A cantilever section as a substrate for a sensor includes: a base section; a movable section connected to the base section; an arm portion as a support portion extending along the movable section from the base section when viewed in a planar view as viewed from a thickness direction of the movable section; and a gap portion formed to have a predetermined gap between the movable section and the arm portion when viewed in the planar view, in which a ridge portion formed as an etching residue having a top portion on the side facing the gap portion is provided on each of facing surfaces of the movable section and the arm portion in the gap portion, and the predetermined gap is a gap between a top portion of a first ridge portion which is the ridge portion formed at one of the movable section and the arm portion, and a top portion of a second ridge portion which is the ridge portion formed at the other of the movable section and the arm portion.

A cantilever section as a substrate for a sensor includes: a base section; a movable section connected to the base section; an arm portion as a support portion extending along the movable section from the base section when viewed in a planar view as viewed from a thickness direction of the movable section; and a gap portion formed to have a predetermined gap between the movable section and the arm portion when viewed in the planar view, in which a ridge portion formed as an etching residue having a top portion on the side facing the gap portion is provided on each of facing surfaces of the movable section and the arm portion in the gap portion, and the predetermined gap is a gap between a top portion of a first ridge portion which is the ridge portion formed at one of the movable section and the arm portion, and a top portion of a second ridge portion which is the ridge portion formed at the other of the movable section and the arm portion.

An acceleration sensor includes a fixation member, a weight member including a plate with two opposing sides parallel or substantially parallel to an X-direction and two opposing sides parallel to a Y-axis direction in a plan view, the weight member including a cutout extending in a direction about 45 relative to the X and Y axis directions, a vibrating beam linearly extending in the direction about 45 relative to the X and Y axis directions in the plan view, and one end portion is connected to the fixation member and the other end portion is connected to the weight member, the vibrating beam is partly arranged within the cutout and supporting the weight member to be displaceable in a Z-axis direction, a driver disposed on the vibrating beam and vibrating the vibrating beam, and a detector disposed on the vibrating beam and outputting a detection signal that is changed depending on deformation of the vibrating beam.

An acceleration sensor includes a fixation member, a weight member including a plate with two opposing sides parallel or substantially parallel to an X-direction and two opposing sides parallel to a Y-axis direction in a plan view, the weight member including a cutout extending in a direction about 45 relative to the X and Y axis directions, a vibrating beam linearly extending in the direction about 45 relative to the X and Y axis directions in the plan view, and one end portion is connected to the fixation member and the other end portion is connected to the weight member, the vibrating beam is partly arranged within the cutout and supporting the weight member to be displaceable in a Z-axis direction, a driver disposed on the vibrating beam and vibrating the vibrating beam, and a detector disposed on the vibrating beam and outputting a detection signal that is changed depending on deformation of the vibrating beam.

A weight member includes two sides opposite to each other in an X-axis direction when looked at in a plan view. A vibrating beam includes one end portion connected at one location to a fixation member and the other end portion connected at one location to one of the two sides of the weight member in the X-axis direction when looked at in a plan view. The vibrating beam supports the weight member to be displaceable in the X-axis direction. A holding beam includes one end portion connected at one location to the fixation member and the other end portion connected at one location to the other of the two sides of the weight member opposing to each other in the X-axis direction when looked at in a plan view. The holding beam supports the weight member to be displaceable in the X-axis direction. A driver is disposed on the vibrating beam and vibrates the vibrating beam. A detector is disposed on the vibrating beam and configured to output a detection signal changes according to deformation of the vibrating beam.

A weight member includes two sides opposite to each other in an X-axis direction when looked at in a plan view. A vibrating beam includes one end portion connected at one location to a fixation member and the other end portion connected at one location to one of the two sides of the weight member in the X-axis direction when looked at in a plan view. The vibrating beam supports the weight member to be displaceable in the X-axis direction. A holding beam includes one end portion connected at one location to the fixation member and the other end portion connected at one location to the other of the two sides of the weight member opposing to each other in the X-axis direction when looked at in a plan view. The holding beam supports the weight member to be displaceable in the X-axis direction. A driver is disposed on the vibrating beam and vibrates the vibrating beam. A detector is disposed on the vibrating beam and configured to output a detection signal changes according to deformation of the vibrating beam.

An in-plane MEMS or NEMS detection device for measuring displacements directed along a direction including a seismic mass suspended with respect to a substrate, the seismic mass being pivotable about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, at least one piezoresistive strain gauge mechanically connected to the seismic mass and the substrate, wherein the piezoresistive gauge has a thickness lower than that of the seismic mass, and wherein the axis of the piezoresistive strain gauge is orthogonal to the plane containing the pivot axis and the center of gravity of the seismic mass and the plane is orthogonal to the direction of the displacements to be measured.

A device is described that includes a pendulous proof mass, a support base, a flexure, and at least two resonators. The support base defines a plane and supports the pendulous proof mass. The flexure flexibly connects the pendulous proof mass to the support base, suspends the pendulous proof mass within the support base, and in response to an acceleration of the device, the pendulous proof mass rotates about the flexure in the plane defined by the support base. The at least two resonators flexibly connect the pendulous proof mass to the support base and flex based on the rotation of the pendulous proof mass about the flexure, wherein each of the at least two resonators resonate at a respective resonant frequency.

A method of tuning a vibratory ring structure includes determining an angular spacing for a pair of fine tuning holes of substantially the same size, located on or near the neutral axis of the vibratory ring structure, the angular offset being selected to reduce to an acceptable level the frequency split between the target normal mode and a further normal mode which is angularly offset relative to the target normal mode, and forming the pair of fine tuning holes in the vibratory ring structure at the determined angular spacing. A ring structure, for example, a gyroscope, tuned or balanced in this manner, is also disclosed.

A micromechanical acceleration sensor is provided, including a substrate, a first seismic mass, which is movably suspended on the substrate and deflectable in an acceleration acting on the substrate in a first direction, first detection means for detecting a deflection of the first seismic mass in an acceleration acting on the substrate in the first direction, a second seismic mass, which is movably suspended on the substrate and deflectable in an acceleration acting on the substrate in a second direction, the second direction running perpendicularly to the first direction, second detection means for detecting a deflection of the second seismic mass in an acceleration acting on the substrate in the second direction, the second seismic mass furthermore being deflectable in an acceleration acting on the substrate in a third direction, the third direction running perpendicularly to the first direction and to the second direction, and third detection means for detecting a deflection of the second seismic mass in an acceleration acting on the substrate in the third direction.