEMS accelerometer. The configuration of the thermistors within the CMOS layer measures the z-axis thermal gradient while rejecting other lateral thermal gradients. Compensation is performed at the accelerometer based on the z-axis thermal gradient.

Vertical thermal gradient compensation in a z-axis MEMS accelerometer

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer senses linear acceleration perpendicular to a MEMS device plane of the MEMS accelerometer based on a rotation of a proof mass out-of-plane about a rotational axis. A symmetry axis is perpendicular to the rotational axis. The proof mass includes a symmetric portion that is symmetric about the symmetry axis and that is contiguous with an asymmetric portion that is asymmetric about the symmetry axis.

Asymmetric out-of-plane accelerometer

Techniques for self-adjusting calibration of offset and sensitivity of a MEMS accelerometer are provided. In one example, a system comprises a first microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor. The first MEMS sensor comprises: a proof mass coupled to an anchor connected to a reference plane, wherein the proof mass is coupled to the anchor via a first spring and a second spring; a plurality of reference paddles coupled to the anchor; and a plurality of acceleration sensing electrodes disposed on the reference plane, wherein a first area of each of the acceleration sensing electrodes is larger than a second area of each of a plurality of reference electrodes associated with the plurality of reference paddles.

Self-calibrating microelectromechanical system devices

A MEMS sensor includes a MEMS layer, a cap layer, and a substrate layer. The MEMS layer includes a suspended spring-mass system that moves in response to a sensed inertial force. The suspended spring-mass system is suspended from one or more anchors. The anchors are coupled to each of the cap layer and the substrate layer by anchoring components. The anchoring components are offset such that a force applied to the cap layer or the substrate layer causes a rotation of the anchor and such that the suspended spring-mass system substantially remains within the original MEMS layer.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Sarah Nitzan