Use of electrodes to cancel lift effects in inertial sensors

A MEMS-type gyroscope, comprising:

• one or more proof masses coupled to a time-varying drive voltage source, said one or more proof masses configured to oscillate in a drive plane above a support substrate;
• at least one sense electrode positioned adjacent to each of the one or more proof masses;
• a sense bias voltage for inducing a charge between the one or more proof masses and a corresponding sense electrode;
• one or more quad steering voltage members positioned adjacent to each proof mass, each of said one or more quad steering voltage members being electrically coupled to a resistive element in series with the drive voltage source;
• and
• sensing means for measuring the Coriolis force exerted on the one or more proof masses and outputting a rate signal corresponding to the rate of rotation of the gyroscope about an input axis.

A method for reducing errors in a gyroscope, comprising the steps of:

• providing a gyroscope including a time-varying drive voltage source coupled to one or more proof masses each adapted to oscillate back and forth in a drive plane above a sense electrode;
• providing one or more quad steering voltage members adjacent the proof mass;
• and
• applying a time-varying voltage to the one or more quad steering voltage members to electrostatically attract the proof mass towards the sense electrode to reduce any undesired quadrature motion of the one or more proof masses.