Gyroscope structure, chip, gyroscope, and electronic device
By designing a gyroscope structure containing fixed anchor points, elastic structures, levers and mass blocks, the orthogonal problem caused by structural manufacturing errors of MEMS gyroscopes is solved, and the accuracy and stability of the gyroscope are improved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/CN2024/097434
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-11-30
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-05
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-05
AI Technical Summary
Due to structural manufacturing errors in MEMS gyroscopes manufactured by micro-machining, the driving and detection modes cannot be strictly orthogonal, which affects the accuracy and stability of the gyroscope.
A gyroscope structure is designed, including a substrate and a first structural layer, which includes a fixed anchor point, an elastic structure, a lever and a mass to reduce the orthogonal angular velocity by torsion suppression of the first lever and mutually offsetting the moment of inertia caused by structural manufacturing errors.
It improves the accuracy and stability of the gyroscope, reduces the sensitivity to structural manufacturing errors, and improves the yield and production efficiency of MEMS chips.
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Figure CN2024097434_05062025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Gyroscope structure, chip, gyroscope and electronic equipment
[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on November 30, 2023, with application number 202311634422.X and invention name “A gyroscope structure, chip, gyroscope and electronic device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field
[0002] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of sensor technology, and specifically to a gyroscope structure, chip, gyroscope and electronic equipment. Background Art
[0003] A gyroscope is a sensor that senses angular velocity in space. By integrating the angular velocity, information such as rotation angle, carrier attitude, and motion coordinate system can be obtained. Micromachining gyroscope technology, also known as microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscopes, offers advantages such as small size, low cost, and low power consumption.
[0004] MEMS gyroscopes use the physical principle of the Coriolis force to sense angular velocity. This involves controlling the linear motion of a mass structure and applying an angular velocity input along an axis orthogonal to that linear motion, which in turn generates a Coriolis force along a third orthogonal axis. Typically, a mechanical resonator mode is used to implement the linear motion, known as the driving mode, while another mechanical mode is used to detect the Coriolis force, known as the detection mode. Therefore, by properly detecting the mechanical displacement of the mass caused by the Coriolis force, angular velocity information can be obtained.
[0005] According to the Coriolis effect, the driving and sensing modes should be strictly orthogonal. This means that the mechanical displacement in the third orthogonal axis is solely due to the Coriolis effect caused by the angular velocity input. However, micromachining manufacturing inherently involves structural and dimensional non-idealities, which prevent the driving and sensing modes from being strictly orthogonal. Displacement in the driving mode can be projected onto the sensing mode, compromising the gyroscope's accuracy and stability.
[0006] Summary of the Invention
[0007] The present invention provides a gyroscope structure for avoiding orthogonality problems caused by structural manufacturing errors and improving the accuracy and stability of the gyroscope. The present invention also provides a corresponding chip, gyroscope, and electronic device.
[0008] In a first aspect, the present application provides a gyroscope structure comprising a substrate and a first structural layer. The first structural layer comprises a fixed anchor point, a first elastic structure, a second elastic structure, a first lever, a third elastic structure, a first mass block, and a second mass block. The fixed anchor point is connected to the substrate, the third elastic structure is used to connect the fixed anchor point to the first lever, the first elastic structure is used to connect the first lever to the first mass block, and the second elastic structure is used to connect the first lever to the second mass block. The first mass block and the second mass block are mirror-symmetrical along a first centerline, and the first centerline is perpendicular to the torque direction of the first lever.
[0009] The first structural layer in the present application is a symmetrical structure, not only symmetrical left-right but also symmetrical top-bottom. Based on the top view of the first structural layer, the first center line is located in the middle of the left and right sides of the first structural layer, and the second center line is located in the middle of the top and bottom sides of the first structural layer.
[0010] In the present application, the third elastic structure has the freedom to twist around the first center line, that is, the freedom to rotate around the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the first lever will also rotate around the Y-axis direction. At this time, the torque direction of the first lever is the X-axis direction. No matter how the shape of the first lever changes, the torque direction of the first lever is the X-axis direction; the first center line can also be located in the same plane as the first lever. When the first center line is perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the first mass block and the second mass block are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line, it can be determined that the first center line is located in the middle position of the left and right sides of the first structural layer, and the same applies to the second center line.
[0011] In the present application, the connection method between the fixed anchor point and the substrate is a fixed connection, so that the entire first structural layer is fixedly connected to the substrate. The process method for connecting the fixed anchor point and the substrate can be a bonding process, such as gold-silicon bonding, aluminum-germanium bonding, anodic bonding, fusion bonding and glass (glass-frit) bonding.
[0012] In the present application, the first and second elastic structures have displacement freedom along the X-axis and relatively high displacement stiffness along the Y-axis. For example, the displacement stiffness of the first and second elastic structures along the Y-axis is more than twice the displacement stiffness along the X-axis. This means that the first elastic structure can support the displacement of the first mass block along the X-axis but restricts its displacement along the Y-axis. The second elastic structure supports the displacement of the second mass block along the X-axis but restricts its displacement along the Y-axis. The third elastic structure has torsional freedom about the first centerline, i.e., rotational freedom about the Y-axis. Furthermore, the third elastic structure has relatively high rotational stiffness along the X- and Z-axes. For example, the rotational stiffness of the third elastic structure along the X-axis is more than twice the rotational stiffness along the Y-axis. This means that the third elastic structure can support the rotation of the first lever about the Y-axis but restricts its rotation about both the X- and Z-axes. Specifically, the third elastic structure can be a straight beam or a folded beam along the Y-axis.
[0013] In the present application, when the gyroscope structure provided in the embodiments of the present application is used, the gyroscope structure is mounted on a target object. When the target object rotates or turns about the Y-axis in space, an angular velocity input is generated, which is also transmitted to the first structural layer. Because the first direction and the second direction are both perpendicular to the first centerline, they are both along the X-axis. When the first mass block is subjected to a driving force along the first direction, the first elastic structure is not constrained in the X-axis direction, causing the first mass block to also displace along the first direction. Similarly, when the second mass block is subjected to a driving force along the second direction, the second elastic structure is not constrained in the X-axis direction, causing the second mass block to also displace along the second direction. Due to the Coriolis effect, the superposition of the Y-axis angular velocity input on the displacement along the X-axis causes the first and second mass blocks to generate two opposite displacements in the Z-axis. By detecting the displacements of the first and second mass blocks in the Z-axis, horizontal axis angular velocity information can be obtained.
[0014] In this application, the first lever in the first structural layer is twisted about the first centerline to achieve structural force balance between the first and second masses in the Z-axis direction. The moments of inertia of the first and second masses caused by manufacturing errors in the first and second elastic structures can be suppressed and offset by the twisting of the first lever about the Y-axis, thereby reducing the orthogonal angular velocity.
[0015] In the first aspect, the gyroscope structure includes a substrate and a structural layer, wherein the structural layer includes an anchor point, a first elastic structure, a second elastic structure, a third elastic structure, a lever, a first mass, and a second mass. The anchor point is connected to the substrate, the third elastic structure is used to connect the anchor point to the lever, the first elastic structure is used to connect the lever to the first mass, and the second elastic structure is used to connect the lever to the second mass. Therefore, orthogonality issues caused by structural manufacturing errors due to micromachining and the elastic structure can be suppressed and offset by torsion of the first lever, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of the gyroscope.
[0016] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the gyroscope structure also includes a detection electrode, which is located between the substrate and the first structural layer. The detection electrode is used to output a detection electrical signal based on the displacement of the first mass block along a third direction and the displacement of the second mass block along a fourth direction. The third direction is perpendicular to the first center line, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and located in a different plane. The third direction is opposite to the fourth direction.
[0017] In this possible implementation, the first detection electrode and the first mass block form a first flat plate capacitor, and the second detection electrode and the second mass block form a second flat plate capacitor. Under the input of angular velocity, the differential detection displacement caused by the Coriolis force will increase the spacing between the first flat plate capacitor and reduce the spacing between the second flat plate capacitors. Therefore, a differential capacitance change is directly generated. This change can be read by an electrical signal amplifier to output a detection electrical signal, thereby improving the feasibility of the solution.
[0018] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the first structural layer also includes a first driving structure and a second driving structure, the first driving structure is connected to the base and coupled to the first mass block, and the second driving structure is connected to the base and coupled to the second mass block; the first driving structure is used to drive the first mass block to displace along a first direction, and the second driving structure is used to drive the second mass block to displace along a second direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the first center line, and the first direction is opposite to the second direction.
[0019] In this possible implementation, the first driving structure and the second driving structure both include driving fixed comb teeth and a comb tooth structure, which are connected to the base. When DC and AC signals are applied to the driving fixed comb teeth, the electrostatic force generated in the first driving structure will drive the first mass block and the first elastic structure to displace along the first direction on the X-axis, and the electrostatic force generated in the second driving structure will drive the second mass block and the second elastic structure to displace along the second direction on the X-axis, thereby improving the feasibility of the solution.
[0020] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the first driving structure and the second driving structure are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line.
[0021] In this possible implementation, the symmetrical first drive structure and the second drive structure are beneficial to the processing and manufacturing of the entire first structural layer, reducing the complexity of the process flow.
[0022] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the first structural layer also includes a first drive detection structure and a second drive detection structure, the first drive detection structure is connected to the substrate and coupled to the first mass block, and the second drive detection structure is connected to the substrate and coupled to the second mass block; the first drive detection structure is used to convert a first displacement signal generated by the displacement of the first mass block into a first electrical signal output, and the second drive detection structure is used to convert a second displacement signal generated by the displacement of the second mass block into a second electrical signal output.
[0023] In this possible implementation, the first drive detection structure and the second drive detection structure both include drive detection comb teeth and a comb tooth structure, which are connected to the base. The drive detection comb teeth can convert the mechanical displacement signals of the first mass block and the second mass block along the X-axis into first electrical signals and second electrical signals for output. The first electrical signals and the second electrical signals serve as feedback signals, and are returned to the drive comb teeth after phase shifting, amplification and other circuit links, thereby realizing closed-loop oscillation of the drive mode and improving the feasibility of the solution.
[0024] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the first drive detection structure and the second drive detection structure are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line.
[0025] In this possible implementation, the symmetrical first drive detection structure and the second drive detection structure are beneficial to the processing and manufacturing of the entire first structural layer, reducing the complexity of the process flow.
[0026] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the first elastic structure and the second elastic structure are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line.
[0027] In this possible implementation, the first elastic structure and the second elastic structure are also mirror-symmetrical along the first center line, so that the entire first structural layer is mirror-symmetrical along the first center line, thereby improving the feasibility of the solution.
[0028] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the number of the first elastic structures is at least two, and the number of the second elastic structures is at least two.
[0029] In this possible implementation, the number of the first elastic structure and the number of the second elastic structure can be multiple, which improves the feasibility of the solution.
[0030] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the third elastic structure is located at the center of the first lever.
[0031] In this possible implementation, the first lever is connected to the third elastic structure along the center point of the first structural layer in the X-axis direction. When the first lever is twisted about the first centerline, the displacement (also understood as the force transmission ratio) of the two ends of the first lever along the Z-axis is 1:1, achieving torsional symmetry.
[0032] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the first elastic structure is a spring or a folded beam, the second elastic structure is a spring or a folded beam, and the third elastic structure is a spring, a straight beam, or a folded beam.
[0033] In this possible implementation, there are multiple possible implementations of the first elastic structure, the second elastic structure, and the third elastic structure, which improves the feasibility of the solution.
[0034] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the first structural layer further includes a fourth elastic structure, and the fourth elastic structure is used to connect the first mass block and the second mass block.
[0035] In this possible implementation, when the first mass and the second mass move in opposite directions along the X-axis, the fourth elastic structure has the same displacement amplitude, i.e., the fourth elastic structure participates in the opposite displacement of the first mass and the second mass, providing displacement stiffness. When the first mass and the second mass move in the same direction along the X-axis, the fourth elastic structure has no displacement, or a displacement much smaller than that of the first mass and the second mass moving in opposite directions along the X-axis. i.e., the fourth elastic structure does not participate in the same-direction displacement of the first mass and the second mass, and does not provide displacement stiffness. Therefore, due to the introduction of the fourth elastic structure, the stiffness of the first mass and the second mass for displacements in different directions differs, and stiffness is related to modal frequency. Consequently, there is a difference in modal frequency between the first mass and the second mass, thereby reducing common-mode error.
[0036] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the first lever includes a curved portion, and the third elastic structure is used to connect the fixed anchor point to the curved portion.
[0037] In this possible implementation, due to the presence of a fixed anchor point, the first lever can bend or deform in coordination with the position of the fixed anchor point. The fixed anchor point is connected to the curved portion through a third elastic structure, so that the fixed anchor point does not increase the area of the first structural layer, thereby achieving miniaturization of the gyroscope structure.
[0038] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, there are two first levers, the two first levers are mirror-symmetrical along a second center line, and the second center line is parallel to a torque direction of the first levers.
[0039] In this possible implementation, the number of first levers in the first structural layer may also be multiple, thereby improving the feasibility of the solution.
[0040] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the gyroscope structure also includes a second structural layer, a first coupling structure, and a second coupling structure; the second structural layer and the first structural layer are mirror-symmetrical along a third center line, the third center line is parallel to the torque direction of the first lever, the first coupling structure is used to connect the first structural layer with the second structural layer, and the second coupling structure is used to connect the first structural layer with the second structural layer.
[0041] In this possible implementation, the dual differential motion form and displacement detection form formed by the four mass blocks in the first structural layer and the second structural layer can further eliminate common mode errors and reduce the accuracy and stability degradation caused by the inconsistent spacing of the detection capacitors caused by the bonding process.
[0042] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the first coupling structure includes a fifth elastic structure, a sixth elastic structure, a seventh elastic structure and a second lever, wherein the seventh elastic structure is used to connect the fixed anchor point to the second lever, the fifth elastic structure is used to connect the second lever to the first structural layer, and the sixth elastic structure is used to connect the second lever to the second structural layer.
[0043] In this possible implementation, the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure are used to couple the first structural layer and the second structural layer to achieve a double-differential motion form and a displacement detection form, thereby improving the feasibility of the solution.
[0044] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the fixed anchor point includes a first anchor point, a second anchor point, a third anchor point, and a fourth anchor point, the first anchor point is connected to the first structural layer, the second anchor point is connected to the second structural layer, the third anchor point is connected to the first coupling structure, and the fourth anchor point is connected to the second coupling structure.
[0045] In this possible implementation, the fixed anchor point can be decoupled into multiple anchor points, which improves the feasibility of the solution.
[0046] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the fifth elastic structure and the sixth elastic structure are mirror-symmetrical along the third center line.
[0047] In this possible implementation, the fifth elastic structure and the sixth elastic structure are also mirror-symmetrical along the third center line, so that the entire gyroscope structure is mirror-symmetrical along the second center line, thereby improving the feasibility of the solution.
[0048] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the seventh elastic structure is located at the center of the second lever.
[0049] In this possible implementation, the second lever connects to the seventh elastic structure along the Y-axis center point of the gyroscope structure. In this case, when the second lever is twisted about the X-axis, the displacement (also understood as the force transmission ratio) of the two ends of the second lever along the Z-axis is 1:1, achieving torsional symmetry. When the second lever is twisted about the Z-axis, the displacement of the two ends of the second lever along the X-axis is also 1:1, achieving torsional symmetry.
[0050] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line.
[0051] In this possible implementation, the first coupling structure is also mirror-symmetrical with the second coupling structure along the first center line, so that the entire gyroscope structure is mirror-symmetrical along the first center line, thereby improving the feasibility of the solution.
[0052] The second aspect of the present application provides a gyroscope structure, which includes a substrate, a first structural layer, a second structural layer, a first coupling structure, and a second coupling structure. The first structural layer includes a fixed anchor point, a first elastic structure, a second elastic structure, a first lever, a third elastic structure, a first mass block, and a second mass block. The fixed anchor point is connected to the substrate, the third elastic structure is used to connect the fixed anchor point to the first lever, the first elastic structure is used to connect the first lever to the first mass block, and the second elastic structure is used to connect the first lever to the second mass block; the first mass block and the second mass block are mirror-symmetrical along a first center line, and the first center line is perpendicular to the torque direction of the first lever. The second structural layer is mirror-symmetrical to the first structural layer along a second center line, and the second center line is parallel to the torque direction of the first lever. The first coupling structure is used to connect the first structural layer to the second structural layer, and the second coupling structure is used to connect the first structural layer to the second structural layer.
[0053] A third aspect of the present application provides a chip, which includes the gyroscope structure and packaging structure in the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, and the packaging structure is used to enclose the first structural layer in a closed cavity.
[0054] In a possible implementation of the third aspect, the vacuum degree of the sealed cavity is less than or equal to 100 Pa.
[0055] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a gyroscope, which includes the gyroscope structure in the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect and a dedicated integrated circuit, wherein the dedicated integrated circuit is electrically connected to the gyroscope structure, and the dedicated integrated circuit is used to provide a driving signal to the gyroscope structure.
[0056] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides an electronic device, which includes the gyroscope structure and a computing unit in the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, and the computing unit is used to determine angular velocity information based on the output data of the gyroscope structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0057] Figures 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams of the gyroscope driving mode and detection mode;
[0058] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the first structural layer provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0059] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a gyroscope structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0060] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the first structural layer provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0061] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a driving mode of a gyroscope structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0062] 7 and 8 are schematic diagrams of detection modes of the gyroscope structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0063] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a gyroscope structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0064] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the first structural layer and the second structural layer provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0065] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of another driving mode of the gyroscope structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0066] 12 and 13 are schematic diagrams of another detection mode of the gyroscope structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0067] 14 to 16 are schematic diagrams of embodiments of the chip provided in the embodiments of the present application;
[0068] FIG17 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an electronic device and a gyroscope provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0069] The following describes the embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that with the development of technology and the emergence of new scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to similar technical problems.
[0070] The terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of this application and in the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a particular order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate so that the embodiments described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having," as well as any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, e.g., a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatus.
[0071] The word “exemplary” is used exclusively herein to mean “serving as an example, example, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.
[0072] In addition, numerous specific details are provided in the detailed description below to better illustrate the present application. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present application can be practiced without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, components, and circuits well known to those skilled in the art are not described in detail in order to highlight the main purpose of the present application.
[0073] The following examples illustrate the application scenarios involved in the embodiments of the present application.
[0074] A gyroscope is a type of sensor that can sense angular velocity in space. By integrating the angular velocity, it can obtain information such as the rotation angle, carrier posture, and motion coordinate system. It can be used in scenarios such as navigation, motion, and attitude sensing, and is widely used in consumer terminals, automotive electronics, aviation equipment, and other fields.
[0075] Gyroscopes manufactured using micromachining technology, also known as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes, are specifically manufactured using micromachining techniques to create a MEMS chip, which is then packaged to create a MEMS gyroscope. MEMS gyroscopes have the advantages of small size, low cost, and low power consumption. Micromachining technology generally forms MEMS gyroscopes by etching planar structures. Planar horizontal-axis gyroscopes can detect and acquire roll and pitch angles, facilitating the miniaturization of three-axis gyroscopes and six-axis inertial measurement units (IMUs).
[0076] MEMS gyroscopes use the physical principle of the Coriolis force to sense angular velocity. This involves controlling the linear motion of a mass structure and applying an angular velocity input along an axis orthogonal to that linear motion, which in turn generates a Coriolis force along a third orthogonal axis. Typically, a mechanical resonator mode is used to implement the linear motion, known as the driving mode, while another mechanical mode is used to detect the Coriolis force, known as the detection mode. Therefore, by properly detecting the mechanical displacement of the mass caused by the Coriolis force, angular velocity information can be obtained.
[0077] Modes are the inherent vibration characteristics of a structural system. Mechanical modes represent the resonant motion of the mass-elastic structure. Drive modes specifically refer to the resonant motion of the mass-elastic structure designed into a MEMS gyroscope, used to achieve linear vibration of the mass. Detection modes also specifically refer to another resonant motion of the mass-elastic structure designed into a MEMS gyroscope, used to detect the Coriolis force.
[0078] The formula for the Coriolis force is F = -2mΩ × v, where m is the mass of the object, v is the linear velocity of the object, and Ω is the angular velocity of the object. Furthermore, F, v, and Ω all have directions; the "×" in the formula represents a vector cross product. F, v, and Ω are perpendicular to each other. Therefore, by properly detecting the mechanical displacement of the mass caused by the Coriolis force, angular velocity information can be obtained.
[0079] As shown in Figure 1, according to the principle of the Coriolis effect, the driving mode and the detection mode should be strictly orthogonal, that is, the mechanical displacement generated in the direction of the third orthogonal axis (Z axis) is only derived from the Coriolis effect caused by the angular velocity input. However, there are always some non-idealities in the structure and size parameters of micromachining manufacturing, which leads to the inability to ensure strict orthogonality between the driving and detection modes. As shown in Figure 2, the displacement of the driving mode will be projected onto the detection mode. The detection mode detects the Coriolis force while also detecting the projection of the driving mode, causing the orthogonal angular velocity signal to be 90° or 270° out of phase with the actual angular velocity, thus destroying the accuracy and stability of the gyroscope. For MEMS horizontal axis gyroscopes based on the linear vibration principle, the orthogonal angular velocity is particularly sensitive to the non-idealities of micromachining. The structural manufacturing errors include parameters such as the distance between the off-surface capacitors and the etching errors of the elastic structural beams. The orthogonal angular velocity can reach ±10 5 degrees per second (dps), far exceeding the gyroscope ±10 3 The measuring range of dps.
[0080] Therefore, controlling orthogonal coupling severely impacts the accuracy of MEMS horizontal-axis gyroscopes and the wafer yield of MEMS chips. Based on this, embodiments of the present application provide a gyroscope structure that avoids orthogonality issues caused by elastic structures due to structural manufacturing errors, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of the gyroscope. Embodiments of the present application also provide corresponding chips, gyroscopes, and electronic devices. These are described in detail below.
[0081] The gyroscope structure provided in the embodiment of the present application is described below in conjunction with the above application scenarios.
[0082] As shown in Figure 3, an embodiment of the present application provides a gyroscope structure, which includes a substrate 100 and a first structural layer 300. The first structural layer 300 includes a fixed anchor point 301, a first elastic structure 304, a second elastic structure 314, a first lever 303, a third elastic structure 302, a first mass block 305 and a second mass block 315.
[0083] Among them, the fixed anchor point 301 is connected to the base 100, the third elastic structure 302 is used to connect the fixed anchor point 301 to the first lever 303, the first elastic structure 304 is used to connect the first lever 303 to the first mass block 305, and the second elastic structure 314 is used to connect the first lever 303 to the second mass block 315. The first mass block 305 and the second mass block 315 are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line. In addition, the first center line is perpendicular to the torque direction of the first lever 303.
[0084] In order to better illustrate the gyroscope structure provided in the embodiment of the present application, a three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is established based on the top view of the first structural layer 300. The three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system includes mutually orthogonal X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis.
[0085] Exemplarily, the first structural layer 300 has a symmetrical structure, both bilaterally and vertically. That is, the first structural layer 300 is mirror-symmetrical along a first centerline and mirror-symmetrical along a second centerline, with the second centerline being parallel to the torque direction of the first lever 303. Specifically, based on a top view of the first structural layer 300, the first centerline is located directly between the left and right sides of the first structural layer 300 and is parallel to the Y-axis, meaning it is the central axis of the gyroscope structure along the X-axis. The second centerline is located directly between the top and bottom sides of the first structural layer 300 and is parallel to the X-axis, meaning it is the central axis of the gyroscope structure along the Y-axis.
[0086] Furthermore, the third elastic structure 302 has the degree of freedom to twist about the first center line, i.e., the degree of freedom to rotate about the Y-axis. Therefore, the first lever 303 also rotates about the Y-axis. At this time, the torque direction of the first lever 303 is the X-axis. Regardless of how the shape of the first lever 303 changes, the torque direction of the first lever 303 is always the X-axis. The first center line can also be located in the same plane as the first lever 303. When the first center line is perpendicular to the X-axis, and the first mass block 305 and the second mass block 315 are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line, the first center line can be determined to be the position shown in FIG. 3 . The same applies to the second center line.
[0087] Exemplarily, the number of fixed anchor points 301 can be multiple or coupled into one, that is, multiple anchor points at different positions form a complete fixed anchor point 301 through a connecting structural member. In the embodiment of the present application, the number of fixed anchor points 301 is two for illustration. Similarly, the number of third elastic structures 302 can be multiple or one. In the embodiment of the present application, the number of third elastic structures 302 is also two, and the number of third elastic structures 302 is the same as the number of fixed anchor points 301.
[0088] Exemplarily, the fixed anchor point 301 includes a first sub-anchor point (located above the first lever) and a second sub-anchor point (located below the first lever). The third elastic structure 302 includes a first sub-elastic structure (located above the first lever) and a second sub-elastic structure (located below the first lever). The first sub-anchor point and the second sub-anchor point are mirror-symmetrical along the second center line. The first sub-anchor point and the second sub-anchor point are both connected to the substrate 100 by a fixed connection, thereby fixedly connecting the entire first structural layer 300 to the substrate 100. The process method for connecting the first sub-anchor point and the second sub-anchor point to the substrate 100 can be a bonding process, such as gold-silicon bonding, aluminum-germanium bonding, anodic bonding, fusion bonding, and glass-frit bonding. The first sub-elastic structure and the second sub-elastic structure respectively connect the first sub-anchor point and the second sub-anchor point to the first lever 303. The first lever 303 is located on the second center line, that is, in the middle of the upper and lower sides of the first structural layer 300.
[0089] Exemplarily, the elastic structures such as the first elastic structure 304, the second elastic structure 314, and the third elastic structure 302 can be springs or other structures that can provide freedom of movement. For example, the first elastic structure 304 is a spring or a folding beam, the second elastic structure 314 is a spring or a folding beam, and the third elastic structure 302 is a spring, a straight beam, or a folding beam. The number of first elastic structures 304 is at least two, and the number of second elastic structures 314 is at least two. The embodiment of the present application is illustrated by an example in which the number of first elastic structures 304 and second elastic structures 314 is four. The four first elastic structures 304 connect the first lever 303 to the first mass block 305, and the four second elastic structures 314 connect the first lever 303 to the second mass block 315. The four first elastic structures 304 and the four second elastic structures 314 are also mirror-symmetrical along the first center line.
[0090] Among them, the first elastic structure 304 and the second elastic structure 314 have displacement freedom along the X-axis direction and have a large displacement stiffness along the Y-axis direction. For example, the displacement stiffness of the first elastic structure 304 and the second elastic structure 314 along the Y-axis direction is more than twice the displacement stiffness along the X-axis direction, that is, the first elastic structure 304 can support the first mass block 305 to move along the X-axis (regardless of which direction along the X-axis), but limits the displacement of the first mass block 305 along the Y-axis. The second elastic structure 314 supports the displacement of the second mass block 315 along the X-axis, but limits the displacement of the second mass block 315 along the Y-axis.
[0091] The third elastic structure 302 has a degree of freedom of twisting about the first centerline, that is, a degree of freedom of rotation about the Y-axis. Furthermore, the third elastic structure 302 has relatively high rotational stiffness along the X-axis and the Z-axis. For example, the rotational stiffness of the third elastic structure 302 along the X-axis is more than twice that of the rotational stiffness along the Y-axis. This means that the third elastic structure 302 can support the rotation of the first lever 303 about the Y-axis, but restricts the rotation of the first lever 303 about the X-axis and the Z-axis. In this case, the torque direction of the first lever 303 can also be determined to be along the X-axis. Specifically, the third elastic structure 302 can be a straight beam or a folded beam along the Y-axis.
[0092] Optionally, the third elastic structure 302 is located at the center of the first lever 303, that is, the first lever 303 is connected to the third elastic structure 302 along the center point of the first structural layer 300 in the X-axis direction. In this case, when the first lever 303 is twisted about the first centerline, the displacement of the two ends of the first lever 303 along the Z-axis direction (which can also be understood as the force transmission ratio) is 1:1.
[0093] It should be understood that the first structural layer 300 may also be asymmetrical. For example, the first elastic structure 304 and the second elastic structure 314 are not mirror-symmetrical along the first centerline, and the first sub-anchor point and the second sub-anchor point are not mirror-symmetrical along the second centerline. Furthermore, there may be only one first elastic structure 304 and one second elastic structure 314, or the first elastic structure 304 and the second elastic structure 314 may be coupled to form a single elastic structure. The present invention only requires that the connection relationship between the various components be met and that they achieve their corresponding functions. Factors such as symmetry and the number of components are not limited in this embodiment.
[0094] When the gyroscope structure provided in the embodiments of the present application is used, it is mounted on a target object. When the target object rotates or turns about the Y-axis in space, an angular velocity input is generated, which is also transmitted to the first structural layer 300. Because the first direction and the second direction are both perpendicular to the first centerline and located in the same plane, the first direction and the second direction are both along the X-axis. When the first mass 305 is subjected to a driving force in the first direction, the first elastic structure 304 is not constrained in the X-axis direction, causing the first mass 305 to also displace in the first direction. Similarly, when the second mass 315 is subjected to a driving force in the second direction, the second elastic structure 314 is not constrained in the X-axis direction, causing the second mass 315 to also displace in the second direction. Due to the Coriolis effect, the Y-axis angular velocity input is superimposed on the displacement along the X-axis, causing the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 to also generate two opposite displacements in the Z-axis direction. By detecting the displacements of the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 in the Z-axis direction, horizontal axis angular velocity information can be obtained.
[0095] Referring to Figures 1 and 2 , structural manufacturing errors can be exemplified by etching errors around the Y-axis between the first and second elastic structures 304 and 314. If these errors are absent, there will be no displacement components in other directions when the first and second masses 305 and 315 move along the X-axis. However, due to factors such as micro-nanoscale processing errors, etching errors around the Y-axis between the first and second elastic structures 304 and 314 can cause displacement in the Z-axis due to the moment of inertia when the first and second masses 305 and 315 move along the X-axis. This can lead to errors in the detection of the displacements of the first and second masses 305 and 315 in the Z-axis. The angular velocity output generated by this displacement error is called the orthogonal angular velocity. Because the orthogonal angular velocity has a 90° phase difference from the signal generated by the actual angular velocity input, the orthogonal angular velocity is highly sensitive to structural manufacturing errors, typically reaching angular velocities of tens of thousands of degrees per second, far exceeding the range of typical gyroscopes, affecting the accuracy and stability of the sensor system. In the embodiment of the present application, the first lever 303 in the first structural layer 300 is twisted about the first centerline to achieve a horizontal-axis gyroscopic effect, while also achieving structural force balance between the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 in the Z-axis direction. The moments of inertia caused by manufacturing errors in the first elastic structure 304 and the second elastic structure 314 on the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 can be suppressed and offset by the twisting of the first lever 303 about the Y-axis, thereby reducing the orthogonal angular velocity. Therefore, the gyroscope structure provided in the embodiment of the present application can reduce the sensitivity to structural manufacturing errors in MEMS chip processing, thereby improving product yield and production efficiency.
[0096] Based on the gyroscope structure shown in Figure 3, as shown in Figure 4, another embodiment of the gyroscope structure provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes a detection electrode 200. As shown in Figure 5, the number of first levers 303 in the first structural layer 300 is two, and the two first levers 303 are mirror-symmetrical along the second center line. The first structural layer 300 also includes a fourth elastic structure 309, a first driving structure 306, a first driving detection structure 307, a second driving structure 316 and a second driving detection structure 317.
[0097] The detection electrode 200 is located between the substrate 100 and the first structural layer 300, that is, the substrate 100, the detection electrode 200, and the first structural layer 300 are stacked in sequence. The detection electrode 200 is configured to output a detection electrical signal based on the displacement of the first mass block 305 along a third direction and the displacement of the second mass block 315 along a fourth direction. The third direction is perpendicular to the first centerline and perpendicular to the first direction, that is, the third direction is along the Z-axis and is opposite to the fourth direction.
[0098] Exemplarily, the fixed anchor point 301 includes a first sub-anchor point (located above the first lever) and a second sub-anchor point (located below the first lever), the third elastic structure 302 includes a first sub-elastic structure (located above the first lever) and a second sub-elastic structure (located below the first lever), and the first lever 303 includes a first sub-lever (located above the second centerline) and a second sub-lever (located below the second centerline). The first sub-elastic structure is used to connect the first sub-anchor point to the first sub-lever, and the second sub-elastic structure is used to connect the second sub-anchor point to the second sub-lever. Similarly, there is a symmetrical first elastic structure 304 for connecting the second sub-lever to the first mass block 305, and a second elastic structure 314 for connecting the second sub-lever to the second mass block 315. Both the first sub-lever and the second sub-lever are used to twist around the first centerline. At this point, the entire first structural layer 300 is mirror-symmetrical along the second centerline.
[0099] Optionally, first lever 303 includes a curved portion, and third elastic structure 302 is used to connect fixed anchor point 301 to the curved portion. Due to the presence of fixed anchor point 301, first lever 303 can bend or deform to match the position of fixed anchor point 301. Fixed anchor point 301 is connected to the curved portion via third elastic structure 302, so that fixed anchor point 301 does not increase the area of first structural layer 300, thereby achieving a miniaturized gyroscope structure.
[0100] It should be understood that the curved portion may be a straight curve as shown in FIG. 5 , or may be an arc curve or a trapezoidal curve, etc. Regardless of the shape of the curved portion, the torque direction of the first lever 303 will not be changed.
[0101] The first drive structure 306, the second drive structure 316, the first drive detection structure 307, and the second drive detection structure 317 are all connected to the substrate 100. The connection method can be a bonding process, such as gold-silicon bonding, aluminum-germanium bonding, anodic bonding, fusion bonding, and glass-frit bonding. The first drive structure 306 and the first drive detection structure 307 are both coupled to the first mass block 305, and the second drive structure 316 and the second drive detection structure 317 are both coupled to the second mass block 315.
[0102] Optionally, the first driving structure 306 and the second driving structure 316 are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line, and the first driving detection structure 307 and the second driving detection structure 317 are also mirror-symmetrical along the first center line. The symmetrical structure is conducive to the processing and manufacturing of the entire first structural layer, reducing the complexity of the process flow.
[0103] The first drive structure 306 is used to drive the first mass 305 to move in a first direction, and the second drive structure 316 is used to drive the second mass 315 to move in a second direction. The first drive detection structure 307 is used to convert a first displacement signal generated by the displacement of the first mass 305 into a first electrical signal for output, and the second drive detection structure 317 is used to convert a second displacement signal generated by the displacement of the second mass 315 into a second electrical signal for output.
[0104] Specifically, the first driving structure 306 and the second driving structure 316 both include driving fixed comb teeth 3061 and a comb tooth structure 308. The driving fixed comb teeth 3061 and the comb tooth structure 308 are connected to the base 100. When DC and AC signals are applied to the driving fixed comb teeth 3061, the electrostatic force generated in the first driving structure 306 will drive the first mass block 305 and the first elastic structure 304 to displace along the first direction on the X-axis, and the electrostatic force generated in the second driving structure 316 will drive the second mass block 315 and the second elastic structure 314 to displace along the second direction on the X-axis.
[0105] The first drive detection structure 307 and the second drive detection structure 317 both include drive detection comb teeth 3071 and a comb tooth structure 308. The drive detection comb teeth 3071 and the comb tooth structure 308 are connected to the base 100. The drive detection comb teeth 3071 can convert the mechanical displacement signals of the first mass block 305 and the second mass block 315 along the X-axis into first electrical signals and second electrical signals for output. The first electrical signals and the second electrical signals serve as feedback signals, and after phase shifting, amplification and other circuit links, they are returned to the drive comb teeth to realize closed-loop oscillation of the drive mode.
[0106] Optionally, the first structural layer 300 further includes a fourth elastic structure 309 , which is used to connect the first mass block 305 and the second mass block 315 , and to increase the reverse displacement stiffness of the first mass block 305 and the second mass block 315 .
[0107] Specifically, fourth elastic structure 309 is a folded beam structure connecting first mass 305 and second mass 315. Fourth elastic structure 309 has a displacement degree of freedom along the X-axis, meaning it can support displacement of first mass 305 and second mass 315 along the X-axis. When first mass 305 and second mass 315 move in opposite directions along the X-axis, i.e., in the driving mode of the gyroscope structure, fourth elastic structure 309 has the same displacement amplitude. In other words, fourth elastic structure 309 participates in the opposite displacements of first mass 305 and second mass 315, providing displacement stiffness. When the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 move in the same direction along the X-axis, the fourth elastic structure 309 does not displace, or its displacement is much smaller than when the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 move in opposite directions along the X-axis. That is, the fourth elastic structure 309 does not participate in the same-direction displacement of the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 and does not provide displacement stiffness. Therefore, due to the introduction of the fourth elastic structure, there is a difference in stiffness between the first and second mass blocks when displacing in opposite directions and when displacing in the same direction. Since stiffness is related to modal frequency, there is a difference in modal frequency between the first and second mass blocks, thereby reducing common-mode error.
[0108] In the embodiment of the present application, the first elastic structure 304, the second elastic structure 314, the first mass 305, and the second mass 315, as well as their connection, are arranged symmetrically along the first centerline. This symmetrical arrangement enables a driving mode of differential linear motion of the masses, i.e., the two masses move in opposite directions along the X-axis. A symmetrical arrangement results in both unidirectional and anti-directional modes. Because the fourth elastic structure 309 is connected to the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 at both ends, the stiffness of the driving mode is increased, distinguishing between the unidirectional mode (parasitic mode) and the anti-directional mode (driving mode), thereby reducing the sensitivity of the gyroscope structure to external vibrations.
[0109] As shown in Figure 6, when using the gyroscope structure provided in an embodiment of the present application, when the first mass 305 displaces along the first direction, the second mass 315 displaces along the second direction, i.e., the driving displacement. As shown in Figure 7, due to the Coriolis effect, the angular velocity input along the Y axis is superimposed on the displacement along the X axis. According to the right-hand rule of the Coriolis acceleration physics principle, the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 produce two opposite displacements in the Z axis, i.e., the detection displacement. Specifically, the first mass 305 displaces along the third direction, and the second mass 315 displaces along the fourth direction. The third direction is perpendicular to the first centerline and lies in different planes, i.e., the third and fourth directions are both along the Z axis. The driving displacement is modulated by the resonant frequency of the driving mode. Therefore, the Coriolis force and the detection displacement are also modulated by the resonant frequency of the driving mode. It should be understood that the solid-line boxes in Figures 6 and 7 represent the original positions of the first mass 305 and the second mass 315, i.e., their positions when no displacement occurs.
[0110] As shown in Figure 8 , there are also two detection electrodes 200. The first detection electrode 201 is located below the first mass 305, and the second detection electrode 202 is located below the second mass 315. That is, the first detection electrode 201 and the second detection electrode 202 are also mirror-symmetrical along the first centerline. The first detection electrode 201 and the first mass 305 form a first plate capacitor, while the second detection electrode 202 and the second mass 315 form a second plate capacitor. Under the input of angular velocity, the differential detection displacement caused by the Coriolis force (the displacement of the first and second mass 305, 315 along the Z-axis) increases the first plate capacitor and decreases the spacing between the second plate capacitors. This directly generates a differential capacitance change, which can be read by an electrical signal amplifier to output a detection signal. Both the detection displacement and the detection signal are linearly related to the input angular velocity. Therefore, the input angular velocity can be derived from either the detection displacement or the detection signal.
[0111] It should be understood that the functions of the first drive structure 306, the second drive structure 316, the first drive detection structure 307, the second drive detection structure 317 and the detection electrode 200 can also be realized by other means, that is, the gyroscope structure may not include the above structures, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.
[0112] In summary, the first drive structure 306 and the second drive structure 316 can drive the first mass 305 and the second mass to perform differential oscillatory motion along the X-axis. The first elastic structure 304 and the second elastic structure 314 provide displacement freedom along the X-axis, achieving a drive mode. The fourth elastic structure 309 provides mechanical coupling between the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 in the drive mode. When an angular velocity is input about the Y-axis, the detection electrode 200 can output the differential displacement of the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 in the Z-axis as an electrical signal, thereby suppressing common-mode error. The third elastic structure 302 provides torsional freedom about the Y-axis, and the two first levers 303 provide mechanical coupling between the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 during displacement detection. This achieves a horizontal-axis gyroscopic effect while also achieving structural force balance between the first mass 305 and the second mass 315 in the Z-axis. The substrate 100 , the detection electrode 200 and the first structure layer 300 together constitute an implementation form of a horizontal-axis gyroscope, which has a horizontal-axis angular velocity detection function.
[0113] Furthermore, the gyroscope structure provided by the embodiment of the present application does not require a frame structure and does not occupy the area of the mass block, thereby improving the sensitivity of the gyroscope structure. Furthermore, the two mass blocks have a high degree of coupling, thus avoiding the problem of resonant frequency splitting.
[0114] Based on the gyroscope structure shown in FIG5 , as shown in FIG9 , another embodiment of the gyroscope structure provided by the embodiment of the present application further includes a second structure layer 310 , a first coupling structure 320 and a second coupling structure 330 .
[0115] As shown in Figure 10, the second structural layer 310 and the first structural layer 300 are mirror-symmetrical along the third center line, the third center line is parallel to the torque direction of the first lever 303, the first coupling structure 320 is used to connect the first structural layer 300 with the second structural layer 310, and the second coupling structure 330 is used to connect the first structural layer 300 with the second structural layer 310.
[0116] Specifically, based on the top view of the gyroscope structure, the first centerline is located exactly in the middle of the left and right sides of the first structural layer 300, and also in the middle of the left and right sides of the second structural layer 310. The first centerline is parallel to the Y-axis, i.e., the first centerline is the central axis of the gyroscope structure along the X-axis. The third centerline is located exactly in the middle of the first structural layer 300 and the second structure, and is parallel to the X-axis, i.e., the third centerline is the central axis of the gyroscope structure along the Y-axis. When the third centerline is parallel to the X-axis, the third centerline and the torque direction of the first lever 303 are in the same plane, and the second structural layer 310 and the first structural layer 300 are mirror-symmetrical along the third centerline, the third centerline can be determined to be at the position shown in FIG. 10 .
[0117] Exemplarily, at this time, the fixed anchor points include a first anchor point 3011, a second anchor point 3012, a third anchor point 3013 and a fourth anchor point 3014, the first anchor point 3011 is connected to the first structural layer 300, the second anchor point 3012 is connected to the second structural layer 310, the third anchor point 3013 is connected to the first coupling structure 320, and the fourth anchor point 3014 is connected to the second coupling structure 330.
[0118] In addition, the first anchor point 3011 includes a first sub-anchor point (located on the second center line) and a second sub-anchor point (located below the second center line), and the second anchor point 3012 includes a third sub-anchor point (close to the first structural layer) and a fourth sub-anchor point (away from the first structural layer). At this time, the second sub-anchor point and the third sub-anchor point can be coupled into one anchor point (located at the center point of the entire gyroscope structure).
[0119] Correspondingly, at this time, the number of the first levers 303 is four, the number of the first elastic structures 304 and the second elastic structures is eight, and the number of the third elastic structures 302 is two. The specific connection relationship can refer to the corresponding description of the above embodiment, and the embodiments of this application will not be repeated here.
[0120] Because the second structural layer 310 is mirror-symmetric to the first structural layer 300 along the third centerline, the specific structure of the second structural layer 310 is identical to that of the first structural layer 300 (not considering the mirror image), and the present embodiment will not be further described herein. The gyroscope structure now includes four mass blocks, namely mass block 305A, mass block 305B, mass block 305C, and mass block 305D. Mass block 305A is the first mass block 305 in the first structural layer 300, mass block 305B is the second mass block 315 in the first structural layer 300, mass block 305C is the second mass block 315 in the second structural layer 310, and mass block 305D is the first mass block 305 in the second structural layer 310.
[0121] Furthermore, the first coupling structure 320 includes a fifth elastic structure 325, a sixth elastic structure 321, a seventh elastic structure 323, a third anchor point 3013, and a second lever 322. The third anchor point 3013 is connected to the substrate 100, the seventh elastic structure 323 is used to connect the third anchor point 3013 to the second lever 322, the fifth elastic structure 325 is used to connect the second lever 322 to the first structural layer 300, and the sixth elastic structure 321 is used to connect the second lever 322 to the second structural layer 310. The fifth elastic structure 325 is used to support displacement of the second lever 322 along a fifth direction, the sixth elastic structure 321 is used to support displacement of the second lever 322 along the fifth direction, and the seventh elastic structure 323 is used to support twisting of the second lever 322 about the third centerline. The fifth direction is perpendicular to the first direction and lies in the same plane, i.e., the fifth direction is the Y-axis direction.
[0122] Specifically, the third anchor point 3013 is connected to the substrate 100 using a bonding process such as gold-silicon bonding, aluminum-germanium bonding, anodic bonding, fusion bonding, or glass-frit bonding. The second lever 322 is connected to the third anchor point 3013 via the seventh elastic structure 323, to the first structural layer 300 via the fifth elastic structure 325, and to the second structural layer 310 via the sixth elastic structure 321, thereby achieving coupling between the first structural layer 300 and the second structural layer 310.
[0123] Among them, the fifth elastic structure 325 and the sixth elastic structure 321 have displacement freedom along the Y-axis direction and have a large displacement stiffness along the X-axis direction. For example, the displacement stiffness of the fifth elastic structure 325 and the sixth elastic structure 321 along the X-axis direction is more than twice the displacement stiffness along the Y-axis direction, that is, the fifth elastic structure 325 and the sixth elastic structure 321 can support the second lever 322 to move relative to the first mass block 305 along the Y-axis, but limit the displacement of the second lever 322 relative to the first mass block 305 along the X-axis elastic structure.
[0124] The seventh elastic structure 323 has a degree of freedom of torsion about the third centerline, namely, a degree of freedom of torsion about the X-axis. It also has a degree of freedom of torsion about the Z-axis, but has a greater rotational stiffness about the Y-axis. For example, the rotational stiffness of the seventh elastic structure 323 along the Y-axis is more than twice the rotational stiffness along the X-axis and the Z-axis. In other words, the seventh elastic structure 323 can support the rotation of the second lever 322 about the X-axis and the Z-axis, but restricts the rotation of the second lever 322 about the Y-axis. Specifically, the third elastic structure 302 can be a straight beam or a folded beam along the X-axis.
[0125] Optionally, the fifth elastic structure 325 and the sixth elastic structure 321 are mirror-symmetrical along the third centerline, and the seventh elastic structure 323 is located at the center of the second lever 322. That is, the second lever 322 is connected to the seventh elastic structure 323 along the center point of the gyroscope structure in the Y-axis direction. In this case, when the second lever 322 is twisted about the X-axis, the displacement of the two ends of the second lever 322 along the Z-axis (which can also be understood as the force transmission ratio) is 1:1.
[0126] Optionally, the second coupling structure 330 is mirror-symmetrical to the first coupling structure 320 along the first centerline. The specific structure of the second coupling structure 330 is the same as that of the first coupling structure 320 (not considering the mirror image). The second coupling structure 330 includes an elastic structure 331, an elastic structure 335, a lever 332, an elastic structure 333, and a fourth anchor point 3014. The specific connection relationship and characteristics of the second coupling structure 330 are not further described in detail in this embodiment of the present application. When the second coupling structure 330 is not mirror-symmetrical to the first coupling structure 320 along the first centerline, the specific components and connection method of the second coupling structure 330 are also the same as those of the first coupling structure 320, except that the positional relationship of the second coupling structure 330 may change, not satisfying mirror symmetry.
[0127] In the embodiment of the present application, first coupling structure 320 and second coupling structure 330 couple first structural layer 300 and second structural layer 310, achieving dual differential motion of the four masses along the X-axis. The driving mode is shown in FIG11 : masses 305A and 305B in first structural layer 300 form one set of differential motion, while masses C and D in first structural layer 300 form another set of differential motion. Simultaneously, the two sets of differential motion are in opposite directions: masses 305A and 305C form a differential positive drive, while masses 305B and 305D form a differential negative drive.
[0128] At the same time, as shown in Figure 12, the first coupling structure 320 and the second coupling structure 330 also realize double differential movement of the four mass blocks along the Z-axis direction, that is, the mass block 305A in the first structural layer 300 and the mass block 305C in the second structural layer 310 constitute a group of differential detection displacements, and their displacement directions along the Z-axis are all the third direction, and the mass block B in the first structural layer 300 and the mass block D in the second structural layer 310 constitute another group of differential detection displacements, and their displacement directions along the Z-axis are all the fourth direction.
[0129] It should be understood that the solid-line frames in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 represent the original positions of the first structural layer 300 and the second structural layer 310 , ie, the positions when no displacement occurs.
[0130] Furthermore, combining the Coriolis force formula, the two sets of differential detection displacements are opposite, resulting in a detection mode as shown in Figure 13. In this case, there are four detection electrodes 200, each located beneath four mass blocks: detection electrode 2A beneath mass block 305A, detection electrode 2B beneath mass block 305B, detection electrode 2C beneath mass block 305C, and detection electrode 2D beneath mass block 305D, forming a dual differential capacitor output. Detection electrode 2A and mass block 305A form a differential detection capacitor with detection electrode 2B and mass block 305B, while detection electrode 2C and mass block 305C form a differential detection capacitor with detection electrode 2D and mass block 305D. Detection electrodes 2A and 2C are differentially detected as positive, while detection electrodes 2B and 2D are differentially detected as negative.
[0131] It should be understood that based on the first structural layer and the second structural layer shown in Figure 10, the gyroscope structure provided in the embodiment of the present application can also couple more third structural layers and fourth structural layers through more coupling structures. For example, the gyroscope structure includes 8 mass blocks or 16 mass blocks, etc., and the embodiment of the present application does not limit this.
[0132] By configuring the differential positive and negative drive electrical signals as shown in Figure 11, the four mass blocks can be made to perform double differential motion along the X-axis, thereby achieving closed-loop oscillation of the drive mode. As shown in Figure 12, the Coriolis force can be used to make the four mass blocks perform double differential motion along the Z-axis. The four mass blocks perform double differential motion along the X-axis, which is the driving displacement. According to the right-hand rule, the displacement of the four mass blocks in the Z direction generated by the Coriolis force is also double differential motion, which is the detection displacement. At the same time, the double differential motion form of the four mass blocks and the displacement detection form can further eliminate common mode errors and reduce the degradation of accuracy and stability caused by the inconsistent spacing of the detection capacitors due to the bonding process.
[0133] The above describes the gyroscope structure provided in the embodiment of the present application. The following describes the related devices provided in the embodiment of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[0134] As shown in Figure 14, an embodiment of the present application further provides a chip, which is a MEMS chip and includes the gyroscope structure and packaging structure described in some embodiments of Figures 3 to 13. The gyroscope structure includes a substrate 100, a detection electrode 200, and a first structural layer 300 stacked in sequence.
[0135] Optionally, the packaging structure is a cover plate 400 , which is connected to the first structural layer 300 or the substrate 100 . The cover plate 400 is used to seal the first structural layer 300 in a sealed cavity, and the sealed cavity is a vacuum.
[0136] Optionally, as shown in Figure 15, the packaging structure includes a cover plate 500 and a packaging base 600, the cover plate 500 is connected to the packaging base 600, and the gyroscope structure is placed on the packaging base 600. At this time, the packaging structure can enclose the entire gyroscope structure in a closed cavity, and the closed cavity is a vacuum.
[0137] Optionally, as shown in Figure 16, the packaging structure includes a first cover plate 400, a second cover plate 500 and a packaging base 600, that is, the packaging structure is a combination of Figures 14 and 15, the first cover plate 400 is used to enclose the first structural layer 300 in a first closed cavity, the first closed cavity is a vacuum, the second cover plate 500 is connected to the packaging base 600, and the gyroscope structure is placed on the packaging base 600. At this time, the second cover plate 500 and the packaging base 600 can enclose the entire gyroscope structure in a second closed cavity, and the second closed cavity can be a vacuum or not.
[0138] Among them, in the possible implementation methods of Figures 14 to 16 above, if the closed cavity is required to be a vacuum, the vacuum degree of the closed cavity is less than or equal to 100 Pa.
[0139] The present application also provides an electronic device including the gyroscope structure described in some embodiments of Figures 3 to 13 above, or including the chip described in some embodiments of Figures 14 to 16 above, and a computing unit. It should be understood that packaging the gyroscope structure described in some embodiments of Figures 3 to 13 above can form a chip as described in some embodiments of Figures 14 to 16 above. The present application uses the example of an electronic device or a gyroscope including a gyroscope structure as an example, but the gyroscope structure can be understood as the above-mentioned chip, and the present application will not repeat it in detail.
[0140] The electronic device can be any electronic device that requires a gyroscope. For example, the electronic device can serve as a carrier, and the gyroscope structure, as part of a sensor on the carrier, is used to measure the carrier's roll and pitch angular velocity in inertial space. The carrier's attitude can be obtained through integration, providing attitude angle sensing and alignment functions. The electronic device can be a communication device (base station, microwave device, antenna device) or a mobile terminal (mobile phone, tablet computer). The gyroscope structure can also be used to measure the Earth's rotation speed and perform north-finding.
[0141] In addition, the gyroscope structure can also be packaged together with components such as a Z-axis gyroscope and a three-axis accelerometer as an inertial measurement unit. In this case, the electronic device serves as a carrier, and the gyroscope structure serves as part of the inertial measurement unit on the carrier, and is used to obtain navigation information such as the carrier's spatial attitude, speed, and position. The electronic device can be an intelligent vehicle, industrial equipment, mobile robot, or aviation equipment, etc.
[0142] Exemplarily, as shown in FIG17 , the electronic device 400 includes a gyroscope 410 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The gyroscope 410 is a horizontal-axis gyroscope. The gyroscope 410 includes the gyroscope structure 411 described in some of the embodiments of FIG3 to FIG13 , or includes the chip described in some of the embodiments of FIG14 to FIG16 , and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 412. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the packaging form of the gyroscope 410.
[0143] Among them, the dedicated integrated circuit 412 is electrically connected to the gyroscope structure 411, and the dedicated integrated circuit 412 is used to provide a driving signal to the gyroscope structure 411 to enable the first mass block and the second mass block to move along the X-axis. After the detection electrode of the gyroscope structure 411 outputs a detection electrical signal, the dedicated integrated circuit 412 solves the detection electrical signal to obtain output data. At this time, the calculation unit 420 further calculates the output data to obtain the final angular velocity information of the electronic device 400.
[0144] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the structural units of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of the embodiments of this application.
[0145] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed structure can be implemented in other ways. For example, the embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the structure can be divided in other ways in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another structure, or some features can be ignored. Some or all of the structures can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the scheme of this embodiment. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, structures or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.
[0146] In addition, the various structures in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one structure, or each structure may exist physically separately, or two or more structures may be integrated into one structure.
[0147] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.
Claims
1. A gyroscope structure, characterized in that: It includes a substrate and a first structural layer, wherein the first structural layer includes a fixed anchor point, a first elastic structure, a second elastic structure, a first lever, a third elastic structure, a first mass block and a second mass block, wherein: The fixed anchor point is connected to the base, the third elastic structure is used to connect the fixed anchor point to the first lever, the first elastic structure is used to connect the first lever to the first mass block, and the second elastic structure is used to connect the first lever to the second mass block; The first mass block and the second mass block are mirror-symmetrical along a first center line, and the first center line is perpendicular to the torque direction of the first lever.
2. The gyroscope structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gyroscope structure also includes a detection electrode, which is located between the substrate and the first structural layer. The detection electrode is used to output a detection electrical signal based on the displacement of the first mass block along a third direction and the displacement of the second mass block along a fourth direction. The third direction is perpendicular to the first center line and is located in a different plane. The third direction is opposite to the fourth direction.
3. The gyroscope structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first structural layer further includes a first driving structure and a second driving structure, the first driving structure is connected to the substrate and coupled to the first mass block, and the second driving structure is connected to the substrate and coupled to the second mass block; The first driving structure is used to drive the first mass block to displace along the first direction, and the second driving structure is used to drive the second mass block to displace along the second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the first center line, and the first direction is opposite to the second direction.
4. The gyroscope structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first driving structure and the second driving structure are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line.
5. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The first structural layer further includes a first driving detection structure and a second driving detection structure, the first driving detection structure is connected to the substrate and coupled to the first mass block, and the second driving detection structure is connected to the substrate and coupled to the second mass block; The first driving detection structure is used to convert a first displacement signal generated by the displacement of the first mass block into a first electrical signal for output, and the second driving detection structure is used to convert a second displacement signal generated by the displacement of the second mass block into a second electrical signal for output.
6. The gyroscope structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first drive detection structure and the second drive detection structure are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line.
7. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The first elastic structure and the second elastic structure are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line.
8. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The number of the first elastic structures is at least two, and the number of the second elastic structures is at least two.
9. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The third elastic structure is located at the center of the first lever.
10. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The first elastic structure is a spring or a folded beam, the second elastic structure is a spring or a folded beam, and the third elastic structure is a spring, a straight beam or a folded beam.
11. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The first structural layer further includes a fourth elastic structure, and the fourth elastic structure is used to connect the first mass block and the second mass block.
12. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The first lever includes a curved portion, and the third elastic structure is used to connect the fixed anchor point with the curved portion.
13. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The number of the first levers is two, and the two first levers are mirror-symmetrical along a second center line, and the second center line is parallel to the torque direction of the first levers.
14. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The gyroscope structure further includes a second structure layer, a first coupling structure and a second coupling structure; The second structural layer is mirror-symmetrical to the first structural layer along a third center line, the third center line is parallel to the torque direction of the first lever, the first coupling structure is used to connect the first structural layer with the second structural layer, and the second coupling structure is used to connect the first structural layer with the second structural layer.
15. The gyroscope structure according to claim 14, characterized in that: The first coupling structure includes a fifth elastic structure, a sixth elastic structure, a seventh elastic structure and a second lever, wherein: The seventh elastic structure is used to connect the fixed anchor point to the second lever, the fifth elastic structure is used to connect the second lever to the first structural layer, and the sixth elastic structure is used to connect the second lever to the second structural layer.
16. The gyroscope structure according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that: The fixed anchor points include a first anchor point, a second anchor point, a third anchor point and a fourth anchor point, the first anchor point is connected to the first structural layer, the second anchor point is connected to the second structural layer, the third anchor point is connected to the first coupling structure, and the fourth anchor point is connected to the second coupling structure.
17. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that: The fifth elastic structure and the sixth elastic structure are mirror-symmetrical along the third center line.
18. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that: The seventh elastic structure is located at the center of the second lever.
19. The gyroscope structure according to any one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that: The first coupling structure and the second coupling structure are mirror-symmetrical along the first center line.
20. A chip, characterized in that: It comprises the gyroscope structure and packaging structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the packaging structure is used to enclose the first structural layer in a closed cavity.
21. The chip according to claim 20, characterized in that: The vacuum degree of the closed cavity is less than or equal to 100 Pa.
22. A gyroscope, characterized in that: It comprises a gyroscope structure and a dedicated integrated circuit as described in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the dedicated integrated circuit is electrically connected to the gyroscope structure, and the dedicated integrated circuit is used to provide a driving signal to the gyroscope structure.
23. An electronic device, characterized in that: The method comprises a gyroscope structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19 and a computing unit, wherein the computing unit is used to determine angular velocity information based on output data of the gyroscope structure.
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