Micro electrical mechanical magnetic field sensor utilizing modified inertial elements

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first pivot extending upwardly from the substrate;
• a first lever arm with a first longitudinal axis extending above the substrate and pivotably mounted to the first pivot for pivoting about a first pivot axis;
• a first capacitor layer formed on the substrate at a location beneath a first capacitor portion of the first lever arm;
• a second capacitor layer formed on the substrate at a location beneath a second capacitor portion of the first lever arm, wherein the first pivot supports the first lever arm at a location between the first capacitor portion and the second capacitor portion along the first longitudinal axis;
• a first conductor member extending across the first longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the first pivot axis;
• a second pivot extending upwardly from the substrate;
• a second lever arm with a second longitudinal axis extending above the substrate and pivotably mounted to the second pivot for pivoting about a second pivot axis;
• a third capacitor layer formed on the substrate at a location beneath a third capacitor portion of the second lever arm;
• a fourth capacitor layer formed on the substrate at a location beneath a fourth capacitor portion of the second lever arm, wherein the second pivot supports the second lever arm at a location between the third capacitor portion and the fourth capacitor portion along the second longitudinal axis;
• and
• a second conductor member extending across the second longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the second pivot axis.

A method of forming a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• forming a first pivot extending upwardly from the substrate;
• forming a first lever arm with a first longitudinal axis extending above the substrate to be pivotably mounted to the first pivot for pivoting about a first pivot axis;
• forming a first capacitor layer on the substrate at a location selected to be beneath a first capacitor portion of the first lever arm;
• forming a second capacitor layer on the substrate at a location selected to be beneath a second capacitor portion of the first lever arm, and selected such that the first pivot will support the first lever arm at a location between the first capacitor portion and the second capacitor portion along the first longitudinal axis;
• and
• forming a first conductor member to extend across the first longitudinal axis at a location and to be spaced apart from the first pivot axis, wherein:
• the first capacitor portion is formed to be spaced apart from the first pivot axis by a first distance;
• the second capacitor portion is formed to be spaced apart from the first pivot axis by a second distance;
• and
• the first distance is greater than the second distance.

A method of forming a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• forming a first pivot extending upwardly from the substrate;
• forming a first lever arm with a first longitudinal axis extending above the substrate to be pivotably mounted to the first pivot for pivoting about a first pivot axis;
• forming a first capacitor layer on the substrate at a location selected to be beneath a first capacitor portion of the first lever arm;
• forming a second capacitor layer on the substrate at a location selected to be beneath a second capacitor portion of the first lever arm, and selected such that the first pivot will support the first lever arm at a location between the first capacitor portion and the second capacitor portion along the first longitudinal axis;
• and
• forming a first conductor member to extend across the first longitudinal axis at a location and to be spaced apart from the first pivot axis;
• forming a second pivot to extend upwardly from the substrate;
• forming a second lever arm with a second longitudinal axis to extend above the substrate to be pivotably mounted to the second pivot for pivoting about a second pivot axis;
• forming a third capacitor layer on the substrate at a location selected to be beneath a third capacitor portion of the second lever arm;
• forming a fourth capacitor layer on the substrate at a location selected to be beneath a fourth capacitor portion of the second lever arm, and selected so that the second pivot will support the second lever arm at a location between the third capacitor portion and the fourth capacitor portion along the second longitudinal axis;
• and
• forming a second conductor member to extend across the second longitudinal axis and to be spaced apart from the second pivot axis.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first pivot extending upwardly from the substrate;
• a first lever arm with a first longitudinal axis extending above the substrate and pivotably mounted to the first pivot for pivoting about a first pivot axis;
• a first capacitor layer formed on the substrate at a location beneath a first capacitor portion of the first lever arm;
• a second capacitor layer formed on the substrate at a location beneath a second capacitor portion of the first lever arm, wherein the first pivot supports the first lever arm at a location between the first capacitor portion and the second capacitor portion along the first longitudinal axis;
• a first conductor member extending across the first longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the first pivot axis;
• a memory in which command instructions are stored;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the command instructions to
• obtain a first voltage difference between the first capacitor layer and the first capacitor portion,
• obtain a second voltage difference between the second capacitor layer and the second capacitor portion,
• provide an output associated with the strength of a first magnetic field extending along the first longitudinal axis based upon a difference between the first voltage difference and the second voltage difference, and
• provide an output associated with an acceleration of the first lever arm toward the substrate based upon a summation of the first voltage difference and the second voltage difference.

A method of forming a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• forming a first pivot extending upwardly from the substrate;
• forming a first lever arm with a first longitudinal axis extending above the substrate to be pivotably mounted to the first pivot for pivoting about a first pivot axis;
• forming a first capacitor layer on the substrate at a location selected to be beneath a first capacitor portion of the first lever arm;
• forming a second capacitor layer on the substrate at a location selected to be beneath a second capacitor portion of the first lever arm, and selected such that the first pivot will support the first lever arm at a location between the first capacitor portion and the second capacitor portion along the first longitudinal axis;
• and
• forming a first conductor member to extend across the first longitudinal axis at a location and to be spaced apart from the first pivot axis;
• storing command instructions in a memory;
• and
• configuring a processor to execute the command instructions to
• obtain a first voltage difference between the first capacitor layer and the first capacitor portion,
• obtain a second voltage difference between the second capacitor layer and the second capacitor portion,
• provide an output associated with the strength of a first magnetic field extending along the first longitudinal axis based upon a difference between the first voltage difference and the second voltage difference, and
• provide an output associated with an acceleration of the first lever arm toward the substrate based upon a summation of the first voltage difference and the second voltage difference.