MICROMECHANICAL TUNING FORK ANGULAR RATE SENSOR

摘要

A, micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope is fabricated from a unitary silicon substrate utilizing etch stop diffusions and selective anisotropic etching. A silicon structure is suspended over the selectively etched pit. The silicon structure includes at least first and second vibratable structures. Each vibratable structure is energizable to vibrate laterally along an axis normal to the rotation sensitive axis. The lateral vibration of the first and second vibratable structures effects simultaneous vertical movement of at least a portion of the silicon structure upon the occurrence of angular rotation of the gyroscope about the rotation sensitive axis. The vertical movement of the silicon structure is sensed, and a voltage proportional to the movement is generated, for providing an indication of angular rate of rotation detected by the gyroscope.