A MEMS accelerometric sensor includes a bearing structure and a suspended region that is made of semiconductor material, mobile with respect to the bearing structure. At least one modulation electrode is fixed to the bearing structure and is biased with an electrical modulation signal including at least one periodic component having a first frequency. At least one variable capacitor is formed by the suspended region and by the modulation electrode in such a way that the suspended region is subjected to an electrostatic force that depends upon the electrical modulation signal. A sensing assembly generates, when the accelerometric sensor is subjected to an acceleration, an electrical sensing signal indicating the position of the suspended region with respect to the bearing structure and includes a frequency-modulated component that is a function of the acceleration and of the first frequency.

A micromechanical component for a sensor device. The component includes a first seismic mass, the first seismic mass displaced out of its first position of rest by a first limit distance into a first direction along a first axis mechanically contacting a first stop structure, and including a second seismic mass which is displaceable out of its second position of rest at least along a second axis, the second axis lying parallel to the first axis or on the first axis, and a second stop surface of the second seismic mass, displaced out of its second position of rest into a second direction counter to the first direction along the second axis, mechanically contacting a first stop surface of the first seismic mass adhering to the first stop structure.

An acceleration measuring device is disclosed, for use as a gravimeter or gradiometer for example. The device has a support and a proof mass, connected to each other by at flexures allowing displacement of the proof mass relative to the support. The support defines a space for displacement of the proof mass. The device is configured so that the modulus of the gradient of the force-displacement curve of the proof mass decreases with increasing displacement, for at least part of the force-displacement curve. This is the so-called anti-spring effect. The resonant frequency of oscillation of the proof mass is determined at least in part by the orientation of the device relative to the direction of the force due to gravity. The proof mass is capable of oscillating with a resonant frequency of 10 Hz or less. The proof mass has a mass of less than 1 gram.

A physical quantity sensor includes: a base substrate; a movable portion; a plurality of movable electrode fingers which are provided in the movable portion; a fixed electrode finger which is provided on the base substrate; and a fixing portion which fixes the movable portion to the base substrate. In the movable electrode fingers, a movable electrode finger which opposes the fixing portion in the first direction is included. A clearance between the movable electrode finger and the fixing portion is smaller than a clearance between the movable electrode finger and the fixed electrode finger. The width of the movable electrode finger is greater than the width of other movable electrode finger.

An acceleration sensor (100) has a sensor mass (120) which is movably mounted over a substrate (120) by means of spring elements (130), so as to move along a movement axis (x), first trim electrodes (140), which are connected to the sensor mass (120), and sensor electrodes (160), which are connected to the sensor mass (120). The acceleration sensor (100) has, in addition, second trim electrodes (150), which are connected to the substrate (110) and associated with the first trim electrodes (140), and detection electrodes (170), which are connected to the substrate (110) and associated with the sensor electrodes (160). The sensor electrodes (160) and the detection electrodes (170) are suitable for deflecting the sensor mass (120) along the movement axis (x) and for measuring a first electrostatic force that is exerted on the sensor mass (120) by the sensor electrodes (160) and the detection electrodes (170). A second electrostatic force is produced on the sensor mass (120) by applying an electric trim voltage between the first trim electrodes (140) and the second trim electrodes (150).

A method of detecting whether a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device is hermetic includes applying at least three voltage differences between a movable part and a sensor electrode of the MEMS device to measure at least three effective capacitances, calculating a capacitance-to-voltage curve and an offset voltage of the MEMS device according to the at least three effective capacitances; and determining whether the offset voltage is within a predetermined range to determine whether MEMS device is hermetic.

Provided is a highly reliable acceleration sensor having little 0-point drift. For example, an acceleration sensor having a support substrate having a first direction and a second direction orthogonal thereto in a single surface, a device layer disposed on the support substrate with a space interposed therebetween and having a weight that deforms according to the application of acceleration, and a cap layer disposed on the device layer with a space interposed therebetween, wherein a fixed part fixed to the support substrate is provided in the center of the weight, a beam is provided that extends from the fixed part and makes the weight mobile by being connected thereto, a plurality of posts for coupling the support substrate and the cap layer are disposed on the fixed part, and electric signals are applied to and received from the weight via the posts.

A physical quantity detecting sensor includes a physical quantity detecting sensor element and an IC connected to the physical quantity detecting sensor element. The IC includes: a logic circuit; an analog circuit; a first regulator that supplies a logic power supply voltage generated based on a power supply voltage to the logic circuit; a second regulator that is switched to enable or disable and supplies an analog power supply voltage, which is generated based on the power supply voltage when the second regulator is set to enable, to the analog circuit; and a switch for supplying the logic power supply voltage to the analog circuit when the second regulator is set to disable.

A micromechanical structure of a MEMS device, integrated in a die of semiconductor material provided with a substrate and having at least a first axis of symmetry lying in a horizontal plane, has a stator structure, which is fixed with respect to the substrate, and a rotor structure, having a suspended mass, mobile with respect to the substrate and to the stator structure as a result of an external action, the stator structure having fixed sensing electrodes capacitively coupled to the rotor structure; a compensation structure is integrated in the die for compensation of thermo-mechanical strains. The compensation structure has stator compensation electrodes, which are fixed with respect to the substrate, are capacitively coupled to the rotor structure, and are arranged symmetrically to the fixed sensing electrodes with respect to the first axis of symmetry.

A compound sensor capable of suppressing a fault which has occurred in a detection element from affecting other detection units in which no fault has occurred is provided. The compound sensor includes: a plurality of detection units including C/V conversion circuits 321a and 321b, amplifier circuits 322a and 322b, ADCs 323a and 323b, diagnosis voltage outputting DACs 327a and 327b, carrier signal generating DACs 328a and 328b and substrate voltage generating DACs 329a and 329b which are signal detection circuits provided for each of a plurality of detection elements; a power source voltage input unit 331 and a GND voltage input unit 332 shared among each of the plurality of detection units; and overcurrent switch circuits 101a and 101b which are fault detection circuits for detecting a fault of each detection element and stopping power supply to the detection unit in which the fault has occurred.