A capacitive micromechanical accelerometer comprising a first proof mass, a second proof mass, a third proof mass and a fourth proof mass. Each proof mass is configured as a seesaw which undergoes rotation out of the xy-plane in response to z-axis acceleration. The four proof masses are suspended from the same central anchor point with torsionally flexible suspension arrangements. Errors introduced into the output signal by wafer bending can be automatically compensated in a differential capacitive measurement.

A micromechanical z-inertial sensor includes a substrate; a movable seismic mass in a micromechanical functional layer; a torsion spring connected to the movable seismic mass and about which the seismic mass able to rotate; an electrode layer below the seismic mass and that, in an outer region is connectible to a potential of the substrate and is connected to the seismic mass via an insulating layer; and electrodes at a distance above and below an inner region of the electrode surface.

Described examples include an apparatus having a substrate with a substrate surface. The apparatus also includes an element with a planar surface facing the substrate surface and with a nonplanar surface opposite the planar surface facing away from the substrate surface.

A button device includes a MEMS sensor having a MEMS strain detection structure and a deformable substrate configured to undergo deformation under the action of an external force. The MEMS strain detection structure includes a mobile element carried by the deformable substrate via at least a first and a second anchorage, the latter fixed with respect to the deformable substrate and configured to displace and generate a deformation force on the mobile element in the presence of the external force; and stator elements capacitively coupled to the mobile element. The deformation of the mobile element causes a capacitance variation between the mobile element and the stator elements. Furthermore, the MEMS sensor is configured to generate detection signals correlated to the capacitance variation.

The invention includes miniature dots, miniature disks or miniature cylinders and methods of making the same by dispersing a particle in or on a dissolvable, meltable or etchable layer on a substrate, a portion of the particle exposed above a surface of the dissolvable, meltable or etchable layer; depositing a mask on the particles and the dissolvable substrate; removing the particles from the layer; etching an array of nanoholes in the substrate; depositing one or more metallic layers into the nanoholes to form an array of dots, disks or cylinders; and dissolving the dissolvable layer with a solvent to expose the dots, disks or cylinders. The dots, disks or cylinders can be included with two sets of microelectrodes for ultrahigh speed rotation of miniature motors, and/or can be designed with a magnetic configuration into miniature motors for uniform rotation speeds and prescribed angular displacement. The invention also includes modified diatom frustules, and miniature motors containing modified diatom frustules.

An inertial sensor includes a movable element including a first movable section and a second movable section, a first detection electrode, and a first dummy electrode. The first movable section has a first section, a second section that is farther from the swing axis than the first section, and a third section disposed between the first section and second section. A separation distance between the third section and the first dummy electrode is greater than a separation distance between the first section and the first detection electrode.

A method for forming a MEMS device may include performing a silicon-on-nothing process to form a cavity in a monocrystalline silicon substrate at a first depth relative to a top surface of the monocrystalline silicon substrate; forming, in an electrically conductive electrode region of the monocrystalline silicon substrate, an electrically insulated region extending to a second depth that is less than the first depth relative to the top surface of the monocrystalline silicon substrate; and etching the monocrystalline silicon substrate to expose a gap between a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the second electrode is separated from the first electrode, within a first depth region, by a first distance defined by the electrically insulated region and the gap, and wherein the second electrode is separated from the first electrode, within a second depth region, by a second distance defined by the gap.

A capacitive micromechanical accelerometer comprising a first proof mass, a second proof mass, a third proof mass and a fourth proof mass. Each proof mass is configured as a seesaw which undergoes rotation out of the xy-plane in response to z-axis acceleration. The four proof masses are suspended from the same central anchor point with torsionally flexible suspension arrangements. Errors introduced into the output signal by wafer bending can be automatically compensated in a differential capacitive measurement.

An interposer substrate, a MEMS device and a corresponding manufacturing method. The interposer substrate is equipped with a front side and a rear side, a cavity starting from the rear side, which extends up to a first depth, a through-opening and a sunken area situated between the cavity and the through-opening, which is sunken from the rear side up to a second depth in relation to the rear side, the first depth being greater than the second depth.

An inertial sensor includes a support substrate, a sensor main body supported by the support substrate, and a bonding member that is located between the support substrate and the sensor main body and bonds the sensor main body to the support substrate. The sensor main body includes a substrate bonded to the support substrate via the bonding member and a capacitance-type sensor device provided at a side of the substrate opposite to the support substrate. The substrate has a side surface, a first principal surface facing the support substrate, and a recessed step section that is located between the side surface and the first principal surface and connects the side surface to the first principal surface. The bonding member extends along the first principal surface and the step section.