A method is provided for self-testing a capacitive MEMS accelerometer comprising a first proof mass and a second proof mass that are arranged in double differential configuration. Moreover, a state machine is provided to implement the self-testing method and a MEMS device is provided that includes at least one capacitive MEMS accelerometer. The method applies a bias voltage pattern that includes alternating bias periods and readout periods. The exemplary self-test comprises deflection states and return states, and success or failure of each self-test state is then determined.

A method for detecting orientation of an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method includes moving, in response to a gravitational force, a mobile metallic piece in an evolution zone of a housing. The housing is formed in an interconnect region of the integrated circuit. The housing includes walls defining the evolution zone. The walls are formed within multiple metallization levels of the interconnect region. The walls include a floor wall and a ceiling wall. At least one of the floor wall and ceiling wall incorporate a pointed element directing its pointed region towards the mobile metallic piece. The pointed element delimits an open crater in a concave part of a projection. The method further includes creating an electrical signal by movement of the mobile metallic piece at a plurality of electrically conducting elements positioned at boundary points of the evolution zone and detecting the electrical signal by a detector.

An inertial sensor includes: a substrate; a movable body configured to be displaced with respect to the substrate; and an attenuator configured to attenuate a displacement of the movable body with respect to the substrate. The attenuator includes a comb-shaped first structure including a plurality of movable comb fingers whose base ends are coupled to the movable body, and a comb-shaped second structure including a plurality of fixed comb fingers whose base ends are coupled to the substrate, the plurality of fixed comb fingers intersecting with the plurality of movable comb fingers. A width of the base end of each of the movable comb fingers and the fixed comb fingers is larger than a width of a tip end thereof.

Angular accelerometers are described, as are systems employing such accelerometers. The angular accelerometers may include a proof mass and rotational acceleration detection beams directed toward the center of the proof mass. The angular accelerometers may include sensing capabilities for angular acceleration about three orthogonal axes. The sensing regions for angular acceleration about one of the three axes may be positioned radially closer to the center of the proof mass than the sensing regions for angular acceleration about the other two axes. The proof mass may be connected to the substrate though one or more anchors.

A microelectromechanical sensor component. The component includes: a substrate; a movable sensor structure connected to the substrate and having a seismic mass portion and a deflection electrode arranged thereon; and at least one evaluation electrode arranged on the substrate. The deflection electrode is arranged so as to be movable relative to the evaluation electrode. The evaluation electrode is configured for capacitive detection of a deflection of the deflection electrode. The deflection electrode and the evaluation electrode form a comb structure. The deflection electrode has a plurality of deflection electrode fingers extending from a deflection electrode bar in the direction of the evaluation electrode. The evaluation electrode has a plurality of evaluation electrode fingers extending, parallel at least in portions to the deflection electrode fingers, from an evaluation electrode bar in the direction of the deflection electrode.

A physical quantity sensor includes a substrate that has a first fixed electrode and a movable body that has a first mass portion facing the first fixed electrode. The first mass portion includes a first region, and a second region farther from the rotation axis than the first region, a first through-hole group is provided in the first region, and a second through-hole group is provided in the second region, and the movable body has a first surface on a substrate side, and a second surface. The first surface of the first mass portion is provided with a step or a slope such that a first gap distance of a first gap between the first mass portion and the first fixed electrode in the first region is smaller than a second gap distance of a second gap between the first mass portion and the first fixed electrode in the second region. A depth of through-holes of the first through-hole group and the second through-hole group is smaller than a maximum thickness of the movable body.