A capacitive microelectromechanical device is provided. The capacitive microelectromechanical device includes a semiconductor substrate, a support structure, an electrode element, a spring element, and a seismic mass. The support structure, for example, a pole, suspension or a post, is fixedly connected to the semiconductor substrate, which may comprise silicon. The electrode element is fixedly connected to the support structure. Moreover, the seismic mass is connected over the spring element to the support structure so that the seismic mass is displaceable, deflectable or movable with respect to the electrode element. Moreover, the seismic mass and the electrode element form a capacitor having a capacitance which depends on a displacement between the seismic mass and the electrode element.

A signal processing method includes a processing target signal generation step of generating a processing target signal which is a time-series signal based on a source signal which is a time-series signal output from an object, and a vibration rectification error calculation step of calculating a plurality of vibration rectification errors by performing product-sum operation processing of a first signal based on the processing target signal and a second signal based on a phase-shifted signal of the processing target signal a plurality of times by changing a shift amount.

A sensor apparatus includes a resonator, a transducer, a damping resistor, a first switch, a filter stage, a second switch, and a noise rejection stage. The transducer is configured to detect a position of the resonator. The damping resistor is configured to electrostatically actuate the transducer and convert a thermomechanical noise of the resonator to an electromechanical noise. The first switch is configured to receive a first signal from the transducer. The filter stage is configured to receive the first signal and adjust a phase and a gain of the first signal and output a filtered first signal. The second switch is configured to receive a second signal from the transducer. The noise rejection stage is configured to receive the filtered first signal and the second signal and reduce the filtered first signal from an output signal.

A sensor having a proximal end and a distal end includes an anchor, a proof mass, a fixed finger, and a movable finger. The anchor is disposed at the proximal end. The proof mass is coupled to the anchor and disposed at a first distance from the anchor. The fixed finger and the movable finger are coupled to the anchor and disposed at a second distance from the anchor at the distal end. The fixed and movable fingers are configured to measure a first capacitance area. A ratio of the first distance over the second distance is between about 0.2 to about 0.6. The ratio is configured to deflect the movable finger at least about 1 μm relative to the fixed finger.

According to some aspects of the subject technology, an apparatus includes an accelerometer including one or more sense electrodes to sense an input acceleration, and an unstick device to free the accelerometer from a stuck state due to a saturating acceleration input. The unstick device includes at least one unstick electrode and a control circuitry to cause the unstick electrode to generate vibrational energy to free the accelerometer.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally structured member which can be made by a simpler process. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally structured member includes shaping a flat plate-shaped base member to produce a three-dimensionally structured member having a plurality of sections that are different from one another in thickness. The manufacturing method comprises: a mask formation step for forming a mask over the whole of at least one main surface of the base member; a mask removal step for removing a part of the mask; and an etching step for etching an exposed part of the base member, wherein a combination of the mask removal step and the etching step is performed on the mask and the base member that correspond to each of the plurality of sections of the three-dimensionally structured member, in the order from thinnest to the thickest of thicknesses of the three-dimensionally structured members.

An MEMS or NEMS accelerometer adapted to measure an acceleration along a sensing axis includes a substrate featuring a plane; a mass having a central zone and suspended relative to the substrate; a single lever arm comprising: a first end connected to the substrate by means of a first connection adapted to allow rotation of the lever arm about a rotation axis perpendicular to the sensing axis, and a second end connected to the mass by means of a second connection adapted to transmit movement in translation of the mass to the lever arm whilst allowing rotation of the lever arm about the rotation axis; the second end of the lever arm being disposed at the level of the central zone of the mass; at least one strain gauge comprising: a first end connected to the substrate, and a second end connected to the lever arm.

The disclosure describes a magnetic circuit assembly that includes a magnet assembly and an excitation ring. The magnet assembly defines an input axis and includes a pole piece and a magnet underlying the pole piece. The excitation ring includes a base and an outer ring positioned around the magnet assembly. The base includes a platform layer underlying the magnet and a base layer underlying the platform layer. The outer ring overlies the base layer. An inner portion of the outer ring faces the magnet assembly and an outer portion of the outer ring is configured to couple to an outer radial portion of a proof mass assembly. The pole piece and the platform layer include a high magnetic permeability material.

The disclosure describes a magnetic circuit assembly that includes a magnet assembly and an excitation ring. The magnet assembly defines a central axis and includes a pole piece and a magnet underlying the pole piece. The excitation ring includes a base and an outer ring positioned around the magnet assembly. The base includes a platform layer underlying the magnet, an upper base layer underlying the platform layer, and a lower base layer underlying the upper base layer. The outer ring overlies the upper base layer and is configured to couple to an outer radial portion of a proof mass assembly. The platform layer and lower base layer are made from high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) materials, while the upper base layer and outer ring are made from low CTE materials. Each relatively high CTE material has a higher CTE than each relatively low CTE material.

A capacitive microelectromechanical acceleration sensor where one or more rotor measurement plates and one or more stator measurement plates are configured so that the movement of a proof mass in the direction of a sense axis can be measured in a capacitive measurement conducted between them. One or more first rotor damping plates and one or more first stator damping plates form a first set of parallel plates which are orthogonal to a first damping axis, and the first damping axis is substantially orthogonal to the sense axis.