Temperature-compensated micro-electromechanical device, and method of temperature compensation in a micro-electromechanical device

A device, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first detection structure on the substrate, the first detection structure including:
• a first plurality of electrodes rigidly coupled to the substrate, the first plurality of electrodes having a fixed position relative to the substrate;
• a first suspended mass elastically coupled to the substrate, the first suspended mass being movable relative to the substrate along a first axis;
• and
• a second plurality of electrodes coupled to the first suspended mass, the second plurality of electrodes being movable relative to the substrate along the first axis, the second plurality of electrodes configured to be capacitively coupled to the first plurality of electrodes;
• and
• a second detection structure on the substrate, the second detection structure including:
• a third plurality of electrodes rigidly coupled to the substrate, the third plurality of electrodes having a fixed position relative to the substrate;
• a second suspended mass rigidly coupled to the substrate, the second suspended mass having a fixed position relative to the substrate, the first suspended mass and the second suspended mass being configured to undergo substantially equal strains as a result of thermal expansion of the substrate;
• and
• a fourth plurality of electrodes coupled to the second suspended mass, the fourth plurality of electrodes having a fixed position relative to the substrate, the fourth plurality of electrodes configured to be capacitively coupled to the third plurality of electrodes, the first detection structure being symmetrical with the second detection structure with respect to a second axis that is transverse to the first axis.

A method, comprising:

• forming a first detection structure on a substrate, the forming of the first detection structure including:
• forming a first plurality of electrodes that are rigidly coupled to the substrate, the first plurality of electrodes having a fixed position relative to the substrate;
• forming a first suspended mass that is elastically coupled to the substrate, the first suspended mass being movable relative to the substrate along a first axis;
• forming a second plurality of electrodes that are coupled to the first suspended mass, the second plurality of electrodes being movable relative to the substrate along the first axis, the second plurality of electrodes configured to be capacitively coupled to the first plurality of electrodes;
• forming a second detection structure on the substrate, the forming of the second detection structure including:
• forming a third plurality of electrodes that are rigidly coupled to the substrate, the third plurality of electrodes having a fixed position relative to the substrate;
• forming a second suspended mass that is rigidly coupled to the substrate, the second suspended mass having a fixed position relative to the substrate, the first suspended mass and the second suspended mass being configured to undergo substantially equal strains as a result of thermal expansion of the substrate;
• and
• forming a fourth plurality of electrodes that are coupled to the second suspended mass, the fourth plurality of electrodes having a fixed position relative to the substrate, the fourth plurality of electrodes configured to be capacitively coupled to the third plurality of electrodes, the first detection structure being symmetrical with the second detection structure with respect to a second axis that is transverse to the first axis.