According to one embodiment, a method for controlling a vibration device includes a movable body capable of vibrating in a first direction, and a catch and release mechanism capable of catching the movable body that freely vibrates in the first direction, by an electrostatic attractive force, and releasing the caught movable body to freely vibrate the movable body in the first direction, wherein in a condition that tc is a time from a rise start time point to a rise end time point of an applied voltage for catching the movable body that freely vibrates in the first direction, by the electrostatic attractive force, and td is a period of the free vibration in the first direction of the movable body, the time tc is longer than the time td.

The present subject matter relates to devices, systems, and methods for isolation of electrostatic actuators in MEMS devices to reduce or minimize dielectric charging. A tunable component can include a fixed actuator electrode positioned on a substrate, a movable actuator electrode carried on a movable component that is suspended over the substrate, one or more isolation bumps positioned between the fixed actuator electrode and the movable actuator electrode, and a fixed isolation landing that is isolated within a portion of the fixed actuator electrode that is at, near, and/or substantially aligned with each of the one or more isolation bumps. In this arrangement, the movable actuator electrode can be selectively movable toward the fixed actuator electrode, but the one or more isolation bumps can prevent contact between the fixed and movable actuator electrodes, and the fixed isolation landing can inhibit the development of an electric field in the isolation bump.

A physical quantity sensor includes, when three directions orthogonal to one another are defined as a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction, a substrate; and a moving member facing the substrate in the third direction via a gap and becoming displaced in the third direction in relation to the substrate. The moving member has a first region that has a plurality of penetration holes penetrating the moving member in the third direction and having a square opening shape as viewed from the third direction, and a second region having no penetration hole. At least one of a length in the first direction and a length in the second direction of the second region is equal to or greater than S0+2×S1, where S0 is a length of one side of the penetration hole, and S1 is a space between the penetration holes next to each other.

A method includes forming a first mask on a first portion of a first surface of a substrate, forming a second mask on the first mask and further forming the second mask on a second portion of the first surface of the substrate, and etching an exposed portion of the first surface of the substrate and removing the second mask. According to some embodiments, an exposed portion of the first surface of the substrate is etched and the first mask is removed. An oxide layer is formed on the first surface of the substrate. A third mask is formed on the oxide layer except for a portion of the oxide layer corresponding to bumpstop features. The portion of the oxide layer corresponding to the bumpstop features is removed. An exposed portion of the first surface of the substrate is etched and the third mask is removed.

A physical quantity sensor includes a movable body, a support portion supporting the movable body through a connecting portion, and a substrate that is disposed so as to overlap the movable body in plan view and provided with a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode along a first direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the connecting portion. In plan view, a dummy electrode that is disposed next to the first fixed electrode and is at the same potential as the movable body is provided on the substrate. The first fixed electrode and the dummy electrode includes a first electrode material layer provided on the substrate, and a second electrode material layer provided on the substrate and on the first electrode material layer. The second electrode material layer constituting the first fixed electrode and the second electrode material layer constituting the dummy electrode are provided between the first electrode material layer constituting the first fixed electrode and the first electrode material layer constituting the dummy electrode, in plan view. A distance between the second electrode material layer constituting the first fixed electrode and the second electrode material layer constituting the dummy electrode is smaller than a distance between the first electrode material layer constituting the first fixed electrode and the first electrode material layer constituting the dummy electrode, in plan view.

According to one embodiment, a MEMS element includes a base body, a supporter, a film part, a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insulating member. The supporter is fixed to the base body. The film part is separated from the base body in a first direction and supported by the supporter. The first electrode is fixed to the base body and provided between the base body and the film part. The second electrode is fixed to the film part and provided between the first electrode and the film part. The insulating member includes a first insulating region and a second insulating region. The first insulating region is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. A first gap is provided between the first insulating region and the second electrode. The second insulating region does not overlap the first electrode in the first direction.

The structure of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) thermal sensor and a method of fabricating the MEMS thermal sensor are disclosed. A method of fabricating a MEMS thermal sensor includes forming first and second sensing electrodes with first and second electrode fingers, respectively, on a substrate and forming a patterned layer with a rectangular cross-section between a pair of the first electrode fingers. The first and second electrode fingers are formed in an interdigitated configuration and suspended above the substrate. The method further includes modifying the patterned layer to have a curved cross-section between the pair of the first electrode fingers, forming a curved sensing element on the modified patterned layer to couple to the pair of the first electrode fingers, and removing the modified patterned layer.

A method includes forming a first mask on a first portion of a first surface of a substrate, forming a second mask on the first mask and further forming the second mask on a second portion of the first surface of the substrate, and etching an exposed portion of the first surface of the substrate and removing the second mask. According to some embodiments, an exposed portion of the first surface of the substrate is etched and the first mask is removed. An oxide layer is formed on the first surface of the substrate. A third mask is formed on the oxide layer except for a portion of the oxide layer corresponding to bumpstop features. The portion of the oxide layer corresponding to the bumpstop features is removed. An exposed portion of the first surface of the substrate is etched and the third mask is removed.

The structure of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) thermal sensor and a method of fabricating the MEMS thermal sensor are disclosed. A method of fabricating a MEMS thermal sensor includes forming first and second sensing electrodes with first and second electrode fingers, respectively, on a substrate and forming a patterned layer with a rectangular cross-section between a pair of the first electrode fingers. The first and second electrode fingers are formed in an interdigitated configuration and suspended above the substrate. The method further includes modifying the patterned layer to have a curved cross-section between the pair of the first electrode fingers, forming a curved sensing element on the modified patterned layer to couple to the pair of the first electrodes, and removing the modified patterned layer.

An inertial sensor includes a substrate, a movable element that swings around a swing axis; and a protrusion that overlaps with the movable element in the plan view and protrudes from the substrate toward the movable element. The protrusion includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion so located as to be farther from the swing axis than the first protrusion, and when the movable element swings relative to the substrate around the swing axis, the first protrusion and the second protrusion come into contact with the movable element at the same time or the first protrusion comes into contact with the movable element and then the second protrusion comes into contact with the movable element.