Accelerometer

An accelerometer comprising:

• first, second, third and fourth measurement cells that are in a device layer that defines an xy-plane, wherein an x-axis and a y-axis divide the xy-plane into a first, second, third and fourth quadrant, such that the first and fourth quadrants lie on a first side of the y-axis, the second and third quadrants lie on a second side of the y-axis, the first and second quadrants lie on a first side of the x-axis, and the third and fourth quadrants lie on a second side of the x-axis, the y-axis being orthogonal to the x-axis,
• wherein the first measurement cell is in the first quadrant, the second measurement cell is in the second quadrant, the third measurement cell is in the third quadrant, and the fourth measurement cell is in the fourth quadrant,
• wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth measurement cells comprises:
• a mass element configured to move in a y-direction of the xy-plane,
• a first fixed structure that comprises a first anchor point, and
• a second fixed structure that comprises a second anchor point,
• wherein the mass element of each of the first, second, third and fourth measurement cells forms a first capacitor with the first fixed structure, and a capacitance of the first capacitor increases when the respective mass element moves in a positive y-direction and decreases when the respective mass element moves in a negative y-direction that is opposite to the positive y-direction,
• wherein the mass element of each of the first, second, third and fourth measurement cells forms a second capacitor with the second fixed structure, and a capacitance of the second capacitor increases when the respective mass element moves in the negative y-direction, and decreases when the respective mass element moves in the positive y-direction,
• wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth measurement cells comprises a central line, and the first and second anchor points are on opposite sides of the central line in each of the first, second, third and fourth measurement cells, and
• wherein:
• a placement of the first and second anchor points with respect to the central line in the first and third measurement cells is the same,
• the placement of the first and second anchor points with respect to the central line in the second and fourth measurement cells is the same,
• the placement of the first and second anchor points with respect to the central line in the first measurement cell is opposite to the placement of the first and second capacitors with respect to the central line in the second measurement cell,
• each first capacitor comprises a first set of fixed combs on the first fixed structure and a first set of movable combs on the mass element,
• each second capacitor comprises a second set of fixed combs on the second fixed structure and a second set of movable combs on the mass element, and
• the first and second sets of fixed combs and the first and second sets of movable combs are oriented in an x-direction orthogonal to the y-direction, or the first and second sets of fixed combs and the first and second sets of movable combs are oriented in the y-direction.