A physical quantity sensor includes a substrate, a movable body that faces the substrate, a fixed portion that is fixed to the substrate, and a support beam that couples the movable body to the fixed portion. The movable body is displaceable with the support beam as a rotation axis, and includes, in a plan view, a first mass that is located on one side of a second direction with respect to the rotation axis, and a second mass that is located on the other side. Each of the first mass and the second mass has a plurality of through-holes which penetrate through the movable body and each of which has a square shape as an opening shape. When damping is indicated by C, and a minimum value of the damping is indicated by Cmin, C≤1.5≤Cmin.

A physical quantity sensor includes a substrate, a movable body that faces the substrate, a fixed portion that is fixed to the substrate, and a support beam that couples the movable body to the fixed portion. The movable body is displaceable with the support beam as a rotation axis, and includes, in a plan view, a first mass that is located on one side of a second direction with respect to the rotation axis, and a second mass that is located on the other side. Each of the first mass and the second mass has a plurality of through-holes which penetrate through the movable body and each of which has a square shape as an opening shape. When damping is indicated by C, and a minimum value of the damping is indicated by Cmin, C≤1.5≤Cmin.

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a sensor element, and a controller. The sensor element includes a first sensor part. The first sensor part includes a first movable part which can vibrate. Vibration of the first movable part includes a first component and a second component. The controller is configured to perform to third mode operations. In the first mode operation, the controller is configured to derive a first rotation angle of the first movable part based on a first amplitude of the first component and a second amplitude of the second component. In the second mode operation, the controller is configured to derive a first angular velocity of the first movable part based on a change of a control signal. In the third mode operation, the controller is configured to supply a third mode signal to the first sensor part.

A vibration-type angular velocity sensor (100) includes a first angular velocity sensor unit (101) and a second angular velocity sensor unit (102). In a predetermined period, the second angular velocity sensor unit performs a process of detecting an angular velocity based on secondary vibration of a vibrator (11) by a secondary side control circuit (17) and a process of detecting the angular velocity based on the secondary vibration of the vibrator by the primary side control circuit (16) by interchanging functions. The first angular velocity sensor unit detects the angular velocity in the predetermined period. The bias component of the first angular velocity sensor unit is calculated based on a first detection result detected by the first angular velocity sensor unit in the predetermined period and a second detection result detected by the second angular velocity sensor unit in the predetermined period.

The azimuth/attitude angle measuring device (100) includ es a first angular velocity sensor (103), a second angular ve locity sensor (104), a power supply unit (102), and a control unit (101). The control unit is configured so that, when an angular velocity, which is to be used in an operation before and after interchanging a function of a primary side control circuit (12) and a function of a secondary side control circu it (13), is detected by one of the first angular velocity sen sor and the second angular velocity sensor, the control unit does not perform control for interchanging the function of th e primary side control circuit and the function of the second ary side control circuit in the other of the first angular ve locity sensor and the second angular velocity sensor.

A vibration sensor/accelerometer includes, in various implementations, a MEMS die that includes a plate having an aperture, an anchor disposed within the aperture, a plurality of arms (e.g., rigid arms) extending from the anchor, and a plurality of resilient members (e.g., looped or folded springs with a carefully designed spring stiffness), each resilient member connecting the plate to an arm of the plurality of arms. The plate may be made from a solid layer in which the resilient members are etched from the same layer. The MEMS die may also include top and bottom wafers, and travel stoppers extending from the top and bottom wafers as well as through the plate.

A vibration sensor/accelerometer includes, in various implementations, a MEMS die that includes a plate having an aperture, an anchor disposed within the aperture, a plurality of arms (e.g., rigid arms) extending from the anchor, and a plurality of resilient members (e.g., looped or folded springs with a carefully designed spring stiffness), each resilient member connecting the plate to an arm of the plurality of arms. The plate may be made from a solid layer in which the resilient members are etched from the same layer. The MEMS die may also include top and bottom wafers, and travel stoppers extending from the top and bottom wafers as well as through the plate.

A vibratory gyroscope system having a mechanical resonator (proof mass) and drive circuitry for maintaining oscillation in two axes at a small frequency split. Angular rate input is shifted to the frequency split and modulates both the frequency (FM) and the amplitude (AM) of the oscillations. Unlike other gyroscope modulation techniques which derive rate information from only the FM information and are subject to aliasing for rate signals with bandwidth exceeding the modulation frequency, the innovation uses both the FM and AM information. By exploiting their orthogonality, the image frequencies from the modulation cancel, thus removing the bandwidth limitation.

A vibratory gyroscope system having a mechanical resonator (proof mass) and drive circuitry for maintaining oscillation in two axes at a small frequency split. Angular rate input is shifted to the frequency split and modulates both the frequency (FM) and the amplitude (AM) of the oscillations. Unlike other gyroscope modulation techniques which derive rate information from only the FM information and are subject to aliasing for rate signals with bandwidth exceeding the modulation frequency, the innovation uses both the FM and AM information. By exploiting their orthogonality, the image frequencies from the modulation cancel, thus removing the bandwidth limitation.

A MEMS sensor for measuring rotational motion about a first axis includes a frame, a base structure under the frame, a drive mass mounted in the frame for rotational movement about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and a first drive paddle in the drive mass. A first link includes a first end coupled to a first spring that movably couples the first drive paddle to the drive mass and a second end coupled to a second spring that movably couples the first link to the frame. A drive system includes an electrode aligned to exert electromotive force to pivot the first drive paddle and move the drive mass about the second axis. Deflection of the drive mass is greater than deflection of the first drive paddle when the drive system is operating.