A method for determining a quality factor of an electrostatically actuated oscillator, the oscillator having a resonance frequency, the method including generating an excitation voltage defined as being the sum of a sinusoidal voltage and a voltage pulse; applying the excitation voltage at the input of the oscillator; acquiring in the time domain a response voltage present at the output of the oscillator after having ceased applying the excitation voltage at the input of the oscillator; determining the quality factor of the oscillator from the response voltage acquired at the output of the oscillator.

The disclosure provides a system, comprising: a MEMS capacitive transducer, comprising one or more first capacitive plates coupled to a first node and one or more second capacitive plates coupled to a second node; biasing circuitry coupled to the first node, operable to provide a biasing voltage to the one or more first capacitive plates; and test circuitry coupled to the second node, operable to: selectively apply one or more current sources to the second node, so as to charge and discharge the MEMS capacitive transducer and so vary a signal based on a voltage at said second node between an upper value and a lower value; determine a parameter that is indicative of a time period of the variation of the signal; and determine a capacitance of the MEMS capacitive transducer based on the parameter that is indicative of the time period.

The present disclosure relates to a system comprising: a MEMS capacitive transducer comprising a first electrode and a second electrode; integrator circuitry; and test circuitry. The MEMS capacitive transducer forms part of a negative feedback path of the integrator circuitry, and the test circuitry is operable to selectively apply one or more current sources to an input of the integrator circuitry based on a signal at an output of the integrator so as to generate a periodic signal at the output of the integrator circuitry. A frequency of the periodic signal is at least partially dependent upon a capacitance of the MEMS capacitive transducer. The system is further operative to determine a parameter indicative of the frequency of the periodic signal and to estimate the capacitance of the MEMS capacitive transducer based on the parameter indicative of the frequency of the periodic signal.

A thermal regulation system includes a sensor, one or more temperature adjusting devices, and a filler provided in a space between the sensor and at least one of the one or more temperature adjusting devices. The one or more temperature adjusting devices are (1) in thermal communication with the sensor, and (2) configured to adjust a temperature of the sensor from an initial temperature to a predetermined temperature at a rate of temperature change that meets or exceeds a threshold value.

The disclosure provides a system, comprising: a MEMS capacitive transducer, comprising one or more first capacitive plates coupled to a first node and one or more second capacitive plates coupled to a second node; biasing circuitry coupled to the first node, operable to provide a biasing voltage to the one or more first capacitive plates; and test circuitry coupled to the second node, operable to: selectively apply one or more current sources to the second node, so as to charge and discharge the MEMS capacitive transducer and so vary a signal based on a voltage at said second node between an upper value and a lower value; determine a parameter that is indicative of a time period of the variation of the signal; and determine a capacitance of the MEMS capacitive transducer based on the parameter that is indicative of the time period.

A micromechanical component for a capacitive pressure sensor device includes a substrate; a frame structure that frames a partial surface; a membrane that is tensioned by the frame structure such that a self-supporting region of the membrane extends over the framed partial surface and an internal volume with a reference pressure therein is sealed in an airtight fashion, the self-supporting region of the membrane being deformable by a physical pressure on an external side of the self-supporting region that not equal to the reference pressure; a measurement electrode situated on the framed partial surface; and a reference measurement electrode that is situated on the framed partial surface and is electrically insulated from the measurement electrode.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor includes a MEMS layer that includes fixed and movable electrodes. In response to an in-plane linear acceleration, the movable electrodes move with respect to the fixed electrodes, and acceleration is determined based on the resulting change in capacitance. A plurality of auxiliary electrodes are located on a substrate of the MEMS sensor and below the MEMS layer, such that a capacitance between the MEMS layer and the auxiliary loads changes in response to an out-of-plane movement of the MEMS layer or a portion thereof. The MEMS sensor compensates for the acceleration value based on the capacitance sensed by the auxiliary electrodes.

A self-tuning impedance-matching microelectromechanical (MEMS) circuit, methods for making and using the same, and circuits including the same are disclosed. The MEMS circuit includes a tunable reactance element connected to a first mechanical spring, a separate tunable or fixed reactance element, and an AC signal source configured to provide an AC signal to the tunable reactance element(s). The reactance elements comprise a capacitor and an inductor. The AC signal source creates an electromagnetically energy favorable state for the tunable reactance element(s) at resonance with the AC signal. The method of making generally includes forming a first MEMS structure and a second mechanical or MEMS structure in/on a mechanical layer above an insulating substrate, and coating the first and second structures with a conductor to form a first tunable reactance element and a second tunable or fixed reactance element, as in the MEMS circuit.

The present disclosure relates to a system comprising: a MEMS capacitive transducer comprising a first electrode and a second electrode; integrator circuitry; and test circuitry. The MEMS capacitive transducer forms part of a negative feedback path of the integrator circuitry, and the test circuitry is operable to selectively apply one or more current sources to an input of the integrator circuitry based on a signal at an output of the integrator so as to generate a periodic signal at the output of the integrator circuitry. A frequency of the periodic signal is at least partially dependent upon a capacitance of the MEMS capacitive transducer. The system is further operative to determine a parameter indicative of the frequency of the periodic signal and to estimate the capacitance of the MEMS capacitive transducer based on the parameter indicative of the frequency of the periodic signal.

Systems and methods are provided for calibrating and regulating the temperature of a sensor. One or more temperature adjusting devices can be provided to regulate the temperature of the sensor. One or more of the temperature adjusting devices can be provided to perform a calibration to determine a relationship between sensor bias and sensor temperature. The one or more temperature adjusting devices can be built into the sensor.