Field effect transistor, especially for use as a sensor element or acceleration sensor

A sensor element, comprising:

• at least two field effect transistors arranged next to each other, each of the field effect transistors including
• a substrate that is at least partially planar,
• a drain area,
• a source area separated from the drain area by at least one channel region, the drain area and the source area being situated within the substrate,
• a gate electrode arranged to be at least substantially self-supporting above the substrate over at least one area of the channel region, the gate electrode being flexibly supported so that an external force acting upon the gate electrode and having a component acting parallel to a surface of the substrate, deflects the gate electrode from a neutral position at least approximately parallel to the surface of the substrate in a first direction;
• wherein the field effect transistors are integrated in a common integrated circuit and having a common gate electrode as an inert mass;
• and
• a plurality of springs coupled to the gate electrode to flexibly support the gate electrode, wherein the plurality of springs are located on a common axis and opposite each other, and wherein a thickness of the springs is substantially greater than a width of the springs, the width being measured on an axis parallel to the first direction and orthogonal to the common axis, the thickness being measured on an axis orthogonal to the first direction and orthogonal to the common axis.

An acceleration sensor, comprising:

• at least two field effect transistors arranged next to each other, each of the field effect transistors including
• a substrate that is at least partially planar,
• a drain area,
• a source area separated from the drain area by at least one channel region, the drain area and the source area being situated within the substrate,
• a gate electrode arranged to be at least substantially self-supporting above the substrate over at least one area of the channel region, the gate electrode being flexibly supported so that an external force acting upon the gate electrode and having a component acting parallel to a surface of the substrate, deflects the gate electrode from a neutral position approximately parallel to the surface of the substrate, wherein a gap between the gate electrode and the channel region remains unchanged in response to the external force that acts upon the gate electrode and that has a component that acts perpendicular to the surface of the substrate in a first direction;
• and
• a plurality of springs coupled to the gate electrode to flexibly support the gate electrode, wherein the plurality of springs are located on a common axis and opposite each other, and wherein a thickness of the springs is substantially greater than a width of the springs, the width being measured on an axis parallel to the first direction and orthogonal to the common axis, the thickness being measured on an axis orthogonal to the first direction and orthogonal to the common axis.