Analog Devices,inc.

Invensense, Inc.

Xin Zhang

Baoxing Chen

Michael W Judy

John R Martin

Jianglong Zhang

Timothy J Brosnihan

Gaurav Vohra

Kemiao Jia

Thomas Kieran Nunan

Jason W Weigold

Thomas Chen

George M Molnar

William Albert Clark

Alan J O'Donnell

Kieran P Harney

Kuang L Yang

Christopher Needham

Jinbo Kuang

Sushil Bharatan

Craig E Core

Howard R Samuels

Thomas G O'Dwyer

Isaac Chase Novet

Igor P Prikhodko

Venugopal Gopinathan

Peter Farrell

Timothy Spooner

Andrew Proudman

Aleksey S Khenkin

Laura Cornelia Popa

Mehrnaz Motiee

Nikolay Pokrovskiy

Nelson Kuan

YounJae Kook

Eric Langlois

Gabriele Vigevani

Venkataraman Chandrasekaran

Kevin H L Chau

Chetan Paydenkar

Arthur Yurievich Savchenko

Christopher Hyde

Paul Errico

Paul Vincent Errico

Thomas Nunan

Craig Core

Sensing devices are described. A sensing device includes an inertial sensor, a read-out circuit configured to determine first data indicative of an acceleration of the structure using an output of the inertial sensor, an energy harvester configured to capture energy, and a power management unit. The power management unit comprises a plurality of energy storage components coupled to the energy harvester and a plurality of switches coupled to respective energy storage components of the plurality of energy storage components. The power management unit monitors energy levels stored in the energy storage components, selectively charges the plurality of energy storage components by selectively activating the plurality of switches, and provides power to one or more of the inertial sensor and the read-out circuit based on the monitored energy levels.

3-axis angular accelerometer

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers are described. The MEMS accelerometers may include multiple proof mass portions collectively forming one proof mass. The entirety of the proof mass may contribute to detection of in-plane acceleration and out-of-plane acceleration. The MEMS accelerometers may detect in-plane and out-of-plane acceleration in a differential fashion. In response to out-of-plane accelerations, some MEMS accelerometers may experience butterfly modes, where one proof mass portion rotates counterclockwise relative to an axis while at the same time another proof mass portion rotates clockwise relative to the same axis. In response to in-plane acceleration, the proof mass portions may experience common translational modes, where the proof mass portions move in the plane along the same direction.

Low-noise multi-axis accelerometers and related methods

A stress-isolated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device and a method of manufacture of the stress-isolated MEMS device are provided. MEMS devices may be sensitive to stress and may provide lower performance when subjected to stress. A stress-isolated MEMS device may be manufactured by etching a trench and/or a cavity in a first side of a substrate and subsequently forming a MEMS device on a surface of a platform opposite the first side of the substrate. Such a stress-isolated MEMS device may exhibit better performance than a MEMS device that is not stress-isolated. Moreover, manufacturing the MEMS device by first forming a trench and cavity on a backside of a wafer, before forming the MEMS device on a suspended platform, provides increased yield and allows for fabrication of smaller parts, in at least some embodiments.

Stress-isolated MEMS device comprising substrate having cavity and method of manufacture

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer is provided, comprising a substrate disposed in a plane defined by a first axis and a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; a first proof mass and a second proof mass coupled to the substrate and configured to translate in opposite directions of each other along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes; and at least one lever coupling the first proof mass to the second proof mass, wherein, the MEMS accelerometer is configured to detect acceleration along the third axis via detection of translation of the first and second proof masses along the third axis; and the MEMS accelerometer exhibits symmetry about the first and second axes.

Accelerometer with translational motion of masses

A three-axis accelerometer includes a single, integrated mass including at least one lateral (x-y) proof mass and at least one vertical (z) proof mass. The vertical proof mass is arranged as a teeter-totter mass, which is located within the lateral proof mass. The vertical proof mass is mechanically coupled to the lateral proof mass with one or more torsional springs, and the lateral proof mass is mechanically coupled to one or more anchors with one or more lateral springs. The at least one vertical proof mass may be symmetrically positioned about one or more axes of the three-axis accelerometer, so that the 3-axis accelerometer has in-plane symmetry. The three-axis accelerometer may be less susceptible for mechanical cross-talk or noise and may provide a smaller packaged solution for sensing acceleration in three directions.

3-axis accelerometer

Disclosed herein are aspects of a multiple-mass, multi-axis microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer sensor device with a fully differential sensing design that applies differential drive signals to movable proof masses and senses differential motion signals at sense fingers coupled to a substrate. In some embodiments, capacitance signals from different sense fingers are combined together at a sensing signal node disposed on the substrate supporting the proof masses. In some embodiments, a split shield may be provided, with a first shield underneath a proof mass coupled to the same drive signal applied to the proof mass and a second shield electrically isolated from the first shield provided underneath the sense fingers and biased with a constant voltage to provide shielding for the sense fingers.

Fully differential accelerometer

An impedance measurement system for detecting an analyte in a sample is disclosed. The system includes first, second, and third electrodes, wherein at least a portion of the third electrode is positioned between the first and second electrodes, means for generating an electromagnetic field between the first and second electrodes, means for electrically controlling the third electrode, wherein the third electrode modifies the electromagnetic field, and a processor for detecting a presence of the analyte in the sample, based at least in part on a property of the electromagnetic field.

Impedance measurement in diagnostic testing

Single-axis teeter-totter accelerometers having a plurality of anchors are disclosed. The plurality of anchors may be arranged about a rotation axis of the teeter-totter proof mass. Each of the plurality of anchors may be coupled to the proof mass by two torsional springs each extending along the rotation axis. The plurality of anchors allows an increased number of torsional springs to be coupled to the proof mass and thus greater torsional stiffness for the proof mass may be achieved. Due to the higher torsional stiffness, the disclosed single-axis teeter-totter accelerometers may be deployed in high-frequency environments where such increased torsional stiffness is required, for example, around 20 kHz and above.

Multiple anchor high frequency accelerometer

Angular accelerometers are described, as are systems employing such accelerometers. The angular accelerometers may include a proof mass and rotational acceleration detection beams directed toward the center of the proof mass. The angular accelerometers may include sensing capabilities for angular acceleration about three orthogonal axes. The sensing regions for angular acceleration about one of the three axes may be positioned radially closer to the center of the proof mass than the sensing regions for angular acceleration about the other two axes. The proof mass may be connected to the substrate though one or more anchors.

Z-axis teeter-totter accelerometers with embedded movable structures are disclosed. The teeter-totter accelerometer may include an embedded mass which pivots or translates out-of-plane from the teeter-totter beam. The pivoting or translating embedded mass may be positioned to increase the sensitivity of the z-axis accelerometer by providing greater z-axis displacement than the teeter-totter beam itself exhibits.

Increased sensitivity z-axis accelerometer

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mesh-membrane nebulizers are described. The MEMS mesh-membrane nebulizers may include a piezoelectric MEMS mesh membrane. The piezoelectric MEMS mesh membrane may include a piezoelectric active layer patterned with openings for making droplets. One electrode of the piezoelectric MEMS mesh membrane may serve as an electrode for electroplating. Activation of the piezoelectric MEMS mesh membrane may generate droplets suitable for delivery of medicines or other uses.

Using piezoelectric electrodes as active surfaces for electroplating process

Z-axis microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometers are described. The z-axis MEMS accelerometers are of a teeter-totter type, having a pivoting beam suspended above a substrate. A non-uniform gap distance between the pivoting beam and the substrate is provided to increase the sensitivity of the accelerometer to z-axis acceleration. In some embodiments, the non-uniform gap distance is created by one or more substrate layers, such as one or more layers of polysilicon on the substrate above which the pivoting beam is suspended. In some embodiments, the non-uniform gap distance is created by the use of one or more bumps on the beam. In some embodiments, both substrate layers and bumps are used to provide a non-uniform gap distance for different electrodes of the accelerometer. The non-uniform gap distance may include a gap of reduced height, resulting in increased sensitivity of the accelerometer to z-axis accelerations.

Z axis accelerometer using variable vertical gaps

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) apparatus is described. The MEMS apparatus may comprise inertial sensors and energy harvesters configured to convert mechanical vibrational energy into electric energy. The harvested energy may be used to power an electronic circuit, such as the circuit used to sense acceleration from the inertial sensors. The inertial sensors and the energy harvesters may be disposed on the same substrate, and may share the same proof mass. The energy harvesters may include a piezoelectric material layers disposed on a flexible structure. When the flexible structures flexes in response to vibration, stress arises in the piezoelectric material layer, which leads to the generation of electricity. Examples of inertial sensors include accelerometers and gyroscopes.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial sensors with energy harvesters and related methods

A MEMS product includes a stress-isolated MEMS platform surrounded by a stress-relief gap and suspended from a substrate. The stress-relief gap provides a barrier against the transmission of mechanical stress from the substrate to the platform.

Stress isolation platform for MEMS devices

Growing community of inventors

Acton, MA, United States of America

Xin Zhang