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.

An environmental sensor including sensor elements to measure multiple physical quantities associated with a surrounding environment, and includes a state determination unit that determines whether the environmental sensor is in a first state in which the sensor is fixed at a predetermined installation location or in a second state in which the sensor is away from an installation location, and an operation switch unit that switches an operation of each sensor element that measures the physical quantities based on whether a state determined by the determination unit is the first state or the second state.

A method for ascertaining at least one dynamic parameter of a MEMS apparatus, which has at least one movable component, and the at least one dynamic parameter describes a dynamic property of the at least one movable component. A test signal which has at least one static excitation of constant amplitude is applied to the MEMS apparatus, and a response signal of the MEMS apparatus to the test signal is detected. At least one static parameter of the MEMS apparatus is ascertained by evaluating the response signal in respect of the at least one static excitation, using a model of at least the movable component of the MEMS apparatus, the at least one static parameter describing a geometric and/or structural property of the at least one movable component. The at least one dynamic parameter of the MEMS apparatus is calculated based on the ascertained at least one static parameter.

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device includes a MEMS die and an electrical circuit electrically connected to the MEMS die. The electrical circuit includes a first capacitor that produces a first output signal based on a signal received from the MEMS die, and a second capacitor that produces a second output signal based on a signal received from the MEMS die. The electrical circuit is configured to determine a nominal capacitance of the MEMS die based on a ratio of the first output signal to the second output signal and a ratio of the capacitances of the first and second capacitors.

Aspects are directed to a MEMS device configurable to receive signals from a first, a second, a third, and a fourth signal source operating at a first, a second, a third, and a fourth frequency, respectively. The MEMS device may be configured to combine the first signal with the second signal generating a first combined signal, and to combine the third signal with the fourth signal generating a second combined signal. The first combined signal may be coupled to the first terminal of the MEMS device while the second combined signal may be coupled to the second terminal of the MEMS device. The first common terminal may be configured to produce an output associated with the second and fourth frequencies. The MEMS device may be further configured to derive from the produced output a signal indicative of nonlinearities or of changes in capacitance related to the MEMS device.

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 method for a MEMS device comprises determining in a computer system, a first driving signal for the MEMS device in response to a first time delay and to a base driving signal, applying the first driving signal to the MEMS device to induce the MEMS device to operate at a first frequency, determining a second driving signal for the MEMS device in response to a second time delay and to the base driving signal, applying the second driving signal to the MEMS device to induce the MEMS device to operate at a second frequency, determining a first quality factor associated with the MEMS device in response to the first frequency and the second frequency, determining a quality factor associated with the MEMS device in response to the first quality factor, and determining whether the quality factor associated with the MEMS device, exceeds a threshold quality factor.

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.

In order to adjust an electric device, it is proposed to integrate a programmable memory unit into the device and to address said programmable memory unit without enlarging the footprint, via contact areas that are obtained by dividing previous contact areas. In this case, an adjustment value in particular for compensating for a fault tolerance is fed into the memory unit, an operating parameter being readjusted with the aid of said adjustment value. In each case two divided contact areas are short-circuited via a common soldering location during the mounting of the device.

A method for characterizing structures etched in a substrate, such as a wafer is disclosed. A bottom of the structure is embedded in the substrate, the substrate having a top side in which the structures are etched and a bottom side opposite to the top side. The method includes the following steps: illuminating the bottom of at least one structure with an illumination beam issued from a light source emitting light with a wavelength adapted to be transmitted through the substrate, acquiring, with an imaging device positioned on the bottom side of said substrate, at least one image of a bottom of the at least one structure through the substrate, and measuring at least one data, called lateral data, relating to a lateral dimension of the bottom of the at least one HAR structure from the at least one acquired image. A system implementing such a method is also disclosed.