A system includes a capacitive transducer, an excitation circuit, and a measuring circuit. The excitation circuit is configured to excite the capacitive transducer and the measuring circuit measures an output signal from the capacitive transducer responsive to the excitation voltage. The excitation circuit includes a voltage source for providing a first voltage in response to receipt of a supply voltage, a voltage generator coupled to the voltage source for receiving the first voltage and generating a second voltage that is greater than the supply voltage, and a control circuit coupled to the voltage source and the voltage generator. The control circuit is configured to provide any of a system ground, the first voltage, and the second voltage to first and second terminals of the capacitive transducer, and particularly, being configured to apply the system ground and the second voltage in the form of two consecutive stimuli with opposite polarities.

A microelectromechanical component including, vertically at a distance from one another, a substrate device, a first, a second, and a third functional layer, a vertical stop being formed between the second and third functional layer, the vertical stop having a stop area on a surface of the second functional layer facing the third functional layer, wherein the second functional layer is connected to the first functional layer in a connecting area allocated to the stop area.

Provided are acceleration sensor, geophone and seismic prospecting system with high sensitivity and low power consumption. The acceleration sensor includes a mass body displaceable with respect to a rotation shaft. The acceleration sensor includes a first AC servo control facing a first symmetrical region of the first movable portion, a second AC servo control electrode facing a second symmetrical region of the second movable portion, and a DC servo control electrode facing an asymmetrical region of the second movable portion. A first AC servo capacitive element is formed by the first movable portion and the first AC servo control electrode, a second AC servo capacitive element is formed by the second movable portion and the second AC servo control electrode, and a DC servo capacitive element is formed by the second movable portion and the DC servo control electrode.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for multi-axis single-drive inertial devices. A multi-axis single drive inertial device can include a rotational drive configured to oscillate a plurality of accelerometer proof masses and a plurality of gyroscope proof masses about a z axis and signal processing circuitry configured for determining inertial parameters based on motion of the plurality of accelerometer proof masses and the plurality of gyroscope proof masses. The inertial parameters can include acceleration of the inertial device along an x axis perpendicular to the z axis and along a y axis perpendicular to each of the x and z axes, and rotation of the inertial device about each of the x, y, and z axes.

To provide a physical quantity sensor having excellent reliability by reducing the influence of a force applied from the outside. Disclosed is a physical quantity sensor, which has a weight or a movable electrode formed on a device substrate, and an outer peripheral section that is disposed to surround the weight or the movable electrode, said weight or movable electrode being displaceable in the rotation direction in a plane. When the weight or the movable electrode is displaced in the rotation direction in the plane, the physical quantity sensor is provided with a rotation space at the outer peripheral section of an end portion of the weight or the movable electrode, said end portion being in the direction viewed from the center position of the weight or the movable electrode.

A MEMS structure is provided that includes a mechanical layer that extends parallel to a reference device plane. The mechanical layer is patterned to include a static electrode and a movable electrode configured to move in relation to the static electrode parallel to the reference device plane. The static electrode and the movable electrode are connected to form a capacitor having capacitance that varies according to an overlap of the static electrode and the movable electrode. The mechanical layer includes a first silicon layer and a second silicon layer. Parts of the first silicon layer and the second silicon layer are directly bonded to each other. The movable electrode is in the first silicon layer and the static electrode is in the second silicon layer. The movable electrode is separated from the static electrode by a first gap in the interface between the first and second silicon layers.

A connection assembly includes a sensor substrate, a layer substrate coupled to the sensor substrate so as to face an upper surface of the sensor substrate, and a wire connected between the sensor substrate and the layer substrate. The sensor substrate includes first and second projections provide on the upper surface of the sensor substrate and extending in an extension direction along the upper surface of the sensor substrate. The wire has a first end sandwiched between the layer substrate and the first projection, and a second end sandwiched between the layer substrate and the second projection. The connection assembly provides reliable connection.

A method for detecting hardened bunkers within a target, the method including: producing a first output from a sensor fired to travel through the hardened bunkers, the first output being different from a second output when the sensor travels in a void between the hardened bunkers or encounters other objects outside of the hardened bunkers; and determining one or more of the number of hardened bunkers, a thickness of the hardened bunkers and a strength of the hardened bunkers based on the first and second outputs of the sensor over time. The sensor can include one of a piezoelectric generator for producing a voltage output and a circuit input by the voltage output or an accelerometer having a locking member for locking a proof mass during periods of impact with the one or more hardened bunkers.

Airtightness in a cavity of an inertial sensor (acceleration sensor) is increased to achieve high sensitivity. In the acceleration sensor having movable electrodes VE1, VE2 and fixed electrodes FE1, FE2, the fixed electrodes are formed by portions surrounded by a through hole TH1 provided in a cap layer CL, and the through hole is filled with an insulating film IF1 and polysilicon P and has a wide portion (WP). The wide portion has a gap SP that is not filled with the insulating film IF1 and the polysilicon P, and the gap SP is filled with the interlayer insulating film ID. With such a configuration, degassing can be exhausted through the gap (airway) SP in a pressure reducing step.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer having separate sense and force-feedback electrodes is disclosed. The use of separate electrodes may in some embodiments increase the dynamic range of such devices. Other possible advantages include, for example, better sensitivity, better noise suppression, and better signal-to-noise ratio. In one embodiment, the accelerometer includes three silicon wafers, fabricated with sensing electrodes forming capacitors in a fully differential capacitive architecture, and with separate force feedback electrodes forming capacitors for force feedback. These electrodes may be isolated on a layer of silicon dioxide. In some embodiments, the accelerometer also includes silicon dioxide layers, piezoelectric structures, getter layers, bonding pads, bonding spacers, and force feedback electrodes, which may apply a restoring force to the proof mass region. MEMS accelerometers with force-feedback electrodes may be used in geophysical surveys, e.g., for seismic sensing or acoustic positioning.