Micromechanical sensor with a guard band electrode and fabrication technique therefor
US5646348A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 5, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jul 8, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 5, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01P2015/0831
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An electrostatically actuated micromechanical sensor having a guard band electrode for reducing the effect of transients associated with a dielectric substrate of the sensor. A proof mass, responsive to an input, is suspended over the substrate and one or more electrodes are disposed on the substrate in electrostatic communication with the proof mass to sense the input acceleration and/or to torque the proof mass back to a null position. A guard band electrode is disposed over the dielectric substrate in overlapping relationship with the electrodes and maintains the surface of the substrate at a reference potential, thereby shielding the proof mass from transients and enhancing the accuracy of the sensor. A dissolved wafer process for fabricating the micromechanical sensor is described in which the proof mass is defined by a boron doping step. An alternative fabrication technique is also described in which the proof mass is defined by an epitaxial layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.