Tunneling rotation sensor

摘要

Various structures for cantilever beam tunneling rate gyro devices formed on a single substrate are disclosed. A cantilever electrode having a plurality of portions extending from the substrate with one end of the cantilever is suspended above the substrate at a distance from a tunneling electrode so that a tunneling current flows through the cantilever and tunneling electrode in response to an applied bias voltage. The cantilever and tunneling electrodes form a circuit that produces an output signal. A force applied to the sensor urges the cantilever electrode to deflect relative to the tunneling electrode to modulate the output signal. The output signal is a control voltage that is applied between the cantilever electrode and a control electrode to maintain a constant tunneling current. In the preferred embodiment, two cantilever portions extend from the wafer surface forming a Y-shape. In a further embodiment, a strap is fabricated on the cantilever electrode. In an alternate embodiment, a ridge emitter is formed such that it remains under the cantilever electrode during lateral motion of the cantilever. In an alternate embodiment, a cantilever having a varying width is fabricated.