Z-axis microelectromechanical detection structure with reduced drifts

A microelectromechanical detection structure comprising:

• a substrate having a top surface extending in a plane and a central region;
• a central anchorage element fixed with respect to said substrate and arranged in the central region;
• a detection-electrode arrangement of fixed electrodes;
• an inertial mass suspended above said substrate and at least partially facing said detection-electrode arrangement, the inertial mass capacitively coupled to said detection-electrode arrangement;
• elastic elements coupling the inertial mass to the central anchorage element and configured to support said inertial mass so that the inertial mass is free to rotate about an axis of rotation as a function of a quantity to be detected along a vertical axis that is transverse to said plane, the central anchorage element being arranged at said axis of rotation;
• a first anchorage element coupled to the substrate in the central region;
• a suspension structure coupled to the first anchorage element and suspended over the substrate, wherein said suspension structure includes a plurality of arms that depart in a transverse direction from a body, the suspension structure comprising a plurality of second anchorage elements that are coupled to at least some of said arms and to the detection-electrode arrangement, the plurality of second anchorage elements being designed to support a respective detection electrode of said detection-electrode arrangement below said arms, such that the detection-electrode arrangement is suspended above the substrate and below the inertial mass.

A microelectromechanical sensor comprising:

• a microelectromechanical detection structure including:
• a substrate having a top surface and a central area;
• a central anchorage element fixed to said substrate in the central area;
• an inertial mass suspended above said substrate;
• elastic elements coupling the inertial mass to the central anchorage element and configured to support said inertial mass so that the inertial mass is free to rotate about an axis of rotation in response to an acceleration;
• detection electrodes suspended above the substrate and below the inertial mass;
• a first anchor fixed to the substrate in the central area;
• a suspension structure having a first portion coupled to the first anchor and a second portion suspended over the substrate;
• and
• a second anchor coupled to the second portion of the suspension structure and to the detection electrodes without being directly coupled to the substrate, the second anchor being positioned between a detection electrode of the detection electrodes and the suspension structure in a direction that is transverse to the top surface of the substrate, the second anchor and the suspension structure being configured to support the detection electrodes in a position that is suspended between the substrate and the inertial mass;
• and
• an electronic reading circuit electrically coupled to said microelectromechanical detection structure.

An electronic device comprising:

• a microelectromechanical sensor including:
• a substrate having a top surface extending in a plane;
• a central anchorage element fixed to said substrate at a central region;
• an inertial mass suspended above said substrate;
• elastic elements coupling the inertial mass to the central anchorage element and configured to support said inertial mass so that the inertial mass is free to rotate about an axis of rotation in response to an acceleration;
• fixed detection electrodes suspended above the substrate and below the inertial mass;
• a first anchorage attached to the substrate at the central region of the substrate;
• a suspension structure coupled to the first anchorage and suspended by the first anchorage, the suspension structure having a bottom surface facing the substrate;
• and
• a second anchorage coupled to the suspension structure and the fixed detection electrodes without being directly coupled to the substrate, the second anchorage being positioned between a fixed detection electrode of the fixed detection electrodes and the suspension structure in a direction that is transverse to the bottom surface of the suspension structure, the second anchorage and the suspension structure being configured to support the fixed detection electrodes in a position that is suspended between the substrate and the inertial mass;
• an electronic reading circuit electrically coupled to said microelectromechanical detection structure;
• and
• a microprocessor unit electrically coupled to said electronic reading circuit.

A process for manufacturing a microelectromechanical detection structure, the process comprising:

• providing a substrate having a top surface extending in a plane and a central region;
• forming a detection-electrode arrangement of suspended electrodes;
• forming an inertial mass suspended above said substrate, the inertial mass at least partially facing said detection-electrode arrangement;
• forming elastic elements coupling said inertial mass to a central anchorage element fixed in the central region of the substrate, the elastic elements supporting the inertial mass so that it is free to rotate about an axis of rotation as a function of a quantity to be detected along a vertical axis that is transverse to said plane, the central anchorage element being arranged at said axis of rotation;
• and
• forming a suspension structure configured to support said detection-electrode arrangement suspended above said substrate and underneath said inertial mass, said suspension structure being anchored to said substrate by at least one first anchorage, and said detection-electrode arrangement being anchored to said suspension structure by at least one second anchorage that is not coupled directly to the substrate, the at least one second anchorage being above the detection-electrode arrangement and below the suspension structure.