Abstract: A capacitive microelectromechanical acceleration sensor where one or more rotor measurement plates and one or more stator measurement plates are configured so that the movement of a proof mass in the direction of a sense axis can be measured in a capacitive measurement conducted between them. One or more first rotor damping plates and one or more first stator damping plates form a first set of parallel plates which are orthogonal to a first damping axis, and the first damping axis is substantially orthogonal to the sense axis.

Abstract: An optical device that provides a broadened circular scanning pattern. The device includes a reflector system dimensioned to form a coupled oscillator with two modes of oscillation for circular tilt motion, a first mode oscillation in a first resonance frequency and a second mode of oscillation in a second resonance frequency that is different from the first resonance frequency. A signal processing element is configured to control the actuation signals to maintain a first amplitude in the first mode of oscillation, and a second amplitude in the second mode of oscillation.

Abstract: A scanning microelectromechanical reflector system comprising a reflector with a reflector body, a first cavity vertically aligned with the reflector body above the device plane and a second cavity vertically aligned with the reflector body below the device plane. The reflector also comprises a central attachment point located within a central opening in the reflector body. One or more flexures extend from the sidewalls of the central opening to the central attachment point. The flexures allow the central attachment point to remain stationary in the device plane when actuator units tilt the reflector body out of the device plane. The reflector system comprises a central support structure which extends through the cavity to the central attachment point of the reflector.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-accuracy low-noise MEMS accelerometer by using at least two symmetric out-of-plane proof masses for both out-of-plane and in-plane axes. Movement of the proof masses in one or more in-plane sense axes is measured by comb capacitors with mirrored comb electrodes that minimise cross-axis error from in-plane movement of the proof mass out of the sense axis of the capacitor. The two out-of-plane proof masses rotate in opposite directions, thus maintaining their combined centre of mass at the centre of the accelerometer even as they rotate out of plane.

Abstract: A compact and robust microelectromechanical reflector system that comprises a support, a reflector, a peripheral edge of the reflector including edge points, and suspenders including piezoelectric actuators and suspending the reflector from the support. Two pairs of suspenders are fixed from two fixing points to the support such that in each pair of suspenders, first ends of a pair of suspenders are fixed to a fixing point common to the pair. A first axis of rotation is aligned to a line running though the two fixing points, and divides the reflector to a first reflector part and a second reflector part. In each pair of suspenders, a second end of one suspender is coupled to the first reflector part and a second end of the other suspender is coupled to the second reflector part.

Abstract: The invention relates to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and specifically to a mirror system, for example to be used in LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The MEMS mirror system of the invention uses four suspenders, each of which is connected to the reflector body at two separate connection points which can be independently displaced by piezoelectric actuators. By actuating adjacent and opposite pairs of piezoelectric actuators, the reflector body can be driven to oscillated about two orthogonal axes.

Abstract: A capacitive micromechanical accelerometer comprising a first proof mass, a second proof mass, a third proof mass and a fourth proof mass. Each proof mass is configured as a seesaw which undergoes rotation out of the xy-plane in response to z-axis acceleration. The four proof masses are suspended from the same central anchor point with torsionally flexible suspension arrangements. Errors introduced into the output signal by wafer bending can be automatically compensated in a differential capacitive measurement.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a capacitive micromechanical accelerometer with at least a first sensor which comprises a rotor which is a two-sided seesaw frame. The rotor comprises one or more first damping plates on the first side of its rotation axis and one or more first damping plates on the second side of its rotation axis. One or more second damping plates are fixed to the inner package plane above or below at least some of the one or more first damping plates, so that at least one first damping plate overlaps with the projection of a second damping plate on each side of the axis. The frame-shaped rotor may surround second and third acceleration sensors located in the substrate plane.

Abstract: A micromechanical accelerometer comprises a sensor for measuring acceleration along a vertical axis perpendicular to a substrate plane, and an accelerometer package with at least one inner package plane adjacent and parallel to the substrate plane. The first sensor comprises a rotor which is mobile in relation to the substrate, a rotor suspender and one or more stators which are immobile in relation to the substrate. The rotor is a seesaw frame where longitudinal rotor bar comprise one or more first deflection electrodes, and second deflection electrodes are fixed to the inner package plane above or below each of the one or more first deflection electrodes, so that they overlap. The accelerometer can perform a self-test by applying a test voltage to at least one first deflection electrode and at least one second deflection electrode. A self-test response signal can be read with a measurement between rotor and stator electrodes.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system with at least one partly mobile mass element which is suspended from a fixed support by one or more suspension units. Each suspension unit comprises first springs which extend from the fixed support to the partly mobile mass element, and second springs which also extend from the fixed support to the partly mobile mass element. Each second spring is substantially parallel and adjacent to one first spring. The first springs are electrically isolated from the second springs, and the microelectromechanical system comprises a voltage source configured to apply a frequency tuning voltage between the one or more first springs and the one or more second springs.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a microelectromechanical device where the device structure includes a rotating mass structure and a linear mass structure. The rotating mass structure is formed of two rotating mass parts elastically coupled to the support through one or more springs that enable rotary motion of each of the rotating mass parts about respective rotary axes that extend parallel to each other along a first in-plane direction (IP1). The linear mass structure includes at least one elongate rigid body that extends in a second in-plane direction (IP2). One end of the linear mass structure is coupled to the first rotating mass part and the other end of the linear mass structure is coupled to the second rotating mass part such that rotary motions of the first and second masses result into linear motion of the linear mass structure in the out-of-plane direction (OP).

Abstract: An optical device that provides a broadened circular scanning pattern. The device includes a reflector system dimensioned to form a coupled oscillator with two modes of oscillation for circular tilt motion, a first mode oscillation in a first resonance frequency and a second mode of oscillation in a second resonance frequency that is different from the first resonance frequency. A signal processing element is configured to control the actuation signals to maintain a first amplitude in the first mode of oscillation, and a second amplitude in the second mode of oscillation.

Abstract: A scanning microelectromechanical reflector system comprising a mobile reflector mass and a mobile frame mass which surrounds the mobile reflector mass when the reflector plane coincides with the mobile frame plane. The mobile frame mass is suspended from a fixed frame which at least partly surrounds the mobile frame mass when the mobile frame plane coincides with the fixed frame plane. The reflector system further comprises a pair of first torsion beams aligned on a first axis in the mobile frame plane, and one or more first actuation units which can be configured to rotate the reflector mass and the mobile frame mass about the first axis.

Abstract: A scanning microelectromechanical reflector system comprising a reflector with a reflector body, a first cavity vertically aligned with the reflector body above the device plane and a second cavity vertically aligned with the reflector body below the device plane. The reflector also comprises a central attachment point located within a central opening in the reflector body. One or more flexures extend from the sidewalls of the central opening to the central attachment point. The flexures allow the central attachment point to remain stationary in the device plane when actuator units tilt the reflector body out of the device plane. The reflector system comprises a central support structure which extends through the cavity to the central attachment point of the reflector.

Abstract: The structure enables two-directional sensing of accelerations with compact component dimensions and with minimal cross-axis sensitivity. The rotation mass includes a first frame and a second frame. In one sense direction, the structure employs a combined proof mass of the first frame and the second frame, which improves the signal to noise level achievable with said device dimensions. In the other sense direction, a detection structure with at least two sensing elements is used to detect displacements of the proof mass of the second frame. Due to the specific internal configuration of the detection structure, signal contributions of the sensing elements in the one direction cancel each other.

Abstract: A compact and robust microelectromechanical reflector system that comprises a support, a reflector, a peripheral edge of the reflector including edge points, and suspenders including piezoelectric actuators and suspending the reflector from the support. Two pairs of suspenders are fixed from two fixing points to the support such that in each pair of suspenders, first ends of a pair of suspenders are fixed to a fixing point common to the pair. A first axis of rotation is aligned to a line running though the two fixing points, and divides the reflector to a first reflector part and a second reflector part. In each pair of suspenders, a second end of one suspender is coupled to the first reflector part and a second end of the other suspender is coupled to the second reflector part.

Abstract: The MEMS sensor of the invention has movable and fixed components for measuring acceleration in a rotational mode in a direction in-plane perpendicular to spring axis. The components include an element frame, a substrate, a proof-mass a spring connected to the proof-mass and to the substrate, and comb electrodes. The MEMS sensor is mainly characterized by an arrangement of the components causing an inherent sensitivity for measuring accelerations in a range covering longitudinal and transversal accelerations. One or more of the components are tilted compared to the element frame. The semiconductor package of the invention comprises at least one MEMS sensor.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a capacitive micromechanical accelerometer with at least a first sensor which comprises a rotor which is a two-sided seesaw frame. The rotor comprises one or more first damping plates on the first side of its rotation axis and one or more first damping plates on the second side of its rotation axis. One or more second damping plates are fixed to the inner package plane above or below at least some of the one or more first damping plates, so that at least one first damping plate overlaps with the projection of a second damping plate on each side of the axis. The frame-shaped rotor may surround second and third acceleration sensors located in the substrate plane.

Abstract: A micromechanical accelerometer comprises a sensor for measuring acceleration along a vertical axis perpendicular to a substrate plane, and an accelerometer package with at least one inner package plane adjacent and parallel to the substrate plane. The first sensor comprises a rotor which is mobile in relation to the substrate, a rotor suspender and one or more stators which are immobile in relation to the substrate. The rotor is a seesaw frame where longitudinal rotor bar comprise one or more first deflection electrodes, and second deflection electrodes are fixed to the inner package plane above or below each of the one or more first deflection electrodes, so that they overlap. The accelerometer can perform a self-test by applying a test voltage to at least one first deflection electrode and at least one second deflection electrode. A self-test response signal can be read with a measurement between rotor and stator electrodes.

Abstract: A MEMS structure that provides an improved way to selectively control electromechanical properties of a MEMS device with an applied voltage. The MEMS structure includes a capacitor element that comprises at least one stator element, and at least one rotor element suspended for motion parallel to a first direction in relation to the stator element. The stator element and the rotor element form at least one capacitor element, the capacitance of which varies according to displacement of the rotor element from an initial position. The stator element and the rotor element are mutually oriented such that in at least one range of displacements of the rotor element from an initial position, the second derivative of the capacitance with respect to the displacement has negative values.