Disclosed is an actuator including a support member, an actuating unit rotatably installed in the support member and having a first electrode installed on one side and a stimulation providing unit installed on the other side to provide stimulation by rotation, and an attraction force providing unit having a second electrode to provide an attraction force to the first electrode, wherein when an electrostatic attraction force is provided to the first electrode through the second electrode, the actuating unit pivots to enable the stimulation providing unit to apply stimulation to a sensing unit.

An actuator device includes a support portion, a movable portion, a connection portion, a first wiring provided to the connection portion, a second wiring provided to the movable portion, a first insulation layer which includes a first opening exposing a surface opposite to the movable portion in a first connection part located at the movable portion in one wiring of the first and second wirings, a second insulation layer covering the first and second wirings. The other wiring of the first and second wirings is connected to the surface of the first connection part in the first opening. A region corresponding to a corner of the other wiring of the first and second wirings in a surface opposite to the movable portion in the second insulation layer is curved in a convex shape toward an opposite side to the movable portion.

An electromechanical microsystem including an electromechanical transducer, a deformable diaphragm and a cavity hermetically containing a deformable medium keeping a constant volume under the action of an external pressure change. The deformable diaphragm forms a wall of the cavity and has at least one free area so as to be elastically deformed. The electromechanical transducer is configured so that its movement depends on the change in the external pressure, and vice versa. The free area cooperates with an external member so that its deformation induces, or is induced by, a movement of the external member. Thus, the electromechanical microsystem is adapted to displace the external member or to detect a movement of this member, the electromechanical microsystem includes at least one pin, configured to bear on a peripheral portion of the free area so that a deformation of the free rea causes an inclination of the pin.

A physical quantity sensor has a first movable section, a second movable section that has a rotational moment, which is generated when acceleration is applied, that is different from the first movable section, a movable section that is supported so as to be able to rock about an axis which is positioned between the first movable section and the second movable section, a first detection electrode which is arranged so as to oppose the first movable section, a second detection electrode which is arranged so as to oppose the second movable section, and a frame-form section which is arranged so as to surround at least a portion of the periphery of the movable section in planar view of the movable section and which has the same potential as the movable section.

A micromechanical sensor that is produced surface-micromechanically includes at least one mass element formed in a third functional layer that is non-perforated at least in certain portions. The sensor has a gap underneath the mass element that is formed by removal of a second functional layer and at least one oxide layer. The removal of the at least one oxide layer takes place by introducing a gaseous etching medium into a defined number of etching channels arranged substantially parallel to one another. The etching channels are configured to be connected to a vertical access channel in the third functional layer.

Disclosed is an actuator including a support member, an actuating unit rotatably installed in the support member and having a first electrode installed on one side and a stimulation providing unit installed on the other side to provide stimulation by rotation, and an attraction force providing unit having a second electrode to provide an attraction force to the first electrode, wherein when an electrostatic attraction force is provided to the first electrode through the second electrode, the actuating unit pivots to enable the stimulation providing unit to apply stimulation to a sensing unit.

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 MEMS sensor is disclosed that includes dual pendulous proof masses comprised of sections of different thickness to allow simultaneous suppression of vertical and lateral thermal gradient-induced offsets in a MEMS sensor while still allowing for the normal operation of the accelerometer. In an embodiment, the structure and different sections of the MEMS sensor is realized using multiple polysilicon layers. In other embodiments, the structure and different thickness sections may be realized with other materials and processes. For example, plating, etching, or silicon-on-nothing (SON) processing.

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.

A physical quantity sensor has a first movable section, a second movable section that has a rotational moment, which is generated when acceleration is applied, that is different from the first movable section, a movable section that is supported so as to be able to rock about an axis which is positioned between the first movable section and the second movable section, a first detection electrode which is arranged so as to oppose the first movable section, a second detection electrode which is arranged so as to oppose the second movable section, and a frame-form section which is arranged so as to surround at least a portion of the periphery of the movable section in planar view of the movable section and which has the same potential as the movable section.