Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope that includes a first mass oscillatable according to a first axis; an inertial sensor, including a second mass, drawn along by the first mass and constrained so as to oscillate according to a second axis, in response to a rotation of the gyroscope; a driving device coupled to the first mass so as to form a feedback control loop and configured to maintain the first mass in oscillation at a resonance frequency; and an open-loop reading device coupled to the inertial sensor for detecting displacements of the second mass according to the second axis. The driving device includes a read signal generator for supplying to the inertial sensor at least one read signal having the form of a square-wave signal of amplitude that sinusoidally varies with the resonance frequency.

Abstract: A substrate-level assembly having a device substrate of semiconductor material with a top face and housing a first integrated device, including a buried cavity formed within the device substrate, and with a membrane suspended over the buried cavity in the proximity of the top face. A capping substrate is coupled to the device substrate above the top face so as to cover the first integrated device in such a manner that a first empty space is provided above the membrane. Electrical-contact elements electrically connect the integrated device with the outside of the substrate-level assembly. In one embodiment, the device substrate integrates at least a further integrated device provided with a respective membrane, and a further empty space, fluidly isolated from the first empty space, is provided over the respective membrane of the further integrated device.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope that includes a first mass oscillatable according to a first axis; an inertial sensor, including a second mass, drawn along by the first mass and constrained so as to oscillate according to a second axis, in response to a rotation of the gyroscope; a driving device coupled to the first mass so as to form a feedback control loop and configured to maintain the first mass in oscillation at a resonance frequency; and an open-loop reading device coupled to the inertial sensor for detecting displacements of the second mass according to the second axis. The driving device includes a read signal generator for supplying to the inertial sensor at least one read signal having the form of a square-wave signal of amplitude that sinusoidally varies with the resonance frequency.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope having a microstructure that includes a first mass and a second mass, wherein the first mass is oscillatable according to a first axis and the second mass is constrained to the first mass so as to be drawn along by the first mass according to the first axis and to oscillate according to a second axis, in response to a rotation of the microstructure, a driving device coupled to the microstructure to maintain the first mass in oscillation at the driving frequency, and a reading device that detects displacements of the second mass according to the second axis. The gyroscope is provided with a self-test actuation system coupled to the second mass for applying an electrostatic force at the driving frequency so as to move the second mass according to the second axis.

Abstract: Described herein is a method for testing a microelectromechanical device provided with a microstructure having a fixed structure and a movable mass, which is capacitively coupled to the fixed structure and mechanically connected thereto so as to be movable between a rest position and at least one position of maximum extension. The method envisages: applying a test voltage between the movable mass and the fixed structure so as to set up an electrostatic force between them and displace the movable mass into the position of maximum extension; keeping the movable mass in the position of maximum extension for a time interval; releasing the movable mass from the position of maximum extension; and detecting a current position of the movable mass.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope having a microstructure with a first mass, which can oscillate according to a first axis, and a second mass constrained to the first mass so as to oscillate according to a second axis in response to a rotation of the microstructure, and a driving device coupled to the microstructure to maintain the first mass in oscillation at a resonance frequency, the driving device provided with a low-pass filter having a passband such that the resonance frequency is in the passband and a disturbance frequency associated with disturbance signals due to coupling between the first mass and the second mass is not in the passband.

Abstract: A free-fall detector device includes an inertial sensor, a detection circuit associated to the inertial sensor, and a signal source for supplying a read signal to the inertial sensor. The device moreover includes: a storage element, selectively connectable to the detection circuit for storing a feedback signal generated by the detection circuit in response to the read signal supplied to the inertial sensor; and a feedback circuit coupled to the storage element for supplying the feedback signal to the inertial sensor so that the detection circuit generates at least one detection signal in response to the feedback signal supplied to the inertial sensor.

Abstract: An inertial sensor provided with a detection structure sensitive to a first, a second and a third component of acceleration along respective directions of detection, and generating respective electrical quantities as a function of said components of acceleration. The detection structure supplies at output a resultant electrical quantity obtained as combination of said electrical quantities, and correlated to the value of a resultant acceleration acting on the inertial sensor, given by a vector sum of the components of acceleration. In particular, the detection structure is of a microelectromechanical type, and comprises a mobile portion made of semiconductor material forming with a fixed portion a first, a second and a third detection capacitor, and an electrical-interconnection portion, connecting the detection capacitors in parallel; the resultant electrical quantity being the capacitance obtained from said connection in parallel.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical device includes a semiconductor substrate, in which a first microstructure and a second microstructure of reference are integrated. The first microstructure and the second microstructure are arranged in the substrate so as to undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansions of the substrate. Furthermore, the first microstructure is provided with movable parts and fixed parts with respect to the substrate, while the second microstructure has a shape that is substantially symmetrical to the first microstructure but is fixed with respect to the substrate. By subtracting the changes in electrical characteristics of the second microstructure from those of the first, variations in electrical characteristics of the first microstructure caused by changes in thermal expansion or contraction can be compensated for.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical device includes a semiconductor body, in which at least one first microstructure and one second microstructure of reference are integrated. The first microstructure and the second microstructure are arranged in the body so as to undergo equal strains as a result of thermal expansions of the body. Furthermore, the first microstructure is provided with movable parts and fixed parts with respect to the body, while the second microstructure has a shape that is substantially symmetrical to the first microstructure but is fixed with respect to the body. By subtracting the changes in electrical characteristics of the second microstructure from those of the first, variations in electrical characteristics of the first microstructure caused by thermal expansion can be compensated for.

Abstract: A device for controlling the frequency of resonance of an oscillating micro-electromechanical system includes: a microstructure, having a first body and a second body, which is capacitively coupled to the first body and elastically oscillatable with respect thereto at a calibratable frequency of resonance, a relative displacement between the second body and the first body being detectable from outside; and an amplifier coupled to the microstructure for detecting the relative displacement. DC decoupling elements are arranged between the amplifier and the microstructure.

Abstract: A read device of a capacitive sensor includes: a signal source supplying an electrical read signal for driving the capacitive sensor; and a discrete-time sense circuit for generating an electrical output signal, correlated to variations of capacitance of the capacitive sensor, in response to variations of the electrical read signal. The device moreover includes: a modulator stage for generating a modulated electrical read signal on the basis of the electrical read signal and supplying the modulated electrical read signal to the capacitive sensor; a demodulator stage, connected to the sense circuit, for demodulating the electrical output signal and generating a demodulated electrical output signal; and a low-pass filtering stage for generating a filtered electrical output signal, on the basis of the modulated electrical output signal.

Abstract: A portable apparatus having an accelerometer device and a supporting element in the accelerometer device, having a first body of semiconductor material integrating a sensor element that detects movements of the first body and generates a signal correlated to the detected movement; a second body of semiconductor material that integrates a conditioning electronics and that is electrically connected to the first body; and conductive bumps that provide electrical connection of the first and second bodies to the supporting element. In particular, the conductive bumps connect the first and second bodies to the supporting element without the interposition of any packaging.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical sensor includes a microstructure having a mass which is movable with respect to a rest position, according to a predetermined degree of freedom, and a displacement-detecting device for detecting a displacement of the mass according to the predetermined degree of freedom. The displacement-detecting device includes a force feedback loop of a purely analog type, which supplies electrostatic forces tending to restore the mass to the rest position in response to a displacement of the mass according to the predetermined degree of freedom.

Abstract: A substrate-level assembly having a device substrate of semiconductor material with a top face and housing a first integrated device, including a buried cavity formed within the device substrate, and with a membrane suspended over the buried cavity in the proximity of the top face. A capping substrate is coupled to the device substrate above the top face so as to cover the first integrated device in such a manner that a first empty space is provided above the membrane. Electrical-contact elements electrically connect the integrated device with the outside of the substrate-level assembly. In one embodiment, the device substrate integrates at least a further integrated device provided with a respective membrane, and a further empty space, fluidically isolated from the first empty space, is provided over the respective membrane of the further integrated device.

Abstract: An oversampling electromechanical modulator, including a micro-electromechanical sensor which has a first sensing capacitance and a second sensing capacitance and supplies an analog quantity correlated to the first sensing capacitance and to the second sensing capacitance; a converter stage, which supplies a first numeric signal and a second numeric signal that are correlated to the analog quantity; and a first feedback control circuit for controlling the micro-electromechanical sensor, which supplies an electrical actuation quantity correlated to the second numeric signal.

Abstract: A fully differential amplifier device includes a first input and a second input, a first output and a second output, and a differential input stage, provided with a first input transistor and a second input transistor. The first input and the first output and the second input and the second output are directly connected selectively in a first operating configuration and disconnected in a second operating configuration. The amplifier device further includes a current-generator circuit connected so as to supply respective first currents to the first and second outputs irrespective of a state of conduction of the first and second input transistors.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope having a microstructure with a first mass, which can oscillate according to a first axis, and a second mass constrained to the first mass so as to oscillate according to a second axis in response to a rotation of the microstructure, and a driving device coupled to the microstructure to maintain the first mass in oscillation at a resonance frequency, the driving device provided with a low-pass filter having a passband such that the resonance frequency is in the passband and a disturbance frequency associated with disturbance signals due to coupling between the first mass and the second mass is not in the passband.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope that includes a first mass oscillatable according to a first axis; an inertial sensor, including a second mass, drawn along by the first mass and constrained so as to oscillate according to a second axis, in response to a rotation of the gyroscope; a driving device coupled to the first mass so as to form a feedback control loop and configured to maintain the first mass in oscillation at a resonance frequency; and an open-loop reading device coupled to the inertial sensor for detecting displacements of the second mass according to the second axis. The driving device includes a read signal generator for supplying to the inertial sensor at least one read signal having the form of a square-wave signal of amplitude that sinusoidally varies with the resonance frequency.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope having a microstructure that includes a first mass and a second mass, wherein the first mass is oscillatable according to a first axis and the second mass is constrained to the first mass so as to be drawn along by the first mass according to the first axis and to oscillate according to a second axis, in response to a rotation of the microstructure, a driving device coupled to the microstructure to maintain the first mass in oscillation at the driving frequency, and a reading device that detects displacements of the second mass according to the second axis. The gyroscope is provided with a self-test actuation system coupled to the second mass for applying an electrostatic force at the driving frequency so as to move the second mass according to the second axis.