ROTATION RATE SENSOR, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A ROTATION RATE SENSOR

Abstract

A rotation rate sensor including a substrate, a drive structure, which is movable with regard to the substrate, a detection structure, and a Coriolis structure, the drive structure, the Coriolis structure, and the detection structure being essentially situated in a layer, in that an additional layer is situated essentially in parallel to the layer above or underneath the layer, a mechanical connection between the Coriolis structure and the drive structure being established with a first spring component, the first spring component being configured as a part of the additional layer, and/or a mechanical connection between the detection structure and the substrate being established with a second spring component, the second spring component being configured as a part of the additional layer.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A rotation rate sensor, comprising: a substrate; a drive structure, which is movable with regard to the substrate; a detection structure; and a Coriolis structure, wherein the drive structure, the Coriolis structure, and the detection structure are essentially situated in a layer, and wherein an additional layer is situated essentially in parallel to the layer above or underneath the layer; wherein a mechanical connection between the Coriolis structure and the drive structure is established with a first spring component, which is configured as a part of the additional layer, and/or wherein a mechanical connection between the detection structure and the substrate is established with a second spring component, which is configured as a part of the additional layer.

12. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the first spring component has a lesser expansion in an extension direction perpendicular to a main extension plane of the additional layer than in a first main extension direction of the additional layer and in a second main extension direction of the additional layer, and/or wherein the second spring component has a lesser expansion in the extension direction perpendicular to the main extension plane of the additional layer than in the first main extension direction of the additional layer and in the second main extension direction of the additional layer.

13. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the additional layer is formed underneath the layer, and a further additional layer is formed essentially in parallel to the layer above the layer, and wherein a mechanical connection between the Coriolis structure and the drive structure is established with a further first spring component, which is configured as a part of the further additional layer, and/or wherein a mechanical connection between the detection structure and the substrate is established with a further second spring component, which is configured as a part of the further additional layer.

14. The rotation rate sensor of claim 13, wherein the further first spring component has a lesser expansion in a further extension direction perpendicular to a further main extension plane of the further additional layer than in a first further main extension direction of the further additional layer and in a second further main extension direction of the further additional layer, and/or wherein the further second spring component has a lesser expansion in the further extension direction perpendicular to the further main extension plane of the further additional layer than in the first further main extension direction of the further additional layer and in the second further main extension direction of the further additional layer.

15. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the first spring component and/or the second spring component includes at least one beam.

16. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the first spring component and/or the second spring component includes a framework structure or a lattice structure.

17. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the first spring component has a lesser expansion in an extension direction perpendicular to a main extension plane of the additional layer than the Coriolis structure, the detection structure, and/or the drive structure, and/or wherein the second spring component has a lesser expansion in an extension direction perpendicular to a main extension plane of the additional layer than the Coriolis structure, the detection structure, and/or the drive structure.

18. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the rotation rate sensor is configured to detect a rotation rate in a first main extension direction of the layer and/or a second main extension direction of the layer.

19. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein a detection electrode is situated at least partially above or underneath the detection structure.

20. A method for manufacturing a rotation rate sensor, the method comprising: providing a substrate; providing a drive structure, which is movable with regard to the substrate; providing a detection structure; and providing a Coriolis structure, wherein the drive structure, the Coriolis structure, and the detection structure are essentially situated in a layer, and wherein an additional layer is situated essentially in parallel to the layer above or underneath the layer; wherein a mechanical connection between the Coriolis structure and the drive structure is established with a first spring component, which is configured as a part of the additional layer, and/or wherein a mechanical connection between the detection structure and the substrate is established with a second spring component, which is configured as a part of the additional layer.

21. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the first spring component and/or the second spring component includes a plurality of beams.

22. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the first spring component and/or the second spring component includes a plurality of beams, and wherein the further first spring component and/or the further second spring component includes at least one beam.

23. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the first spring component and/or the second spring component includes a plurality of beams, and wherein the further first spring component and/or the further second spring component includes a plurality of beams.

24. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the first spring component and/or the second spring component includes a framework structure or a lattice structure, and wherein the further first spring component and/or the further second spring component includes a framework structure or a lattice structure.

25. The rotation rate sensor of claim 11, wherein the first spring component has a lesser expansion in an extension direction perpendicular to a main extension plane of the additional layer than the Coriolis structure, the detection structure, and/or the drive structure, and/or wherein the second spring component has a lesser expansion in an extension direction perpendicular to a main extension plane of the additional layer than the Coriolis structure, the detection structure, and/or the drive structure, wherein the further first spring component having a lesser expansion in a further extension direction perpendicular to a further main extension plane of the further additional layer than the Coriolis structure, the detection structure, and/or the drive structure, and/or wherein the further second spring component has a lesser expansion in the further extension direction perpendicular to the further main extension plane) of the further additional layer than the Coriolis structure, the detection structure, and/or the drive structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 schematically shows a top view of a rotation rate sensor according to the related art.

[0022] FIG. 2 schematically shows a cross section through a section of a rotation rate sensor according to the related art.

[0023] FIG. 3 schematically shows a top view of a rotation rate sensor according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 4 schematically shows a top view of a section of a rotation rate sensor according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 5 schematically shows a top view of a section of a rotation rate sensor according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 6 schematically shows a cross section through a section of a rotation rate sensor according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 7 schematically shows a cross section through a section of a rotation rate sensor according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In FIG. 1, a top view of a rotation rate sensor according to the related art is schematically illustrated. The rotation rate sensor includes a Coriolis structure 4, a drive structure 2, and a detection structure 3. Structures 2, 3, and 4 are formed in a layer 10. Coriolis structure 4 and drive structure 2 are connected via springs. The detection structure and the substrate are also connected via springs. The above-mentioned springs are configured in layer 10 just as structures 2, 3, and 4. Rotation rate sensors of this type may be used to detect rotation rates, in particular, which are applied perpendicularly to the surface of the substrate.

[0029] In FIG. 2, a cross section through a section of a rotation rate sensor according to the related art is schematically illustrated. Coriolis structure 4, drive structure 2, and detection structure 3 are configured in layer 10 just as are the springs via which they are connected in each case. A buried conductive layer 15 is formed underneath layer 10. Buried layer 15 is used as a strip conductor or as an electrode. Oxide layers 9, in which contact areas 5 may also be provided, are deposited between the substrate and buried conductive layer 15 and between same and thick polysilicon layer 10. Layer 10 (or its structures) is exposed through a trenching process 6 and an oxide sacrificial layer process.

[0030] In FIG. 3, a top view of a section of a rotation rate sensor 1 according to one specific embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. Rotation rate sensor 1 includes a drive structure 2 (configured as a drive frame), a Coriolis structure 4 (configured as a Coriolis frame), and a detection structure 3 (configured as a detection frame). Drive structure 2, Coriolis structure 4, and detection structure 3 are configured as a part of a layer 10 and have the same expansion or thickness in a first extension direction 100 perpendicular to a main extension plane 600, 600 of layer 10. Drive structure 2 may be driven with the aid of comb electrodes. Drive structure 2 and Coriolis structure 4 are mechanically resiliently coupled to one another with the aid of a total of four first spring components 30 and/or four further first spring components 50. Detection structure 3 and the underlying substrate (or a conductive buried layer 15 of the substrate) are mechanically resiliently coupled to one another with the aid of four second spring components 31 and/or four further second spring components 51. First and second spring component 30, 31 are configured as a part of an additional layer 20 and/or further first spring component and further second spring component 50, 51 are configured as a part of a further additional layer 40. Additional layer 20 (or spring components 30, 31 configured as a part thereof) and/or further additional layer 40 (of further spring components 50, 51 configured as a part thereof) are thinner in each case (in extension direction 100 or further extension direction 200 perpendicular to a main extension plane 600, 600 of layer 10) than layer 10 or Coriolis structure 4, drive structure 2, and detection structure 3. Spring components 30, 31 and/or further spring components 50, 51 each have in (further) first main extension direction 300, 400 of additional layer 20 and/or further additional layer 40 as well as in (further) second main extension direction 300, 400 of additional layer 20 and/or further additional layer 40 a larger expansion than in (further) extension direction 100, 200 perpendicular to (further) first and second main extension direction 300, 400, 300, 400. For this reason, spring components 30, 31 and/or further spring components 50, 51 are each less stiff in (further) extension direction 100, 200 perpendicular to (further) first and second main extension directions 300, 400, 300, 400 than in (further) first and second main extension directions 300, 400, 300, 400.

[0031] In FIG. 4, a top view of a section of a rotation rate sensor 1 according to one specific embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. In particular, a second spring component 31 is illustrated with the aid of which a mechanically resilient connection between detection structure 3 and the underlying substrate (or a conductive buried layer 15 of the substrate) is established. Second spring component 31 is configured as a part of an additional layer 20 underneath layer 10 (i.e. closer to the substrate). Furthermore, a subarea of a Coriolis structure and a first spring component 30 are illustrated.

[0032] In FIG. 5, a top view of a section of a rotation rate sensor 1 according to one specific embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. In particular, a second spring component 31 is illustrated with the aid of which a mechanically resilient connection between detection structure 3 and the underlying substrate (or a conductive buried layer 15 of the substrate) is established. Second spring component 31 is configured as a part of an additional layer 20 underneath layer 10 (i.e., closer to the substrate). Second spring component 31 includes multiple beams, whereby a desired stiffness is particularly advantageously achievable in first main extension direction 300 of additional layer 20 and in second main extension direction 300 of additional layer 20. Furthermore, a subarea of a Coriolis structure and a first spring component 30 are illustrated.

[0033] In FIG. 6, a cross section through a section of a rotation rate sensor 1 according to one specific embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown along the dashed line plotted in FIG. 4. Here, a part of detection structure 3 is illustrated which is connected to a conductive buried layer 15 of the substrate with the aid of second spring component 31. Detection structure 3 has a larger expansion in a (further) extension direction 100, 200 perpendicular to (further) first and second main extension directions 300, 400, 300, 400 than second spring component 31.

[0034] In FIG. 7, a cross section through a section of a rotation rate sensor 1 according to one specific embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. Here, the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 7 has the features of the specific embodiment described with reference to FIG. 6. Additionally, the specific embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 shows a further second spring component 51 which is situated above detection structure 3. Detection structure 3 and the substrate are resiliently connected to one another with the aid of further second spring component 51. Detection structure 3 has a larger expansion in a (further) extension direction 100, 200 perpendicular to (further) first and second main extension directions 300, 400, 300, 400 than further second spring component 51.

[0035] It may be provided according to the present invention that layer 10, additional layer 20 and further additional layer 40 (and further may be provided, conductive buried layer 15) are polysilicon functional layers. In this case, oxide layers, which have passages with the aid of which the functional layers are connected (i.e. polysilicon material is also situated in the passages), are typically deposited between different functional layers 10, 20, 40, 15. This is indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5.