US 11,714,102 B2
Fully differential accelerometer
Jianglong Zhang, Vienna, VA (US); and Xin Zhang, Acton, MA (US)
Assigned to Analog Devices, Inc., Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed by Analog Devices, Inc., Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/342,484.
Prior Publication US 2022/0390483 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. G01P 15/125 (2006.01); G01P 15/18 (2013.01); B81B 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01P 15/125 (2013.01) [B81B 3/0021 (2013.01); G01P 15/18 (2013.01); B81B 2201/0235 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A differential, multiple-mass, multi-axis accelerometer, comprising:
first and second proof masses arranged in a substrate side-by-side and in-plane with each other, movable along in-plane X and Y-directions, and configured to have applied thereto a differential drive signal including a first polarity signal applied to the first proof mass and a second polarity signal applied to the second proof mass;
a first plurality of sense fingers coupled to the substrate, capacitively coupled with the first and second proof masses, and configured to sense X-direction movement of the first and second proof masses;
a second plurality of sense fingers coupled to the substrate, capacitively coupled with the first and second proof masses, and configured to sense Y-direction movement of the first and second proof masses;
a first shield disposed on the substrate underneath the first proof mass; and
a second shield electrically isolated from the first shield and disposed on the substrate underneath at least some of the first plurality of sense fingers,
wherein the first plurality of sense fingers are configured in combination to output a differential X-direction motion signal, and
wherein the second plurality of sense fingers are configured in combination to output a differential Y-direction motion signal.