Abstract: A piezoelectric coaxial sensor includes: a center conductor including a conductive wire; a polymer piezoelectric layer covering an outer peripheral surface of the center conductor; a first outer conductor surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the polymer piezoelectric layer; a first jacket layer covering an outer peripheral surface of the first outer conductor; and a second outer conductor surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the first jacket layer. A voltage is generated between the center conductor and the first outer conductor based on induced charges generated in the polymer piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor for detecting the intensity of a magnetic field in three axial directions, in which a plurality of giant magnetoresistive elements are formed on a single semiconductor substrate. A thick film is formed on the semiconductor substrate; giant magnetoresistive elements forming X-axis and Y-axis sensors are formed on a planar surface thereof; and giant magnetoresistive elements forming a Z-axis sensor are formed using slopes of channels in the thick film. Each of the slopes of the channels can be constituted of a first slope and a second slope, so that a magneto-sensitive element is formed on the second slope having a larger inclination angle. In order to optimize the slope shape and inclination with respect to each channel, it is possible to form a dummy slope that does not directly relate to the formation of the giant magnetoresistive elements.

Abstract: In a three-axis magnetic sensor, a plurality of magnetoresistive effect element bars are connected in series by means of bias magnets formed on a flat surface parallel to the flat surface of the substrate to constitute magnetoresistive effect elements. The sensitivity direction of magnetization is a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of each of the magnetoresistive effect element bars. Magnetoresistive effect elements forming X-axis and Y-axis sensors have magnetization directions that are orthogonal to each other. Magnetoresistive effect elements of the Z-axis sensor are formed on a tilted surface substrate in such a way that the magnetization direction is inside the tilted surface. The sensitivity direction of the Z-axis sensor is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the magnetoresistive effect element bar.

Abstract: An identification mark constituted of irregularities is formed on the surface of a wafer, which is sealed with a resin layer and a dicing tape may be adhered to the backside. Multiple infrared units irradiate infrared rays towards the surface of the wafer from the backside thereof, wherein they transmit through the wafer and are then reflected at the interface between the resin layer and the surface of the wafer, thus producing reflected rays. An image pickup device picks up an image of the interface including the identification mark based on reflected rays. Optical axes of the infrared units extend to cross the surface of the wafer in different directions; hence, the image pickup device receives only a part of reflected rays, which are reflected at the interface in a prescribed direction. A polarizer can be arranged in proximity to the infrared unit or the image pickup device.

Abstract: There is provided a small-size magnetic sensor for detecting the intensity of a magnetic field in three axial directions, in which a plurality of giant magnetoresistive elements are formed on a single semiconductor substrate. A thick film is formed on the semiconductor substrate; giant magnetoresistive elements forming an X-axis sensor and a Y-axis sensor are formed on a planar surface thereof; and giant magnetoresistive elements forming a Z-axis sensor are formed using slopes of channels formed in the thick film. Regarding the channel formation, it is possible to use the reactive ion etching and high-density plasma CVD methods. In addition, an insulating film is formed between the thick film and passivation film and is used as an etching stopper. Each of the slopes of the channels can be constituted of a first slope and a second slope, so that a magneto-sensitive element is formed on the second slope having a larger inclination angle.

Abstract: An upper electrode of a capacitor has a two-layer structure of first and second upper electrodes. A gate electrode of a MOS field effect transistor and a fuse are formed by patterning conductive layers used to form the lower electrode, first upper electrode and second upper electrode of the capacitor. In forming a capacitor and a fuse on a semiconductor substrate by a conventional method, at least three etching masks are selectively used to pattern respective layers to form the capacitor and fuse before wiring connection. The number of etching masks can be reduced in manufacturing a semiconductor device having capacitors, fuses and MOS field effect transistors so that the number of processes can be reduced and it becomes easy to improve the productivity and reduce the manufacture cost.

Abstract: An azimuth processing device is designed for outputting azimuth data based on measurement data sequentially output from a compass sensor. In the device, an accumulation section selectively accumulates substantially new pieces of the measurement data. An offset data updating section updates offset data of the compass sensor based on plural pieces of the measurement data accumulated by said accumulation section. An azimuth data output section outputs the azimuth data based on substantially newest measurement data and the offset data.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor is constituted using magnetic sensor chips mounted on stages supported by interconnecting members and a frame having leads in a lead frame. Herein, the stages are inclined upon plastic deformation of the interconnecting members. When the frame is held in a metal mold and the stages are pressed, the interconnecting members are elastically deformed, so that the magnetic sensor chips are bonded onto the stages placed substantially in the same plane and are then wired with the leads. Thereafter, the stages are released from pressure, so that the interconnecting members are restored from the elastically deformed states thereof. When the magnetic sensor chips are combined together to realize three sensing directions, it is possible to accurately measure three-dimensional bearings of magnetism, and the magnetic sensor can be reduced in dimensions and manufactured with a reduced cost thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a condenser microphone, in which, with a simple manufacturing process, vibration characteristics of a diaphragm are improved, and a parasitic capacitance occurring between the diaphragm and a back plate is reduced, thus improving sensitivity. Specifically, the diaphragm having a gear-like shape including a center portion and a plurality of arms and the back plate having a gear-like shape including a center portion and a plurality of arms are positioned opposite to each other above a substrate, wherein the arms of the diaphragm and the arms of the back plate are not positioned opposite to each other. Alternatively, it is possible to independently support the diaphragm and the back plate above the substrate. Furthermore, it is possible to support the back plate above the substrate by means of a plurality of supports inserted into a plurality of holes formed in the center portion of the diaphragm.

Abstract: An azimuth processing device is designed for outputting azimuth data based on measurement data sequentially output from a compass sensor. In the device, an accumulation section selectively accumulates substantially new pieces of the measurement data. An offset data updating section updates offset data of the compass sensor based on plural pieces of the measurement data accumulated by said accumulation section. An azimuth data output section outputs the azimuth data based on substantially newest measurement data and the offset data.

Abstract: An azimuth processing device is designed for outputting azimuth data based on measurement data sequentially output from a compass sensor. In the device, an accumulation section selectively accumulates substantially new pieces of the measurement data. An offset data updating section updates offset data of the compass sensor based on plural pieces of the measurement data accumulated by said accumulation section. An azimuth data output section outputs the azimuth data based on substantially newest measurement data and the offset data.

Abstract: An electroacoustic transducer serving as a speaker or a microphone is reduced in size and weight and is capable of generating sound with relatively high sound pressure. It is constituted of a housing having a cavity having an opening in the exterior, a fixed electrode positioned opposite to the opening of the housing, a diaphragm having an electrode positioned between the opening and the fixed electrode, and an elastic deformation portion for supporting the diaphragm with respect to the housing and for allowing the diaphragm to vibrate in the thickness direction. The fixed electrode is electrically insulated from the electrode of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is distanced from the fixed electrode by means of the elastic deformation portion placed in the balanced state. When the elastic deformation portion is subjected to elastic deformation, the diaphragm vibrates with relatively large amplitude such that it comes in contact with the fixed electrode.

Abstract: An upper electrode of a capacitor has a two-layer structure of first and second upper electrodes. A gate electrode of a MOS field effect transistor and a fuse are formed by patterning conductive layers used to form the lower electrode, first upper electrode and second upper electrode of the capacitor. In forming a capacitor and a fuse on a semiconductor substrate by a conventional method, at least three etching masks are selectively used to pattern respective layers to form the capacitor and fuse before wiring connection. The number of etching masks can be reduced in manufacturing a semiconductor device having capacitors, fuses and MOS field effect transistors so that the number of processes can be reduced and it becomes easy to improve the productivity and reduce the manufacture cost.

Abstract: Within the tip portion of a cylindrical shaped sheath a capacitive ultrasonic transducer which is an array type two-dimensionally arrayed on the outer surface of the cylindrical face is disposed. Capacitive ultrasonic transducer units employ m capacitive ultrasonic transducer elements arrayed in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical face as a division unit, thereby providing an arrangement wherein the respective capacitive ultrasonic transducer units are readily disposed in the circumferential direction, whereby radial scanning or the like can be performed within a body cavity.

Abstract: An MEMS transducer is constituted of a diaphragm, a plate, a support structure for supporting the diaphragm and the plate with a gap layer surrounded by an interior wall, an electrode film (e.g. a pad conductive film) for covering a contact hole formed in the support structure, and a protective film (e.g. a pad protective film) which is formed on the support structure externally of the interior wall so as to cover the side surface of the electrode film having low chemical stability. The protective film is formed in the limited area including a part of the surface of the electrode film except for its center portion and the surrounding area of the electrode film. This allows the protective film to use materials having high membrane stress such as silicon nitride or silicon nitride oxide.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe apparatus which applies a RF pulse signal with a DC bias signal superimposed thereon to c-MUTs and transmits/receives an ultrasound wave is configured such that a transmission control system includes bias regulators which regulate the voltage value of the DC bias signal, a reception control system has a plurality of different frequency band pass filtering characteristics including at least those for a low pass and high pass and a frequency band pass filtering processing section which can select at least one frequency band pass filtering characteristic from those frequency band pass filtering characteristics. The apparatus controls voltage settings of the bias regulators in conjunction with the selection of frequency band pass filtering characteristics of the frequency band pass filtering processing section.

Abstract: A physical quantity sensor is constituted using a lead frame having at least one stage and a plurality of leads whose bases are arranged in the same plane, wherein at least one physical quantity sensor chip having a plurality of electrode pads is mounted on the stage and is inclined so that the electrode pads are disposed in the inclination direction and are connected to the leads by use of wires whose lengths substantially match distances between the electrode pads and leads. This prevents the leads and wires from being unexpectedly broken, and it is possible to avoid the occurrence of separation of the leads from the physical quantity sensor chip. In addition, the tip ends of the leads are disposed along the surface of the inclined stage before wire bonding; hence, it is possible to easily connect the tip ends of the leads to the physical quantity sensor chip.

Abstract: An azimuth processing device is designed for outputting azimuth data based on measurement data sequentially output from a compass sensor. In the device, an accumulation section selectively accumulates substantially new pieces of the measurement data. An offset data updating section updates offset data of the compass sensor based on plural pieces of the measurement data accumulated by said accumulation section. An azimuth data output section outputs the azimuth data based on substantially newest measurement data and the offset data.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a single substrate, a conventional GMR element formed of a spin-valve film including a single-layer-pinned fixed magnetization layer, and a SAF element formed of a synthetic spin-valve film including a plural-layer-pinned fixed magnetization layer. When the spin-valve film intended to act as the conventional GMR element and the synthetic spin-valve film intended to act as the SAF element are subjected to the application of a magnetic field oriented in a single direction at a high temperature, they become giant magnetoresistive elements whose magnetic-field-detecting directions are antiparallel to each other. Since films intended to act as the conventional GMR element and the SAF element can be disposed close to each other, the magnetic sensor which has giant magnetoresistive elements whose magnetic-field-detecting directions are antiparallel to each other can be small.

Abstract: An upper electrode of a capacitor has a two-layer structure of first and second upper electrodes. A gate electrode of a MOS field effect transistor and a fuse are formed by patterning conductive layers used to form the lower electrode, first upper electrode and second upper electrode of the capacitor. In forming a capacitor and a fuse on a semiconductor substrate by a conventional method, at least three etching masks are selectively used to pattern respective layers to form the capacitor and fuse before wiring connection. The number of etching masks can be reduced in manufacturing a semiconductor device having capacitors, fuses and MOS field effect transistors so that the number of processes can be reduced and it becomes easy to improve the productivity and reduce the manufacture cost.