US 7,581,443 B2 · Disc resonator gyroscopes

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to apparatuses and methods of making a micromachined resonator gyroscope, e.g. a disc resonator gyro (DRG), including one or more of the following novel features. Embodiments of the invention may comprise a triple-wafer stack gyroscope with an all fused quartz (or all silicon) construction for an electrical baseplate, resonator and vacuum cap. This can yield superior thermal stability over prior art designs. A typical resonator embodiment may include a centrally anchored disc with high aspect-ratio in-plane electrostatic drive and sense electrodes to create large capacitance. A silicon sacrificial layer may be employed for attaching a quartz resonator wafer to a quartz handle wafer for high aspect-ratio etching. In addition, embodiments of the invention may comprise a low thermal stress, wafer-level vacuum packaged gyroscope with on-chip getter. An ultra-thin conductive layer deposited on the quartz resonator may also be utilized for high Q.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A sensor, comprising:

a disc resonator having a central support and an ultra thin conductive layer deposited on etched side walls of the disc resonator;
a baseplate wafer for supporting the disc resonator at the central support;
and
a cap wafer covering the disc resonator;
wherein the baseplate wafer and the cap wafer comprise an enclosure of the disc resonator and the cap wafer comprises a single wafer having a cavity forming a wall surrounding the disc resonator and the wall is bonded directly to the baseplate wafer to enclose the disc resonator.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Disc resonator gyroscopes

Life of this patent

Disc resonator gyroscopes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25