A device includes a first stage having a first optical switch, a first transistor connected to the first optical switch, and a second transistor connected to the first optical switch and the first transistor. The device also includes a second stage having a second optical switch, a third transistor connected to the second transistor and the second optical switch, and a fourth transistor connected to the second transistor, the second optical switch, and the third transistor.

A sensor system includes first and second MEMS structures and a processing circuit. The first and second MEMS structures are configured to produce first and second output signals, respectively, in response to a physical stimulus. A method performed by the processing circuit entails receiving the first and second output signals and detecting a defective one of the first and second MEMS structures from the first and second output signals by determining that the first and second output signals are uncorrelated to one another. The method further entails utilizing only the first or the second output signal from a non-defective one of the MEMS structures to produce a processed output signal when one of the MEMS structures is determined to be defective and utilizing the first and second output signals from both of the MEMS structures to produce the processed output signal when neither of the MEMS structures is defective.

A micromechanical sensor, including a micromechanical chip having a first micromechanical structure, a first evaluation chip, having a first application-specific integrated circuit, and a second evaluation chip having a second application-specific integrated circuit. The first evaluation chip and the micromechanical chip are situated in a stacked manner, the micromechanical chip being directly electrically conductively connected with the first evaluation chip and the first evaluation chip being directly electrically conductively connected with the second evaluation chip. The first application-specific integrated circuit primarily includes analog circuit elements and the second application-specific circuit primarily includes digital circuit elements.

A sensor component. The sensor component includes a microelectromechanical z inertial sensor, including two sensor elements situated on a substrate and each designed in the form of a z rocker. The sensor elements each includes a seismic mass structure, elastically deflectable with respect to the substrate with the aid of a torsion spring, which has a heavy side and an oppositely situated light side with regard to the torsion springs. The seismic mass structure of the two sensor elements have different perforations on its heavy and/or light side(s), which effectuate a different sensitivity of the two sensor elements to a temperature gradient running in the z direction. The sensor component also includes an evaluation circuit designed to ascertain an acceleration in the z direction by evaluating the deflection of the seismic mass structure of the two sensor elements.

A MEMS accelerometer includes proof masses that move in-phase in response to a sensed linear acceleration. Self-test drive circuitry imparts an out-of-phase movement onto the proof masses. The motion of the proof masses in response to the linear acceleration and the self-test movement is sensed as a sense signal on common sense electrodes. Processing circuitry extracts from a linear acceleration signal corresponding to the in-phase movement due to linear acceleration and a self-test signal corresponding to the out-of-phase movement due to the self-test drive signal.

A crossover circuit, disposed within a sound producing device including a first sound producing cell driven by a first driving signal and a second sound producing cell driven by a second driving signal, includes a first filter receiving an input signal at an input terminal of the first filter, a first subtraction circuit, and a second filter coupled between the output terminal of the first filter and the second input terminal of the first subtraction circuit. A first input terminal of the first subtraction circuit is coupled to the input terminal of the first filter; a second input terminal of the first subtraction circuit is coupled to an output terminal of the first filter. The crossover circuit produces the first driving signal and the second driving signal according to a first output signal of the first subtraction circuit and a second output signal of the first filter respectively.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device. The MEMS device includes a first dielectric structure disposed over a first semiconductor substrate, where the first dielectric structure at least partially defines a cavity. A second semiconductor substrate is disposed over the first dielectric structure and includes a movable mass, where opposite sidewalls of the movable mass are disposed between opposite sidewall of the cavity. A first piezoelectric anti-stiction structure is disposed between the movable mass and the first dielectric structure, wherein the first piezoelectric anti-stiction structure includes a first piezoelectric structure and a first electrode disposed between the first piezoelectric structure and the first dielectric structure.

The present description concerns a microelectromechanical sensor control method, including the steps of: exciting, with same first signal (FSL), a first resonant (206L) and at least one second resonant element (206R); and estimating a phase shift (Δφ) between the first signal and a second signal (FSR) which is an image of vibrations of the second resonant element.

A method and circuit for obtaining a capacitive feedback signal of a capacitive feedback micro torsion mirror are provided to solve the problem of poor stability of the capacitive feedback signals of the micro torsion mirror. First, a pulse signal is used as a driving signal to drive the capacitive feedback micro torsion mirror to vibrate; it is ensured that the micro torsion mirror may twist freely for at least 0.5 cycles during an interval of two adjacent sets of driving pulses; secondly, the capacitive feedback signal of the capacitive feedback micro torsion mirror is extracted, and converted into a voltage signal; then, the voltage signal is amplified; and finally extracted during the interval of the two adjacent sets of driving pulses, and taken as a real capacitive feedback signal. A carrier generation circuit and a detection circuit are omitted, and the influence of the carrier generation circuit and the detection circuit on a capacitive feedback signal is eliminated. The circuit is more concise and the stability of the capacitive feedback signal is improved. Further, a specific driving form and signal extraction manner are used to obtain the real capacitive feedback signal.

A micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) device comprises an inertial component configured for being connected to a structure by a flexible connection allowing the inertial component to deform or move relative to the structure in response to an external stimulus applied to the structure. One or more resonant components are connected to the structure or inertial component, the resonant component(s) having resonant mode(s). Transduction unit(s) measures an oscillatory motion of the resonant component relative to the inertial component and/or structure. An electronic control unit applies a pump of electrostatic force to induce an oscillatory motion of the resonant component(s) in the resonant mode, the oscillatory motion being a non-linear function of a strength of the electrostatic force. The resonant component is configured to be coupled to the inertial component and/or the structure such that a deformation and/or motion of the inertial component in response to an external stimulus changes the strength of the pump, the electronic control unit configured for producing and outputting an output signal being a mathematical function of the measured oscillatory motion. A system for producing a neuromorphic output for a MEMS device exposed to external stimuli is also provided.