Micro-electromechanical system inertial sensor
US7640803B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 5, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jan 5, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01P15/18
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A micro-machined MEMS resonator gyroscope and accelerometer is fabricated from an epilayer semiconductor wafer to incorporate a substantially planar, H-shaped resonator mass suspended from a support plate by two opposed elongated springs that couple to the relatively short crossbar member of the H. The masses are harmonically oscillated relative to the support plate and a baseplate portion, and two orthogonal modes of the structure corresponding to the two nearly degenerate fundamental torsional modes thereof are used for sensing angular rate about one axis, and linear acceleration along two axes, of the sensor. The H-shaped mass advantageously incorporates a relatively high length-to-width aspect ratio, and in one embodiment, the springs may advantageously incorporate either a square cross-section, such that the structure can be tuned to substantially match the fundamental frequencies of the two resonance modes of the structure by removing, e.g., by an etching process, a small amount of material from the upper surfaces of the springs.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.