Signal processing circuit for triple-membrane mems device
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsMarc Fueldner, Andreas Wiesbauer, Athanasios Kollias
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Abstract
A triple-membrane MEMS device includes a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, wherein the second membrane is between the first membrane and the third membrane, a sealed low pressure chamber between the first membrane and the third membrane, a first stator and a second stator in the sealed low pressure chamber, and a signal processing circuit configured to read-out output signals of the triple-membrane MEMS device.
Claims20
A method of reading-out a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, the MEMS device comprising a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, the second membrane being between the first membrane and the third membrane, a first stator between the first membrane and the second membrane, a second stator between the second membrane and the third membrane, wherein a sealed low pressure chamber is between the first membrane the third membrane, the first membrane and the first stator have a first capacitance therebetween, the first stator and the second membrane have a second capacitance therebetween, the second membrane and the second stator have a third capacitance formed therebetween, the second stator and the third membrane have a fourth capacitance formed therebetween, the first capacitance, the second capacitance, the third capacitance and the fourth capacitance are configured in a series configuration to increase motor sensitivity of the MEMS device or in a parallel configuration to reduce an output impedance of the MEMS device, the method comprising:
- in a third read-out operating mode,
- biasing the first stator with a first voltage source,
- biasing the second stator with a second voltage source,
- coupling the first membrane and the third membrane to a predetermined voltage potential, and
- reading-out an output signal through an amplifier connected to the second membrane.
A method of reading-out a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, the MEMS device comprising a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, the second membrane being between the first membrane and the third membrane, a first stator between the first membrane and the second membrane, a second stator between the second membrane and the third membrane, wherein a sealed low pressure chamber is between the first membrane the third membrane, the first membrane and the first stator have a first capacitance therebetween, the first stator and the second membrane have a second capacitance therebetween, the second membrane and the second stator have a third capacitance formed therebetween, the second stator and the third membrane have a fourth capacitance formed therebetween, and the first capacitance, the second capacitance, the third capacitance and the fourth capacitance are configured in a series configuration to increase motor sensitivity of the MEMS device or in a parallel configuration to reduce an output impedance of the MEMS device, the method comprising:
- biasing the first stator and the second stator with a voltage source;
- coupling the first membrane and the second membrane to a predetermined voltage potential;
- and
- reading-out an output signal through an amplifier connected to the third membrane.
A method of reading-out a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, the MEMS device comprising a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, the second membrane being between the first membrane and the third membrane, a first stator between the first membrane and the second membrane, a second stator between the second membrane and the third membrane, wherein a sealed low pressure chamber is between the first membrane the third membrane, the first membrane and the first stator have a first capacitance therebetween, the first stator and the second membrane have a second capacitance therebetween, the second membrane and the second stator have a third capacitance formed therebetween, the second stator and the third membrane have a fourth capacitance formed therebetween, and the first capacitance, the second capacitance, the third capacitance and the fourth capacitance are configured in a series configuration to increase motor sensitivity of the MEMS device or in a parallel configuration to reduce an output impedance of the MEMS device, the method comprising:
- biasing the first membrane and a top electrode layer of the second membrane with a first voltage source;
- biasing the third membrane and a bottom electrode layer of the second membrane with a second voltage source;
- and
- reading-out an output signal through an amplifier connected to the first stator and the second stator.
A method of reading-out a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, the MEMS device comprising a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, the second membrane being between the first membrane and the third membrane, a first stator between the first membrane and the second membrane, a second stator between the second membrane and the third membrane, wherein a sealed low pressure chamber is between the first membrane the third membrane, the first membrane and the first stator have a first capacitance therebetween, the first stator and the second membrane have a second capacitance therebetween, the second membrane and the second stator have a third capacitance formed therebetween, the second stator and the third membrane have a fourth capacitance formed therebetween, and the first capacitance, the second capacitance, the third capacitance and the fourth capacitance are configured in a series configuration to increase motor sensitivity of the MEMS device or in a parallel configuration to reduce an output impedance of the MEMS device, the method comprising:
- biasing the first stator and the second stator with a voltage source;
- reading-out a positive output signal through a first amplifier connected to the third membrane and a bottom electrode layer of the second membrane;
- and
- reading-out a negative output signal through a second amplifier connected to the first membrane and a top electrode layer of the second membrane.
A triple-membrane MEMS device comprising:
- a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, wherein the second membrane is between the first membrane and the third membrane;
- a sealed low pressure chamber between the first membrane and the third membrane;
- a first stator and a second stator in the sealed low pressure chamber;
- and
- a signal processing circuit configured to read-out output signals of the triple-membrane MEMS device, the signal processing circuit comprising:
- a first voltage source configured to bias the first membrane and a top electrode layer of the second membrane,
- a second voltage source configured to bias the third membrane and a bottom electrode layer of the second membrane, and
- an amplifier connected to the first stator and the second stator and configured to read-out an output signal of the triple-membrane MEMS device.
A triple-membrane MEMS device comprising:
- a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, wherein the second membrane is between the first membrane and the third membrane;
- a sealed low pressure chamber between the first membrane and the third membrane;
- a first stator and a second stator in the sealed low pressure chamber;
- and
- a signal processing circuit configured to read-out output signals of the triple-membrane MEMS device, wherein the signal processing circuit comprises:
- a voltage source configured to bias the first stator and the second stator,
- a first amplifier having an input coupled to the third membrane and a bottom electrode layer of the second membrane,
- a second amplifier having an input coupled to the first membrane and a top electrode of the second membrane, the first amplifier and the second amplifier are configured to read-out an output signal of the triple-membrane MEMS device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.