An electromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer is described. The MEMS accelerometer may be configured to sense linear acceleration along one, two or three axes, and to sense angular acceleration about one, two or three axes. As such, the MEMS accelerometer may serve as 2-axis, 3-axis, 4-axis, 5-axis or 6-axis inertial accelerometer. In some embodiments, the MEMS accelerometer may comprise a single mass connected to at least one anchor via a plurality of tethers. In other embodiments, the MEMS accelerometer may comprise a proof mass connected to at least one anchor via a plurality of tethers and one or more shuttle masses connected to the proof mass via a second plurality of tethers. Rotational and linear motion of the MEMS accelerometer may be sensed using capacitive sensors.

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.

In some examples, the disclosure describes an accelerometer having improved hysteresis effects, the accelerometer including a proof mass assembly including a proof mass, a support structure, and a flexure flexibly connecting the proof mass to the support structure to allow the proof mass to move about the plane defined by the support structure. Some examples may include at least one thin film lead including an electrically conductive material on the flexure, where the at least one thin film lead provides an electrical connection between an electrical component on the support structure and an electrical component on the proof mass, and where the at least one thin film lead comprises at least one of a yield strength greater than pure gold or a thermal expansion coefficient less than pure gold.

The invention is directed at an optical sensor device, comprising a sensing element for receiving an input action, an optical fiber comprising an intrinsic fiber optic sensor, and a transmission structure arranged for exerting a sensing action on the optical fiber in response to the input action received by the sensing element, wherein the optical fiber in a first connecting part thereof is connected to a reference body and wherein the optical fiber in a second connecting part thereof is to the transmission structure for receiving the sensing action, the first connecting part and the second connecting part of the optical fiber being located on either side of the intrinsic fiber optic sensor, wherein the transmission structure comprises a bi-stable spring having a first and a second stable deflection position and a negative stiffness range around an unstable equilibrium position between the first and second stable deflection position, and wherein the optical fiber between the transmission structure and the reference body is pre-stressed such as to be tensed, said optical fiber thereby acting as a spring having a first spring constant of positive value, wherein the optical fiber thereby counteracts a spring action of the bi-stable spring such as to operate the bi-stable spring in a deflection position range within the negative stiffness range, the deflection position range not including the unstable equilibrium position of the bi-stable spring.

A MEMS sensor includes a movable element positioned in spaced apart relationship above a surface of a substrate and a single centrally located suspension anchor formed on the surface of the substrate. First and second rigid beams are coupled to opposing sides of the suspension anchor and are suspended above the surface of the substrate. A first torsion spring is interconnected between the movable element and the first rigid beam, and a second torsion spring is interconnected between the movable element and the first rigid beam. The rigid beams and the torsion springs are stiff in a lateral direction relative to the surface of the substrate so as to limit slide displacement of the movable element under the condition of a multi-directional overload situation.

Piezoresistive detection resonant device comprising a substrate, a mobile par configured to move with respect the substrate, suspension elements suspending the mobile part to the substrate, a piezoresistive detection device to detect the motions of the mobile part, said piezoresistive detection device comprising at least one strain gauge, wherein the piezoresistive detection resonant device also comprises a folded spring with at least two spring arms, connected to the mobile part and configured to be deformed by the motion of the mobile part, the at least one gauge being suspended between the substrate and the folded spring in such manner that the deformation of the gauge is reduced compared to the motion of the mobile part.

A technique is provided for determining a force/acceleration acting on a proof mass of a bistable device. According to an aspect of the invention, the location of a boundary of one of the stable configurations of the device is monitored. The monitored location is compared to a predetermined location of the same boundary, said predetermined location corresponding to a condition in which the force/acceleration is absent, to detect a deviation of said location. The deviation is indicative of the force/acceleration and can be used to determine the force/acceleration. According to another aspect of the invention, the resonance frequency of the proof mass' oscillation in one of the stable regions is monitored, and compared to a predetermined resonance frequency the proof mass' oscillation in the same region corresponding to a condition in which the force/acceleration is absent, to determine a deviation of the resonance frequency due to the presence of force/acceleration. The deviation in the resonance frequency can be used to determine the force/acceleration.

In some examples, the disclosure describes an accelerometer having improved hysteresis effects, the accelerometer including a proof mass assembly including a proof mass, a support structure, and a flexure flexibly connecting the proof mass to the support structure to allow the proof mass to move about the plane defined by the support structure. Some examples may include at least one thin film lead including an electrically conductive material on the flexure, where the at least one thin film lead provides an electrical connection between an electrical component on the support structure and an electrical component on the proof mass, and where the at least one thin film lead comprises at least one of a yield strength greater than pure gold or a thermal expansion coefficient less than pure gold.

A sensor includes a weight body, a frame which is located so as to surround the weight body when viewed from above, a beam part which is provided with flexibility and in which a first end is connected to the weight body and a second end is connected to the frame, and a detection part which is provided on the beam part and detects deformation of the beam part as an electric signal. The beam part includes a main part in which a cross-sectional shape in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction connecting the first end and the second end is a rectangular shape, and an extending part which protrudes from at least one of an upper surface or a lower surface of the main part and extends in the longitudinal direction or extends in a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction when viewed from above.

An accelerometer comprising a first proof mass and a second proof mass which are coupled to each other with a coupling structure which extends from the first proof mass to the second proof mass. The coupling structure synchronizes the movement of the first and second proof masses so that the first and second proof masses may be linearly displaced from their rest position in the x-direction, rotationally displaced in opposite in-plane directions and rotationally displaced in opposite out-of-plane directions.