Gyro Element Manufacturing via Dry and Wet Etching Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing vibration elements, such as acceleration and angular velocity sensors, require complex and costly processes due to the need for high-accuracy shaping using dry etching, which also leads to reduced productivity and yield rates due to material deposition issues during the formation of recessed portions.
Innovation Solution
A vibration element manufacturing method that combines dry etching for forming the outward shape with wet etching for creating recessed portions, reducing the number of processes and avoiding material deposition inside the recessed areas, thereby improving productivity and yield rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If dry etching is used to form the outward shape of the vibration element, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to requiring at least two-times dry etching with thick metal masks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the etching process into two distinct parts: dry etching is used only for forming the outward shape of the vibration element where high precision is required, while wet etching is used for forming the recessed portion where high precision is less critical. This segmentation allows each method to be applied optimally to its suitable task, reducing overall process complexity while maintaining necessary precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If dry etching is used to form the recessed portion, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to material deposition inside the recessed portion requiring additional cleaning processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different etching methods to different locations based on their specific requirements: dry etching is applied to the outward shape where high precision is locally required, while wet etching is applied to the recessed portion where precision is less critical but productivity is paramount. This local quality approach eliminates the harmful effect of material deposition in the recessed portion while maintaining high precision where needed.
3Productivity
If wet etching is used to form the recessed portion, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to difficulty in controlling etching depth and shape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses wet etching to form the recessed portion with sufficient precision for the application, accepting that it may not achieve the same level of precision as dry etching. The etching conditions are optimized to provide adequate precision for the recessed portion without requiring the excessive complexity of multiple dry etching steps, thus achieving a balanced level of precision that is sufficient for the functional requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the manufacturing efficiency and cost-effectiveness by reducing the number of processes and preventing material deposition, leading to improved yield rates and lower production costs for vibration elements.
Implementation Method 1
forming the outward shape of a vibration element from one surface of the substrate using dry etching
Implementation Method 2
forming the recessed portion using wet etching
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a gyro element as a vibration element is a manufacturing method of processing a quartz crystal substrate to form an outward shape of a gyro element including a vibrating arm and form recessed portions in a vibrating arm. The method includes forming the outward shape of a gyro element from one surface of the quartz crystal substrate using dry etching and forming the recessed portions using wet etching.