A MEMS optical device including: a semiconductor body; a main cavity, which extends within the semiconductor body; a membrane suspended over the main cavity; a piezoelectric actuator, which is mechanically coupled to the membrane and can be electronically controlled so as to deform the membrane; a micro-lens, mechanically coupled to the membrane so as to undergo deformation following the deformation of the membrane; and a rigid optical element, which contacts the micro-lens and is arranged so that the micro-lens is interposed between the rigid optical element and the membrane. The micro-lens and the main cavity are arranged on opposite sides of the membrane.

In a general aspect, a micromachined gyroscope can include a substrate and a static mass suspended in an x-y plane over the substrate by a plurality of anchors attached to the substrate. The static mass can be attached to the anchors by anchor suspension flexures. The micromachined gyroscope can include a dynamic mass surrounding the static mass and suspended from the static mass by one or more gyroscope suspension flexures.

A sensor element includes a piezoelectric body, a plurality of excitation electrodes, and a plurality of detecting electrodes. The piezoelectric body includes a frame and a driving arm and detecting arm which extend from the frame within a predetermined plane parallel to an xy plane in an orthogonal coordinate system xyz. The plurality of excitation electrodes are located on the driving arm. The plurality of detecting electrodes are located on the detecting arm in an arrangement enabling detection of a signal generated by bending deformation of the detecting arm in a z-axis direction. The detecting arm includes a first arm and second arm. The first arm extends from the frame in the predetermined plane. The second arm is connected to a front end side portion of the first arm and extend from a front end side of the first arm toward a frame side within the predetermined plane. An end part of the second arm on the frame side is formed as a free end.

A package structure and its manufacturing method are provided. The package structure includes a substrate with a recess, and a first MEMS chip, a first intermediate chip, a second MEMS chip and a first capping plate sequentially formed on the substrate. The lower surface of the first MEMS chip has a first sensor or a microactuator. The upper surface of the second MEMS chip has a second sensor or a microactuator. The first intermediate chip has a through-substrate via, and includes a signal conversion unit, a logic operation unit, a control unit, or a combination thereof. The package structure includes at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor.

There are provided a piezoelectric body of ytterbium-doped aluminum nitride, having a greater piezoelectric coefficient d.sub.33 or g.sub.33 than those not doped with ytterbium, and a MEMS device using the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body is represented by a chemical formula Al.sub.1-xYb.sub.xN where a value of x is more than 0 and less than 0.37 and having a lattice constant ratio c/a in a range of 1.53 or more and less than 1.6. The piezoelectric body with such a configuration has a greater piezoelectric coefficient d.sub.33 or g.sub.33 than those not doped with ytterbium.

A micromechanical sensor device and manufacturing method. The micromechanical sensor device is provided with a cap substrate, which has a first front side and a first back side, and which has a through-opening as a media entry region; and with a sensor substrate, which has a second front side and a second back side, and which has, on the second front side, a sensor region that is embedded in an island-like region suspended on the remaining sensor substrate. The island-like region is mechanically decoupled from the remaining sensor substrate by a lateral stress-relief trench and by a cavity situated in the sensor substrate, underneath the island-like region. The first back side is bonded to the second front side so that the through opening is situated above the sensor region. The sensor region is covered by a gel, which fills the through-opening and the stress-relief trench at least partially.

A capacitive transducer includes a substrate having an opening in a surface thereof, a back plate facing the opening in the substrate, a vibration electrode film facing the back plate across a space, the vibration electrode film being deformable to have a deformation converted into a change in capacitance between the vibration electrode film and the back plate, the vibration electrode film having a through-hole as a pressure relief hole, and a protrusion integral with and formed from the same member as the back plate, the protrusion being placeable in the pressure relief hole before the vibration electrode film deforms. The pressure relief hole and the protrusion have a gap therebetween defining an airflow channel as a pressure relief channel. The protrusion has a through-hole extending from a distal portion of the protrusion to a portion of the back plate opposite to the protrusion.

A MEMS sensor includes a housing with an interior volume, wherein the housing has an access port to the interior volume, a MEMS component in the housing, and a protection structure, which reduces an introduction of electromagnetic disturbance radiation with a wavelength in the range between 10 nm and 20 m into the interior volume through the access port and reduces a propagation of the electromagnetic disturbance radiation in the interior volume.

A LIDAR system may include: a first housing containing a processor configured to control a light source to enable light flux of the light source to vary over a scan of a field of view; a second housing located in a vehicle remote from the first housing, the second housing containing a controllable light deflector, and an actuator configured to move the light deflector; and a data conduit configured to interconnect the first housing and the second housing, the data conduit is associated with a forward path from the first housing to the second housing and a return path from the second housing to the first housing, wherein the data conduit is configured to cooperate with the processor and the actuator such that the forward path conveys signals for controlling the actuator and the return path conveys reflections signals indicative of light reflected from objects in the field of view.

A MEMS inclinometer includes a substrate, a first mobile mass and a sensing unit. The sensing unit includes a second mobile mass, a number of elastic elements, which are interposed between the second mobile mass and the substrate and are compliant in a direction parallel to a first axis, and a number of elastic structures, each of which is interposed between the first and second mobile masses and is compliant in a direction parallel to the first axis and to a second axis. The sensing unit further includes a fixed electrode that is fixed with respect to the substrate and a mobile electrode fixed with respect to the second mobile mass, which form a variable capacitor.