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EP-4431448-B1 - SENSOR AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

EP4431448B1EP 4431448 B1EP4431448 B1EP 4431448B1EP-4431448-B1

Inventors

  • MASUNISHI, KEI
  • OGAWA, ETSUJI
  • TOMIZAWA, YASUSHI
  • MIYAZAKI, FUMITO
  • ONO, DAIKI
  • UCHIDA, KENGO
  • OGAWA, JUMPEI
  • ISHIBASHI, FUMITAKA
  • MURASE, HIDEAKI

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230817

Claims (8)

  1. A sensor (120-123), comprising: an element section (10E); a base (50S); and a first fixed portion (10S) fixed to the base, the element section (10E) including: a first beam (31) including a first portion (31a) and a first other portion (31b), a direction from the first portion to the first other portion being along a first direction (D1); a first opposing beam (31A), a second direction (D2) from the first opposing beam to the first beam crossing the first direction, the first opposing beam including a first opposing portion (31Aa) and a first other opposing portion (31Ab), a direction from the first opposing portion (31Aa) to the first other opposing portion (31Ab) being along the first direction; a support portion (28S) including a first support region (28a) connected to the first portion and the first opposing portion; a first linking portion (31L) connected to the first other portion (31b) and the first other opposing portion (31Ab); and a first connecting portion (31C) connected to the first linking portion (31L), the first linking portion (31L) being provided between the first beam (31) and the first connecting portion (31C) and between the first opposing beam (31A) and the first connecting portion (31C), a first connecting portion width (w31C) along the second direction of the first connecting portion being narrower than a first linking portion width (w31L) along the second direction of the first linking portion, a third direction (D3) from the base to the first fixed portion crossing a plane including the first direction and the second direction, the first support region (28a) being supported by the first fixed portion, a first gap (g1) being provided between the base and the element section, wherein the support portion (28S) further includes a second support region (28b), and a third support region (28c), the element section (10E) includes a movable member (20M) supported by the third support region (28c), the movable member (20M) including a first movable base portion (21B), a first movable connecting portion (21C), a first movable portion (21a), and a first movable intermediate portion (21M), the first movable connecting portion (21C) is between the first movable base portion (21B) and the first movable intermediate portion (21M) in the second direction, the first movable portion (21a) is between the first movable connecting portion (21C) and the first movable intermediate portion (21M) in the second direction (D2), the first connecting portion (31C) is connected to the first movable portion (21a), the first beam (31) further includes a first intermediate portion (31c) provided between the first portion (31a) and the first other portion (31b), the first opposing beam (31A) further includes a first opposing intermediate portion (31Ac) provided between the first opposing portion (31Aa) and the first other opposing portion (31Ab), the element section (10E) includes a first beam electrode (31E) connected to the first intermediate portion (31c), and a first opposing beam electrode (31AE) connected to the first opposing intermediate portion (31Ac), the first beam (31) is provided between the first opposing beam electrode (31AE) and the first beam electrode (31E), and the first opposing beam (31A) is provided between the first opposing beam electrode (31AE) and the first beam (31), the element section (10E) includes a second beam (32), a second opposing beam (32A), a second linking portion (32L), and a second connecting portion (32C), the first movable portion (21a) is between the first connecting portion (31C) and the second connecting portion (32C) in the first direction (D1), the first linking portion (31L) is between the first support region (28a) and the first movable portion (21a) in the first direction, the second linking portion (32L) is between the first movable portion (21a) and the second support region (28b) in the first direction, the second beam (32) includes a second portion (32a) and a second other portion (32b), a direction from the second portion (32a) to the second other portion (32b) is along the first direction, a direction from the first beam (31) to the second beam (32) is along the first direction (D1), the second opposing beam (32A) includes a second opposing portion (32Aa) and a second other opposing portion(32Ab), a direction from the second opposing portion (32Aa) to the second other opposing portion (32Ab) is along the first direction, a direction from the first opposing beam (31A) to the second opposing beam (32A) is along the first direction, the second support region (28b) is connected to the second portion (32a) and the second opposing portion (32Aa), the second linking portion (32L) is connected to the second other portion (32b) and the second other opposing portion (32Ab), the second connecting portion (32C) is connected to the first movable portion (21a), the second connecting portion (32C) is connected to the second linking portion (32L), the second linking portion (32L) is provided between the second beam (32) and the second connecting portion (32C) and between the second opposing beam (32A) and the second connecting portion (32C), and a second connecting portion width (w32C) along the second direction of the second connecting portion (32C) is narrower than a second linking portion width (w32L) along the second direction of the second linking portion (32L).
  2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second beam (32) further includes a second intermediate portion (32c) provided between the second portion (32a) and the second other portion (32b), the second opposing beam (32A) further includes a second opposing intermediate portion (32Ac) provided between the second opposing portion (32Aa) and the second other opposing portion (32Ab), the element section (10E) includes a second beam electrode (32E) connected to the second intermediate portion (32c), and a second opposing beam electrode (32AE) connected to the second opposing intermediate portion (32Ac), the second beam (32) is provided between the second opposing beam electrode (32AE) and the second beam electrode (32A), and the second opposing beam (32A) is provided between the second opposing beam electrode (32AE) and the second beam (32).
  3. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein the second beam electrode (32E) includes a second extending portion (32Ex) extending along the first direction (D1), and a second extending connecting portion (32Ec) connecting the second extending portion (32Ex) to the second intermediate portion (32c), the second extending connecting portion (32Ec) extending along the second direction (D2), the second opposing beam electrode (32AE) includes a second opposing extending portion (32AEx) extending along the first direction (D1), and a second opposing extending connecting portion (32AEc) connecting the second opposing extending portion (32AEx) to the second opposing intermediate portion (32Ac), the second opposing extending connecting portion (32AEx) extending along the second direction (D2).
  4. The sensor according to claim 3, wherein the second beam electrode (32E) includes a plurality of the second extending portions (32Ex), the second opposing beam electrode (32AE) includes a plurality of the second opposing extending portions (32AEx), one of the plurality of second extending portions (32Ex) is provided between the second beam (32) and another one of the plurality of second extending portions (32Ex), a length of the one of the plurality of second extending portions (32Ex) along the first direction is longer than a length of the other one of the plurality of second extending portions (32Ex) along the first direction (D1), one of the plurality of second opposing extending portions (32AEx) is provided between the second opposing beam (32A) and another one of the plurality of second opposing extending portions (32AEx), and a length of the one of the plurality of second opposing extending portions (32AEx) along the first direction (D1) is longer than a length of the other one of the plurality of second opposing extending portions (32AEx) along the first direction (D1).
  5. The sensor according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein the first beam electrode (31E) and the second beam electrode (32E) satisfy at least one of the first condition, the second condition, the third condition, the fourth condition, the fifth condition, the sixth condition, the seventh condition or the eighth condition, in the first condition, a second mass of the second beam electrode (32E) is different from a first mass of the first beam electrode (31E), in the second condition, a second thickness of the second beam electrode (32E) along the third direction (D3) is different from a first thickness of the first beam electrode (31E) along the third direction (D3), in the third condition, at least a part of a second material included in the second beam electrode (32E) is different from at least a part of a first material included in the first beam electrode (31E), in the fourth condition, a second size of a second hole included in the second beam electrode (32E) is different from a first size of a first hole included in the first beam electrode (31E), in the fifth condition, a second density of the second holes is different from a first density of the first holes, in the sixth condition, a second number of the second holes is different from a first number of the first holes, in the seventh condition, a second shape of the second hole is different from a first shape of the first hole, and in the eighth condition, a second layer structure of the second beam electrode (32E) is different from a first layer structure of the first beam electrode (31E).
  6. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the element section (10E) further includes a first fixed electrode (51E) and a first opposing fixed electrode (51AE) fixed to the base, the first fixed electrode (51E) faces the first beam electrode (31E), the first opposing fixed electrode (51AE) faces the first opposing beam electrode (31AE), a direction from the first fixed electrode (51E) to the first beam electrode (31E) is along the second direction (D2), and a direction from the first opposing fixed electrode (51AE) to the first opposing beam electrode (31A) is along the second direction (D2).
  7. The sensor according to claim 6, further comprising: a controller (70), the controller being configured to apply a first AC signal between the first fixed electrode (51E) and the first beam electrode (31E), and the controller (70) being configured to detect a first signal generated between the first opposing fixed electrode (51AE) and the first opposing beam electrode (31AE).
  8. An electronic device, comprising: the sensor according to any one of claims 1-7; and a circuit controller (170) configured to control a circuit (180) based on a signal obtained from the sensor.

Description

FIELD Embodiments described herein relate generally to a sensor and an electronic device. BACKGROUND For example, there is a sensor using a MEMS structure. It is desired to improve the characteristics of the sensor. US 2002/152812 relates to a flat monolithic accelerometer detector that comprises a body having a base and two measurement cells each having a seismic mass connected to the base via a joint enabling the mass to turn about an axis perpendicular to a sensing axis of the detector and each having a vibrating beam force sensor connecting the mass to the base, the cells being placed in such a manner that when one of the beams is subjected to a traction force due to an acceleration along the sensing axis, the other beam is subjected to a compression force of the same magnitude, the cells being disposed in opposite directions and symmetrically about an axis of the base for fixing to a support whose acceleration is to be measured. Each beam is constituted by at least two parallel blades that are at different distances from the joint, with the two blades in a given cell being connected to the seismic mass of that cell via a common hinge. US 2023/062441 relates to a sensor including a base, a first support portion fixed to the base, and a first movable portion supported by the first support portion. The first movable portion includes first and second movable base portions, a connecting base portion, first and second movable beams, and first and second movable conductive portions. The first movable beam includes a first beam end portion, a first beam other end portion, and a first beam intermediate portion. The second movable beam includes a second beam end portion, a second beam other end portion, and a second beam intermediate portion. The first movable conductive portion includes a first crossing conductive portion, a first extending conductive portion, and a first other extending conductive portion. The second movable conductive portion includes a second crossing conductive portion, a second extending conductive portion, and a second other extending conductive portion. US 2016/139170 A1 discloses an acceleration sensor comprising a proof mass, a support base configured to support the proof mass, wherein the proof mass is configured to displace in response to an acceleration of the device, a flexure configured to flexibly connect the proof mass to the support base; and a strain-monitoring device configured to measure an amount of strain on the support base. The strain-monitoring device comprises two double-ended tuning forks (DETF). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIGS. 2A to 2D are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating the sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view illustrating a part of the sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic plan views illustrating a part of the sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor according to the first embodiment of the invention;FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor according to the first embodiment;FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor according to the first embodiment;FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor according to the first embodiment;FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIG. 15 is a schematic plan view illustrating a sensor in accordance with an example useful for understanding the invention;FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electronic device according to a second embodiment of the invention;FIGS. 17A to 17H are schematic diagrams illustrating applications of the electronic device according to the embodiment; andFIGS. 18A and 18B are schematic diagrams illustrating applications of the sensor according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION According to embodiment first aspect, a sensor is provided as recited in claim 1. In a second aspect, an electronic device is provided as recited in claim 8. Various embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying