公开(公告)号：US20210261403A1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-26

申请号：US17179157

申请日：2021-02-18

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Gabriele GATTERE ,  Francesco RIZZINI

IPC: B81B3/00 ,  G01P15/00

Abstract: A MEMS inclinometer includes a substrate, a first mobile mass and a sensing unit. The sensing unit includes a second mobile mass, a number of elastic elements, which are interposed between the second mobile mass and the substrate and are compliant in a direction parallel to a first axis, and a number of elastic structures, each of which is interposed between the first and second mobile masses and is compliant in a direction parallel to the first axis and to a second axis. The sensing unit further includes a fixed electrode that is fixed with respect to the substrate and a mobile electrode fixed with respect to the second mobile mass, which form a variable capacitor.

公开(公告)号：US20190064205A1

公开(公告)日：2019-02-28

申请号：US16116467

申请日：2018-08-29

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Alessandro TOCCHIO ,  Francesco RIZZINI ,  Carlo VALZASINA ,  Giacomo LANGFELDER ,  Cristiano Rocco MARRA

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  G01C19/5719 ,  G01P15/08

Abstract: An inertial sensor for sensing an external acceleration includes: a first and a second proof mass; a first and a second capacitor formed between first and second fixed electrodes and the first proof mass; a third and a fourth capacitor formed between third and fourth fixed electrodes and the second proof mass; a driving assembly configured to cause an antiphase oscillation of the first and second proof masses; a biasing circuit configured to bias the first and third capacitors, thus generating first variation of the oscillation frequency in a first time interval, and to bias the second and fourth capacitors, thus generating first variation of the oscillation frequency in a second time interval; a sensing assembly, configured to generate an differential output signal which is a function of a difference between a value of the oscillating frequency during the first time interval and a value of the oscillating frequency during the second time interval. Such differential output signal can be correlated to the value and direction of the external acceleration.

公开(公告)号：US20200216305A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-09

申请号：US16736485

申请日：2020-01-07

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.

Inventor： Francesco RIZZINI ,  Alessandro TOCCHIO

IPC: B81B7/00 ,  G01P15/02 ,  G01C19/5712

Abstract: A MEMS device with teeter-totter structure includes a mobile mass having an area in a plane and a thickness in a direction perpendicular to the plane. The mobile mass is tiltable about a rotation axis extending parallel to the plane and formed by a first and by a second half-masses arranged on opposite sides of the rotation axis. The first and the second masses have a first and a second centroid, respectively, arranged at a first and a second distance b1, b2, respectively, from the rotation axis. First through openings are formed in the first half-mass and, together with the first half-mass, have a first total perimeter p1 in the plane. Second through openings are formed in the second half-mass and, together with the second half-mass, have a second total perimeter p2 in the plane, where the first and the second perimeters p1, p2 satisfy the equation: p1×b1=p2×b2.

公开(公告)号：US20180120342A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-03

申请号：US15639524

申请日：2017-06-30

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.

Inventor： Alessandro TOCCHIO ,  Francesco RIZZINI

IPC: G01P15/18 ,  G01P15/097 ,  G01P15/125

CPC classification number: G01P15/18 ,  G01P15/097 ,  G01P15/125 ,  G01P2015/0845 ,  G01P2015/0848

Abstract: A MEMS tri-axial accelerometer is provided with a sensing structure having: a single inertial mass, with a main extension in a horizontal plane defined by a first horizontal axis and a second horizontal axis and internally defining a first window that traverses it throughout a thickness thereof along a vertical axis orthogonal to the horizontal plane; and a suspension structure, arranged within the window for elastically coupling the inertial mass to a single anchorage element, which is fixed with respect to a substrate and arranged within the window, so that the inertial mass is suspended above the substrate and is able to carry out, by the inertial effect, a first sensing movement, a second sensing movement, and a third sensing movement in respective sensing directions parallel to the first, second, and third horizontal axes following upon detection of a respective acceleration component. In particular, the suspension structure has at least one first decoupling element for decoupling at least one of the first, second, and third sensing movements from the remaining sensing movements.

公开(公告)号：US20240027490A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-25

申请号：US18480358

申请日：2023-10-03

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.

Inventor： Francesco RIZZINI ,  Nicolo' MANCA ,  Cristian DALL'OGLIO

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  B81B7/02 ,  G01P15/18

CPC classification number: G01P15/125 ,  B81B7/02 ,  G01P15/18 ,  G01P2015/082

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers that are configured for a user interface mode and a true wireless stereo (TWS) mode of an audio device. The accelerometers are fabricated with specific electromechanical parameters, such as mass, stiffness, active capacitance, and bonding pressure. As a result of the specific electromechanical parameters, the accelerometers have a resonance frequency, quality factor, sensitivity, and Brownian noise density that are suitable for both the user interface mode and the TWS mode.

公开(公告)号：US20230314469A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-05

申请号：US18308543

申请日：2023-04-27

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.

Inventor： Alessandro TOCCHIO ,  Francesco RIZZINI

IPC: G01P15/18 ,  G01P15/097 ,  G01P15/125

CPC classification number: G01P15/18 ,  G01P15/097 ,  G01P15/125 ,  G01P2015/0845

Abstract: A MEMS tri-axial accelerometer is provided with a sensing structure having: a single inertial mass, with a main extension in a horizontal plane defined by a first horizontal axis and a second horizontal axis and internally defining a first window that traverses it throughout a thickness thereof along a vertical axis orthogonal to the horizontal plane; and a suspension structure, arranged within the window for elastically coupling the inertial mass to a single anchorage element, which is fixed with respect to a substrate and arranged within the window, so that the inertial mass is suspended above the substrate and is able to carry out, by the inertial effect, a first sensing movement, a second sensing movement, and a third sensing movement in respective sensing directions parallel to the first, second, and third horizontal axes following upon detection of a respective acceleration component. In particular, the suspension structure has at least one first decoupling element for decoupling at least one of the first, second, and third sensing movements from the remaining sensing movements.

公开(公告)号：US20230266357A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-24

申请号：US18169142

申请日：2023-02-14

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.

Inventor： Gabriele GATTERE ,  Francesco RIZZINI ,  Nicolo' MANCA

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  B81B3/00

CPC classification number: G01P15/125 ,  B81B3/0027 ,  B81B2201/0235 ,  G01P2015/0814

Abstract: Micromechanical device comprising: a semiconductor body; a movable structure configured to oscillate relative to the semiconductor body along an oscillation direction; and an elastic assembly with an elastic constant, coupled to the movable structure and to the semiconductor body and configured to deform along the oscillation direction to allow the oscillation of the movable structure as a function of an acceleration applied to the micromechanical device. The movable structure and the semiconductor body comprise a control structure for the capacitive control of the oscillation of the movable structure: when the control structure is electrically controlled in a first state the micromechanical device is in a first operating mode wherein a total elastic constant of the micromechanical device has a first value, and when it is electrically controlled in a second state the micromechanical device is in a second operating mode wherein the total elastic constant has a second value lower than, or equal to, the first value.

公开(公告)号：US20240010490A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US18334296

申请日：2023-06-13

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.

Inventor： Gabriele GATTERE ,  Francesco RIZZINI ,  Federico VERCESI

IPC: B81B7/02 ,  B81C1/00

CPC classification number: B81B7/02 ,  B81C1/00198 ,  B81B2201/0235 ,  B81B2203/04 ,  B81B2203/033 ,  B81B2203/0307 ,  B81B2203/06 ,  B81B2207/015 ,  B81C2201/014 ,  B81C2203/0707

Abstract: The detection structure for a MEMS accelerometer is formed by a substrate; a first movable mass and a second movable mass which extend at a distance from each other, suspended on the substrate and which are configured to undergo a movement, with respect to the substrate, in response to an acceleration. The detection structure also has a first movable electrode integral with the first movable mass; a second movable electrode integral with the second movable mass; a first fixed electrode integral with the substrate and configured to form, with the first movable electrode, a first variable capacitor; and a second fixed electrode integral with the substrate and configured to form, with the second movable electrode, a second variable capacitor. The detection structure has an insulation region, of electrically insulating material, which is suspended on the substrate and extends between the first movable mass and the second movable mass.

公开(公告)号：US20230266356A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-24

申请号：US17675501

申请日：2022-02-18

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.

Inventor： Francesco RIZZINI ,  Nicolo' MANCA ,  Cristian DALL'OGLIO

IPC: G01P15/125 ,  B81B7/02 ,  G01P15/18

CPC classification number: G01P15/125 ,  B81B7/02 ,  G01P15/18 ,  B81B2201/0235 ,  G01P2015/082

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers that are configured for a user interface mode and a true wireless stereo (TWS) mode of an audio device. The accelerometers are fabricated with specific electromechanical parameters, such as mass, stiffness, active capacitance, and bonding pressure. As a result of the specific electromechanical parameters, the accelerometers have a resonance frequency, quality factor, sensitivity, and Brownian noise density that are suitable for both the user interface mode and the TWS mode.

公开(公告)号：US20240151741A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-09

申请号：US18496653

申请日：2023-10-27

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.

Inventor： Manuel RIANI ,  Gabriele GATTERE ,  Francesco RIZZINI

IPC: G01P15/125

CPC classification number: G01P15/125 ,  G01P2015/0882

Abstract: The MEMS device is formed by a substrate and a movable structure suspended on the substrate. The movable structure has a first mass, a second mass and a first elastic group mechanically coupled between the first and the second masses. The first elastic group is compliant along a first direction. The first mass is configured to move with respect to the substrate along the first direction. The MEMS device also has a second elastic group mechanically coupled between the substrate and the movable structure and compliant along the first direction; and an anchoring control structure fixed to the substrate, capacitively coupled to the second mass and configured to exert an electrostatic force on the second mass along the first direction. The anchoring control structure controls the MEMS device in a first operating state, wherein the second mass is free to move with respect to the substrate along the first direction, and in a second operating state, wherein the anchoring control structure applies a pull-in force on the second mass which anchors the second mass to the anchoring structure.