Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a support and a vibration unit disposed on the support. The vibration unit includes a piezoelectric film and an electrode film connected to the piezoelectric film to extract charges generated by deformation of the piezoelectric film. The vibration unit has a support region supported on the support, and a vibration region connected to the support region and floating from the support. The vibration unit outputs a pressure detection signal based on the charges. The vibration region includes a plurality of slits extending from a support region side toward a center of the vibration region and is in a state of being supported at both ends with respect to the support region.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a support member and a vibrating portion. The vibrating portion has a support region supported by the support member, and a plurality of vibration regions, one end portion side of which is supported by the support region, and the other end portion side of which is opposite to the one end portion is floating from the support member. A first vibration region in which a mass on the one end portion side is heavier than the mass on the other end portion side serves as a pressure detection section outputting a first detection signal based on the charge of the piezoelectric film. A second vibration region in which a mass on the other end portion side is heavier than the mass on one end portion side serves as an acceleration detection section outputting a second detection signal based on the charge of the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a plurality of vibration regions that are separated from each other by a slit, and the slit is formed to have a tapered portion that is tapered from a first surface of the vibration regions on an opposite side to a support to a second surface opposite to the first surface. An electrode film is positioned inside than the slit when being viewed from a normal direction orthogonal to the first surface, and an angle formed by a side surface of the tapered portion in the vibration region and a surface parallel to the first surface is in a range of 39 to 81 degrees.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes: a vibration unit that outputs a pressure detection signal according to a pressure; a support member; and an improvement unit for improving a detection accuracy of the pressure detection signal. The vibration unit on the support member includes a piezoelectric film and an electrode film in a support region and vibration regions. Each vibration region has one end portion as a fixed end and an other end portion as a free end. A part of each vibration region on a one end portion side is a first region, and another part of each vibration region on an other end portion side is a second region. The electrode film is disposed in the first region.

Abstract: Within a housing portion in which a recessed portion is formed, a circuit board is arranged on the bottom surface of the recessed portion, through a first connecting member. An acceleration sensor is stacked on the circuit board, through a second connecting member. Hence, sections that function as three or more springs, i.e., an anti-vibration portion, the first connecting member, and the second connecting member, are situated between an angular velocity sensor and the acceleration sensor. For this reason, transmission of vibration of the vibrating element in the angular velocity sensor to the acceleration sensor can be restricted, and reduction in the detection accuracy of the acceleration sensor can be restricted.

Abstract: A physical quantity sensor includes a detection unit outputting a detection signal corresponding to a vibration of a vibrating element in an angular velocity sensor, and a self-diagnostic unit self-diagnosing a detection environment of an acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor on a basis of the detection signal outputted by the detection unit.

Abstract: In a physical quantity sensor, a contact part that is directly and electrically connected to an external circuit is formed in a support substrate, and the support substrate is maintained at a predetermined potential through the contact part. With this configuration, the support substrate is maintained at the predetermined potential without disposing an electrode in the interior of the semiconductor layer. For that reason, a processing precision can be restrained from being reduced in forming the movable electrode, and hence a detection precision can be restrained from being reduced.

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor includes a first substrate having first and second surfaces, a vibrating member disposed on the first substrate and including a drive piece capable of vibrating along the first substrate, a second substrate disposed on the first surface side, a first drive piece control electrode, a first drive piece auxiliary electrode, and a first drive piece control circuit applying a voltage to the first drive piece auxiliary electrode. The first drive piece control circuit adjusts, based on the capacitance generated between the first drive piece control electrode and the first drive piece auxiliary electrode, the voltage to be applied to the first drive piece auxiliary electrode to maintain a constant distance between the first drive piece control electrode and the first drive piece auxiliary electrode.

Abstract: A capacitive physical quantity sensor includes a first substrate, a movable electrode, a fixed electrode, a second substrate, a signal applying unit, a C-V conversion circuit, and an auxiliary electrode. The auxiliary electrode is disposed from a portion of the second substrate which faces the movable electrode to a portion of the second substrate which faces a displaceable region of the movable electrode. The signal applying unit applies a predetermined potential to the auxiliary electrode at the time of self-diagnosis, to thereby increase a density of electric force lines generated between the fixed electrode located in a direction of displacing the movable electrode and the movable electrode.

Abstract: When one direction of plane directions of a substrate is a first direction and a direction of the plane directions of the substrate perpendicular to the first direction is a second direction, a vibrating member is supported at an outer peripheral section via a plurality of beam sections having first beam-configuring members that can displace at least in the first direction and second beam-configuring members that are joined to the first beam-configuring members and that can displace at least in the second direction. In at least a subset of the plurality of beam sections, beam-configuring members on a side of the outer peripheral section among the first beam-configuring members and the second beam-configuring members are integrated with each other.

Abstract: A sensor device has a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor. The gyro sensor has a fixed base portion formed in a rectangular frame shape. The acceleration sensor is formed in an inside space of the fixed base portion of the rectangular frame shape. The gyro sensor is formed in an outside space formed between the fixed base portion and an outer frame portion of a sensor base plate. The gyro sensor and the acceleration sensor are formed in one chip. As a result, the sensor device can be made smaller in size.

Abstract: A capacitive physical quantity sensor includes a first substrate, a movable electrode, a fixed electrode, and a second substrate. An auxiliary electrode is disposed on a portion of the second substrate to face the movable electrode and the auxiliary electrode has a facing area that faces the movable electrode. The facing area in a case where the movable electrode is displaced in one direction is different from the facing area in a case where the movable electrode is displaced in an opposite direction opposite to the one direction. The physical quantity is detected based on a capacitance, which is generated corresponding to the interval between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode, and a capacitance, which is generated corresponding to an interval between the facing area of the movable electrode and the auxiliary electrode.

Abstract: In an acceleration sensor, a semiconductor layer is provided with a rod-shaped weight portion that passes through a center of a frame portion, extends in a second direction, and is connected to the frame portion through a first beam portion. A first-direction movable electrode and a second-direction movable electrode are provided on the weight portion. According to the above configuration, because a mass of the first- and second-direction movable electrodes can be applied to the vicinity of a center of the frame portion, and a rotational moment can be reduced. Thus, detection accuracy can be restrained from being reduced.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate and multiple sensing portions that are placed on one side of the semiconductor substrate and convert a physical quantity into an electrical signal. The one side is parallel to a reference plane defined by an X-direction and a Y-direction perpendicular to each other. The semiconductor substrate has a center point that is both a geometric center and a center of mass. The semiconductor substrate is axisymmetric with respect to each of a first reference line passing through the center point and parallel to the X-direction and a second reference line passing through the center point and parallel to the Y-direction. Each of the sensing portions is axisymmetric with respect to each of the first reference line and the second reference line.

Abstract: When one direction of plane directions of a substrate is a first direction and a direction of the plane directions of the substrate perpendicular to the first direction is a second direction, a vibrating member is supported at an outer peripheral section via a plurality of beam sections having first beam-configuring members that can displace at least in the first direction and second beam-configuring members that are joined to the first beam-configuring members and that can displace at least in the second direction. In at least a subset of the plurality of beam sections, beam-configuring members on a side of the outer peripheral section among the first beam-configuring members and the second beam-configuring members are integrated with each other.

Abstract: Within a housing portion in which a recessed portion is formed, a circuit board is arranged on the bottom surface of the recessed portion, through a first connecting member. An acceleration sensor is stacked on the circuit board, through a second connecting member. Hence, sections that function as three or more springs, i.e., an anti-vibration portion, the first connecting member, and the second connecting member, are situated between an angular velocity sensor and the acceleration sensor. For this reason, transmission of vibration of the vibrating element in the angular velocity sensor to the acceleration sensor can be restricted, and reduction in the detection accuracy of the acceleration sensor can be restricted.

Abstract: A physical quantity sensor includes a detection unit outputting a detection signal corresponding to a vibration of a vibrating element in an angular velocity sensor, and a self-diagnostic unit self-diagnosing a detection environment of an acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor on a basis of the detection signal outputted by the detection unit.

Abstract: A vibration angular velocity sensor includes a fixed portion, a movable portion, a beam portion, and an anti-vibration spring structure. The movable portion has driving-detection weights. The beam portion has detection beams, support members, and driving beams, and has a frame structure formed of the driving beams, the support members, and the driving-detection weights. The anti-vibration spring structure is disposed between the detection beams and the fixed portion and is deformable along a first axis and a second axis. The vibration angular velocity sensor causes the driving-detection weights disposed on both sides of the fixed portion to undergo driving vibrations in directions opposite to each other along the first axis about the fixed portion and detects an angular velocity based on a fact that the driving-detection weights vibrate also along the second axis upon application of the angular velocity.

Abstract: A sensor device has a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor. The gyro sensor has a fixed base portion formed in a rectangular frame shape. The acceleration sensor is formed in an inside space of the fixed base portion of the rectangular frame shape. The gyro sensor is formed in an outside space formed between the fixed base portion and an outer frame portion of a sensor base plate. The gyro sensor and the acceleration sensor are formed in one chip. As a result, the sensor device can be made smaller in size.

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor includes a first substrate having first and second surfaces, a vibrating member disposed on the first substrate and including a drive piece capable of vibrating along the first substrate, a second substrate disposed on the first surface side, a first drive piece control electrode, a first drive piece auxiliary electrode, and a first drive piece control circuit applying a voltage to the first drive piece auxiliary electrode. The first drive piece control circuit adjusts, based on the capacitance generated between the first drive piece control electrode and the first drive piece auxiliary electrode, the voltage to be applied to the first drive piece auxiliary electrode to maintain a constant distance between the first drive piece control electrode and the first drive piece auxiliary electrode.