A disclosed angular velocity sensor element includes: a fixed part; a first detecting body connected to the fixed part, provided with a first detecting electrode, and extending in a first direction; a second detecting body connected at one end to the first detecting body, extending in a second direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction, and provided with a second detecting electrode; and a driving body connected to the other end of the second detecting body, disposed on a plane on which the first detecting body and the second detecting body are disposed, and provided with a driving electrode. The driving body has a folded shape with two or more bent portions such that a direction from a connecting portion of the second detecting body and the driving body to an end of the driving body is between the first direction and the second direction in a top view.

A disclosed angular velocity sensor element includes: a fixed part; a first detecting body connected to the fixed part, provided with a first detecting electrode, and extending in a first direction; a second detecting body connected at one end to the first detecting body, extending in a second direction approximately perpendicular to the first direction, and provided with a second detecting electrode; and a driving body connected to the other end of the second detecting body, disposed on a plane on which the first detecting body and the second detecting body are disposed, and provided with a driving electrode. The driving body has a folded shape with two or more bent portions such that a direction from a connecting portion of the second detecting body and the driving body to an end of the driving body is between the first direction and the second direction in a top view.

In a sensor element, a frame has an x-axis direction as a longitudinal direction. Two driving arms extend from the frame alongside each other in a y-axis direction. A detecting arm extends from the frame in the y-axis direction at a position which is a center of the two driving arms in the x-axis direction. A plurality of excitation-use wiring parts connect a plurality of excitation electrodes and terminals with connection relationships where the two driving arms vibrate with inverse phases in the x-axis direction. A first detection-use wiring part is connected to a first detecting electrode and a first detection-use terminal. A second detection-use wiring part is connected to a second detecting electrode and a second detection-use terminal. At least a portion of the first detection-use wiring part and at least a portion of the second detection-use wiring part extend alongside each other on the frame over ¼ or more of a length of the frame in the longitudinal direction of the frame.

A vibrator device includes a vibrator element, and a support substrate configured to support the vibrator element. The vibrator element includes a drive arm provided with a drive signal electrode and a drive constant-potential electrode, and a detection arm provided with a detection signal electrode and a detection constant-potential electrode. The support substrate includes a base, and a drive signal interconnection electrically coupled to the drive signal electrode, a drive constant-potential interconnection electrically coupled to the drive constant-potential electrode, and a detection signal interconnection electrically coupled to the detection signal electrode all provided to the base, and the drive arm includes a first surface located at the support substrate side, and a second surface located at an opposite side to the first surface. Further, the drive constant-potential electrode is disposed on the first surface, and the drive signal electrode is disposed on the second surface.

A vibrator device includes a vibrator element, and a support substrate configured to support the vibrator element. The vibrator element includes a drive arm provided with a drive signal electrode and a drive constant-potential electrode, and a detection arm provided with a detection signal electrode and a detection constant-potential electrode. The support substrate includes a base, and a drive signal interconnection electrically coupled to the drive signal electrode, a drive constant-potential interconnection electrically coupled to the drive constant-potential electrode, and a detection signal interconnection electrically coupled to the detection signal electrode all provided to the base, and the drive arm includes a first surface located at the support substrate side, and a second surface located at an opposite side to the first surface. Further, the drive constant-potential electrode is disposed on the first surface, and the drive signal electrode is disposed on the second surface.

In a multi-axial angular velocity sensor, a substrate part perpendicular to a D3 axis includes a pair of long sides parallel to a D2 axis and a pair of short sides parallel to a D1 axis. Three sensor elements for the three axes are mounted on an upper surface of the substrate part. A piezoelectric body of each of the sensor elements comprises a plurality of arms. Theses arms extend in a predetermined direction of extension in a plane perspective of the upper surface. The piezoelectric body has the direction of extension as its long direction. Two of the three sensor element are arranged side by side in a direction along the short sides of the substrate part with orientations so that the directions of extension become parallel to the long sides. A remaining one is arranged in a direction along the long sides relative to the two elements with an orientation so that the direction of extension becomes parallel to the short sides.

A physical quantity detection circuit includes a signal conversion circuit configured to output a first differential signal based on an output signal of a physical quantity detection element, an active filter to which a second differential signal based on the first differential signal is input, and an analog/digital conversion circuit configured to sample a third differential signal based on an output signal of the active filter to convert the third differential signal into a digital signal, wherein the active filter includes an operational amplifier, a first chopping circuit disposed in a signal path between the signal conversion circuit and the operational amplifier, and a second chopping circuit disposed in a signal path between the operational amplifier and the analog/digital conversion circuit, and fch<fs/2, the sampling frequency is fs, and the chopping frequency is fch.

A drive signal is applied to a MEMS gyroscope having several intrinsic resonant modes. Frequency and amplitude of mechanical oscillation in response to the drive signal is sensed. At startup, the drive signal frequency is set to a kicking frequency offset from a resonant frequency corresponding to a desired one of the intrinsic resonant modes. In response to sufficient sensed amplitude of mechanical oscillation at the kicking frequency, a frequency tracking process is engaged to control the frequency for the drive signal to sustain mechanical oscillation at the frequency of the desired one of the plurality of intrinsic resonant modes as the oscillation amplitude increases. When the increasing amplitude of the mechanical oscillation exceeds a threshold, a gain control process is used to exercise gain control over the applied drive signal so as to cause the amplitude of mechanical oscillation to match a further threshold. At that point start-up terminates.

A drive signal is applied to a MEMS gyroscope having several intrinsic resonant modes. Frequency and amplitude of mechanical oscillation in response to the drive signal is sensed. At startup, the drive signal frequency is set to a kicking frequency offset from a resonant frequency corresponding to a desired one of the intrinsic resonant modes. In response to sufficient sensed amplitude of mechanical oscillation at the kicking frequency, a frequency tracking process is engaged to control the frequency for the drive signal to sustain mechanical oscillation at the frequency of the desired one of the plurality of intrinsic resonant modes as the oscillation amplitude increases. When the increasing amplitude of the mechanical oscillation exceeds a threshold, a gain control process is used to exercise gain control over the applied drive signal so as to cause the amplitude of mechanical oscillation to match a further threshold. At that point start-up terminates.

A sensor element includes a piezoelectric body and a plurality of electrodes. The piezoelectric body, when viewed on a plane, includes a base part and at least one arm part extending from the base part. The plurality of electrodes are located on a surface of the arm part. The piezoelectric body, when viewed on the plane, further includes a frame part which surrounds the base part and the at least one arm part and upon which the base part is bridged.