Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Making device or circuit responsive to nonelectrical signal – Physical stress responsive
Reexamination Certificate
2007-07-31
2007-07-31
Lebentritt, Michael (Department: 2812)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Making device or circuit responsive to nonelectrical signal
Physical stress responsive
C257SE21683
Reexamination Certificate
active
11081422
ABSTRACT:
A linear accelerometer is provided having a support substrate, fixed electrodes having fixed capacitive plates, and a movable inertial mass having movable capacitive plates capacitively coupled to the fixed capacitive plates. Adjacent capacitive plates vary in height. The accelerometer further includes support tethers for supporting the inertial mass and allowing movement of the inertial mass upon experiencing a linear acceleration along a sensing axis. The accelerometer has inputs and an output for providing an output signal which varies as a function of the capacitive coupling and is indicative of both magnitude and direction of vertical acceleration along the sensing Z-axis. A microsensor fabrication process is also provided which employs a top side mask and etch module.
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Chilcott Dan W.
Christenson John C.
Zarabadi Seyed R.
Lebentritt Michael
Ullah Elias
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