JPH07218268A - Inertia-rate sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To heighten the S/N ratio, simplify the manufacturing process, and reduce the cost by forming driving electrodes and driven electrodes in the form of combteeth, allowing them to mesh with one another so that the capacitance region of each vibratory element is widened, and mounting a weight on each vibratory element so as to increase the mass. CONSTITUTION: A rotating structure 16 is supported by the surface 12 of a silicon substrate 14 and equipped with vibratory elements 18, 20 installed on supporting electrodes 22, 24, and on the outer side faces of the elements 18, 20, driven electrode fingers 36, 38 in the form of combteeth are installed perpendicularly thereto and are meshed with one another in such a condition as not contacting with driving electrodes 40, 42 in the form of combteeth. To the inner side faces of the elements 18, 20, additional masses (weights) 74, 76 are attached. With a drive signal given by a driving electronic circuit 90, the rotor 16 rotates in conformity to a rate input in the direction of perpendicularly intersecting the axis stretching along deflecting members 26, 28, and the signal generated by the change of the capacitance between the above-mentioned electrodes 22, 24 and lower situated sensing electrodes 54, 56, 58, 60 is sensed by an electronic circuit 72 in the form of a rotating amount.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inertial rate sensor manufactured by micromechanical means, and more particularly to a vibration tuning fork rate sensor. The micromechanical inertial rate (inertial rate) sensor is known as a gyro structure of a double gimbal system that uses a vibrating gimbal element or a tuning fork structure that uses multiple tuning forks (tuning forks). The inertial rate can be detected, and the suspended element (supported by erection) can be moved or rotated correspondingly to detect the inertial rate.

[0002]

Since the above-mentioned device has a very fine and delicate structure, it is very problematic in mass production at low cost. Then, the manufacturing process of improving the sensitivity to noise ratio, increasing the number of signals, and expanding the range of uses of the device, and at the same time, manufacturing the device from a silicon wafer by using the photograph technology known in the semiconductor manufacturing technology. There is a demand to reduce the manufacturing cost and increase the manufacturing efficiency, and these are the problems to be solved by the present invention.

[0003]

According to the present invention, a tuning fork by a microstructure manufacturing technique having a structure in which fingers of a driving electrode and a driven electrode as a vibrating element are combined so as to enter each other like comb teeth. An inertial rate sensor is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the sensor not only has improved sensitivity to noise ratio and signal, but also eliminates manufacturing complexity and improves reliability of microstructure manufacturing technology. It is possible to increase the frequency. In particular, according to the present invention, an assembly provided with the first and second vibrating elements whose both ends are supported by the supporting electrodes and in which the plurality of driven electrodes are provided so as to be orthogonal to the vibrating elements face each other. The structure flexibly extending from the supporting electrode is installed over the semiconductor substrate or the frame. A plurality of drive electrodes are provided on the semiconductor substrate or the frame in relation to the driven electrodes, and the comb-shaped fingers of the drive electrodes are the fingers of the driven electrodes of the vibrating element. It is configured so as to overlap so as not to come into contact with each other and to increase the capacity region. The above-mentioned vibrating elements are substantially linear, arranged parallel to each other, and are elements manufactured by a microstructure manufacturing technique located on both sides of an axis passing through the flexible body. In addition, the vibrating element,
Additional masses (weights) are provided by microstructure manufacturing techniques on the inside facing each other in parallel (on the outside, the driven electrode is located).

In the present invention, as will be described later, 4
One sensing and / or torque electrode is embedded in a semiconductor substrate or a semiconductor frame (hereinafter, the frame is used as a term having the same meaning as a substrate) that serves as a supporting base, and the embedded position is opposite to the supporting electrode of the vibrating element. The structure under both ends is typical (not limiting the invention). Sensing electronics and drive electronics are electrically connected to the sensing electrodes, drive electrodes, and the flexure. The drive electronic circuit causes the vibrating element to vibrate, and this vibration causes the input rate about the axis orthogonal to the support axis to rotate through the flexure body to rotate the supported assembly around the flexure body. Opposing vibrations that are linked to vibrations. This motion produces a signal resulting from the change in capacitance between the supporting electrode and the lower sensing electrode, which is used as an indication of the input rate and is optionally torqued and supported. Rebalance the assembly to the neutral position. The sensing and torque electrodes are located below the support electrodes or just below the compensating (proof) mass.

According to the tuning fork structure of the present invention, a wide capacitance region between the driving electrode and the driven electrode has a comb-like shape and is meshed with each other. Combined with the high variation of capacity. In addition, the manufacturing technique of the present invention allows the oscillating element to be of high mass (including means for mounting additional auxiliary mass), making the system more sensitive. A gyroscope transducer having a number of compensating (proof) masses and a drive electrode and a driven electrode in which the comb-like fingers interdigitate with each other is obtained.

According to the present invention, the manufacturing process is extremely simplified and simplified as compared with the conventional structure. For example, the erected assembly and electrodes are metallized by polysilicon or electroplating. It was formed along with the supporting electrodes of the driving electrode fingers. The supported assembly is a microstructure made by selectively etching an epitaxially grown silicon layer formed on a silicon substrate having a diffused sensing electrode, the diffused sensing electrode being deposited on the epitaxial growth layer. Boron is diffused and is formed by an etching process. A wafer bond technique is also used to deposit a highly doped layer by a second wafer onto a silicon substrate by a bond technique, the second wafer comprising a superimposed boron doped layer. The remaining layer is removed by etching, and the remaining layer has an assembly structure in which the layer is rotatably supported.

In all cases, the first or lower substrate is one that is selectively diffused by boron P + diffusion to form the underlying sensing electrode, using a polysilicon or metal surface coating. The bridge electrode forming technique can also be used as required.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the structure shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, a rotating structure 16 is supported on a surface 12 of a silicon substrate 14, and the rotating structure includes a first vibrating element 18 and a second vibrating element 20. Are erected and supported by the support electrodes 22 and 24. From the farthest end surfaces (outer surfaces) of both of the support electrodes 22, 24, flexures 26, 28 are extended to respective support pillars 29, 30, which pillars of the substrate 14 via surface electrodes 32, 34. It is fixed to the surface.

The axis of rotation is constituted by an axis passing through the centers of the above-mentioned flexible bodies 26 and 28. Driven electrode fingers 36 and 38 are arranged on the outer surfaces of the vibrating elements 18 and 20, respectively. These fingers are the drive electrodes 4
0 and 42 are interdigitated and interdigitated with each other, and the drive electrodes are supported on the surface 12 of the substrate 14 by fixed supports 44 and 46. An electrical path 48 leads from the supports 44,46 to electrical contacts 50,52.

Substrate 14, a preferred example of which is silicon,
It has a surface (layer) 12 formed as a dielectric, such as oxidized silicon dioxide. Immediately below the dielectric layer 12, the sensing electrodes 54, 56, 58, 60 are embedded,
The embedded positions of these electrodes are immediately below the respective separated ends of the support electrodes 22 and 24, and the rotary body having the axis passing through the support electrodes and the flexures 28 and 26 as the rotation axis. It detects a variation in the gap between the sensing electrode and the sensing electrode reflecting the rotation of 16, and the flexure body provides flexural resistance to the rotation. Vibrating element 1
When 8 and 20 are set to the operating state by the drive electric signal from the drive electronic circuit 90, the rotation is induced, and the drive circuit connects the rotating body 16 via the contact 34 to the rotating body 16.
The rotation is electrically connected to the drive electrodes 40 and 42 through the contacts 50 and 52, and the rotation is about the axis in the plane of the drawing of FIG. 1 as a rotation axis in the direction perpendicular to the flexible bodies 26 and 28. Rotate according to rate input. Detection electrode 5
4, 56, 58 and 60 are contacts 6 via a bias 62.
It is in electrical contact with 4, 66, 68, 70. These contacts are located on the surface layer 12 and contact the vias 62 as a metallization applied along the openings in the dielectric layer.

The sensing electronics 72 allow the rotating body 16 and sensing electrodes 54, 56, 5 to pass through electrical contacts and biases.
8 and 60, the circuit handles the variation in capacitance between each sensing electrode and the supporting electrode of the rotor 16 using known techniques. For this purpose, a vibration signal is sent by the sensing electronics 72 via the electrode 34 to the rotor 16 and the signals on the pair of electrodes 54, 60 relative to the paired electrodes 56, 58 are transferred to the rotor 16. As an indication, the detection electronics are adapted to detect differentially. As another means,
Using a pair of electrodes such as electrodes 54 and 56,
Rebalancing torque may be applied to the substrate 16 in response to the magnitude of the sensed rotation to balance the electrodes, which is known in the art, eg, US patent application 07/47.
No. 9,854 (filed on February 14, 1990); US patent application 07 / 757,706 (filed on September 11, 1991); US Pat. No. 5,016,072 (May 1991).
The technology disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 14 (March 14) can be used, and the above-mentioned documents disclosing these technologies, particularly the corresponding US patent publications, are not attached here, but are cited as references. Since these are known to those skilled in the art, the description thereof will be omitted in particular, but a supplementary explanation is prepared if necessary, and the supplementary explanation should not be dismissed as a change of the gist. .

In order to increase the sensitivity of the inertial rate sensor due to the rotatable and vibrating rotor 16, additional weights or masses 74 and 76 may be used to drive the driven electrodes 36 and 38.
On the opposite surface of the vibrating element 18.20 away from the edge containing The basic mechanism of gyroscopic action is the Coriolis force acting on the compensating masses 74, 76 as the vibration tuning fork rotates. This causes the mass to rotate about the output axis at the drive resonance frequency. The mass body is the same material as the rest of the rotating body 16 described later, or a different metal such as a high density metal. In order to relieve stress from the rotary assembly 16 between the support pillars 29,30, the flexures 28,26
Are provided with stress relief (relief) slots 78 and 80 in the electrodes 22 and 24 connected to each other, so that the internal stress of the material of the assembly 16 generated during the process may be reduced by contraction of polysilicon or metallization used for manufacturing the assembly 16. Prepare

2 to 5 show another example of a tuning fork (tuning fork) rate detecting structure. The gyroscope micromechanical structure shown in FIG. 2 has a central motor 110 with compensating masses 112 having comb structures on both sides. By arranging the compensating mass body 112 and the comb structure with respect to the central motor 110 as shown in the drawing, it becomes symmetrical, and both driving and detection in in-plane resonance are possible. In this illustrated embodiment, the sensing electrode 11
4 and the torque electrode 116 are arranged immediately below the vibrating compensating mass body 112 (support electrodes 22, 24 shown in FIG. 1).
Facing the one below).

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a large number of torsion springs 118 or flexible bodies are provided, for example, in the form of a plurality of pairs, and serve as the rotation axis of the transducer. The torsion spring 118 has an anchored region 120 located inward toward the center of the device, which relieves stress and increases out-of-plane stiffness. By moving the anchored region 120 to the mass and center of the device, one long spring is acted upon by two short beams or springs with less bending to increase rigidity. Similarly, a number of support springs 122
Are provided in pairs to support the mass body 112 from both sides.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a symmetric compensating mass is installed and extends outward from the center of the device to a support spring 124 which reaches the anchored region 126.
including. The layout shown has the advantage of a set of resonance modes and vibrations, with tighter manufacturing controls being able to match the tuning fork mode to 5% off the output tilt mode resonance frequency. Preferably, the structure is such that the drive and sense resonance frequencies are 5% apart, and there is no coupling and matched non-linearity, and no increase in the noise ratio of the device due to a factor of about 3 signals. A mechanical gain close to the resonance at is obtained.

As shown, the embodiment of FIG. 3 incorporates torque and sense electrodes 128 and 130, respectively, which are made to have a common center of gravity under the compensating mass 112. ing. The torque electrode 128 is
Made to be centered below the compensating mass 112, this mass has a sensing electrode 130 located nearby with a sufficient gap. Due to the common center of gravity, the central electric field easily results in a substantially symmetrical line of force exerted by the torque electrode on the proof (compensation) mass, making the capacitively sensed output more symmetrical.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show another embodiment according to the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a cantilever system of a symmetric compensating mass gyroscope transducer. A pair of flexures 132 extending from a single anchored support point 134 support the transducer element via a single support spring 136. The cantilevered embodiment shown has the same functionality as the device described herein.

FIG. 5 shows that multiple gyroscope transducers according to the present invention can be made to output on multiple axes. In this illustrated embodiment, four symmetrical transducers are provided,
Two tuning fork gyros 180 out of phase
° Vibrate. Rotation is detected on both the X and Y axes. Such a structure satisfies a mode shape that results in an extremely linear spring bend.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment which gives added horizontal compliance in a compact space. A pair of compensating masses includes a plurality of bent support springs 14
It is attached through 0. Each compensating mass has a symmetrical torque and sensing electrode, which, as mentioned above, has a common center of gravity on the lower side.
The spring 140 is bent as shown in FIG. 6 or in another shape to increase the compliance in the in-plane direction while reducing the size of each spring.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the structure of FIG. 1 made by a bridge structure technique of either polysilicon or metallization such as nickel or gold. FIG. 7 shows a cross section of the assembly 16 about the axis through the flexures 28, 26, but for the substrate 14 and face 12 taken through the line through the electrodes 54, 60. As shown in FIG. 7, the sensing electrodes 54, 56 are shown below the surface layer 12, and the oxide layer is
Shown above the surface layer, they are of high strength through selected holes in the oxide layer on the substrate 14 in an initial processing sequence by photolithographic techniques as disclosed in the aforementioned US patents and patent applications. Is formed by diffusing boron to form a highly conductive P + region. On top of the layer 12, a bridge-structured assembly 16 is made, in which the pillars 28, 30 are raised and the area 82 between the layer 12 and the assembly 16 is raised.
There is a dielectric layer or a resistance layer in between, which utilizes the photolithographic microfabrication technology means disclosed in the above-mentioned patents and patent applications.

In the case of metallizing the assembly 16, first a plating layer is applied on the upper surface of the layer 12 and on the spacers in the region 82, then an electroforming process is used to assemble the assembly 16, the contacts 34, 32. And the support pillars 28, 30 are electroplated, also by similar bridging techniques, contact leads and supports 5
Drive and driven electrodes 40, 42 and 36, 38 are formed along the 0, 52, 48, 44, 46. After plating, the electrical contact underlayer is etched, leaving the isolated metal structure shown in FIG.

In the case of the polysilicon structure, similar processing using the photolithographic technique is performed as in the above-described example, but the element formed on the metal is replaced with the sputter diffusion of the polysilicon having the same pattern.

The weights 74,76 may be integral with or separate from the vibrating elements 18,20, if they are separate from silicon, polysilicon, metallized or known high density weight elements. Made

Referring to FIG. 8, FIG. 8 shows a comb drive tuning fork inertial ratio sensor having a different structure, and the same elements as those shown in FIG.
The same reference numerals as those in FIG.
9 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 8 taken along the same section as in FIG. The embodiment of FIG. 8 is manufactured by a micromechanical manufacturing technique, and is formed by selective diffusion of boron P + dopant in a single semiconductor chip. On the substrate 14, the detection electrode 5
An epitaxially grown single-layer or multi-layer silicon layer 13 is present on the original surface layer 12 'in which 4', 60 'are diffused, and an assembly 16' is provided there. To make the assembly 16 ', the vibrating elements 18', 20 ', the support electrode 2 are produced by selective diffusion.
2 ', 24', driven electrodes 38 ', 36', and further,
Drive electrodes 40 ', 42' and support electrodes 44 ', 46'
Made with a pattern. Using the shallow shallow diffusion, the flexures 26 ', 28' and the epitaxially grown layer 13 are used.
To those extensions and supports 29 ', 30'. The metallization processing parts 32 ′ and 34 ′ are the supports 29 ′ and 3
It is made by energizing the assembly 16 'through 0'. After the diffusion process, the assembly 16 'is released from the epitaxial layer 13 using a selective etching technique, leaving pits 84 as shown.

Driving electrodes and driven electrodes 36, 38, 40,
42, 36 ′, 38 ′, 40 ′, 42 ′, when made by boron diffusion, as shown in FIG. 11, have cross-sectional shapes that are sharpened and slightly rounded, as indicated by diffusion portion 88. The corners are formed by reactive ion etching as shown in FIG. 12, for example, high density P +
Create a single diffusion of boron dopant, region 1
8 ', 44' and an intervening zone 90 are formed. Then, using reactive ion etching, a zigzag pattern 92 exposed by photolithography is used to corrode the area between what is divided into the drive electrode 40 'and the driven electrode 36'. This brings the drive and driven electrodes closer together, greatly increasing their capacitance, and more importantly, for example, the relative vibration between the vibrating element 18 'and the supporting drive electrode 44'. Greater variation in capacity with motion. Thereby, the vibrating element 1
The coupling force to 8, 18 ', 20, 20' becomes more effective. Also, the manufacturing technique illustrated above allows the vibrating elements 18, 18 ', 20, 20' to be bulky and heavy, which is mostly vertical and
Without dropping the planar components, the mass 74,
It is due to an additional mass that can be divided into 74 ', 76, 76'. As a result, the sensitivity or signal to noise ratio of the device thus produced is improved.

FIG. 10 shows another example for the manufacture of the device whose plan view is shown in FIG. This device comprises a first substrate 14 ″ with a bottom passivated dielectric layer 92.
(Symbols that are the same as the above parts are marked with a symbol ")
Made from the substrate welding. The top layer 12 "is
It has sensing electrodes and / or torque electrodes 54 ", 60" and those not shown. They are,
It is exposed through the oxide layer 94 on the surface 12 ″ of the substrate 14 ″. At this point, a second silicon substrate having a highly doped P + layer 98 on top of the silicon substrate 96 is face bonded to the dielectric layer 94. The layer 98 extends over the entire surface of the substrate 96 during bonding, but is shown in the final dimension of the completed structure in the figure. The substrate 96 is then etched. Layer 98 has metallized regions 10
0, 102 are formed, aluminized layers 104, 106 are plated over the area, and remain after the silicon substrate 96 is etched to leave a highly doped layer 98.
It becomes an electrical contact with. Thereafter, the layer 98 is patterned to provide vibrating elements 18 ', 20', support electrodes 22 ", 2 '.
4 "and flexures 28", 30 ", driven fingers 36, 36", and further drive fingers 40 ", 4".
This results in a suspended assembly 16 "with 2" and weights 74 ", 76".

Although the various embodiments described above have a structure having separate electrodes for sensing and giving torque, one electrode is provided for each proof mass, and the torque function and the sensing function are provided by frequency compound multiplexing. It is also possible to bring out both of the above.

Further, although the above embodiments and the referenced references refer to closed loop systems, the various embodiments of the gyroscope transducers described above are open loop in order to eliminate the need for torque rebalancing. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it can be operated with. Such an operation limits the dynamic range, but simplifies the operation of the device and the control of electronic circuits.

The above-mentioned embodiments are for the purpose of understanding the present invention and not for limiting the present invention. Modifications, additions, etc. may be made without departing from the scope of the claims.
All are included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0030]

The present invention exerts excellent effects as an inertial rate sensor.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a micromechanical (microactuated mechanical structure) comb drive tuning fork inertial rate sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a micromechanical (microactuated mechanical structure) comb drive tuning fork inertial rate sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a micromechanical (microactuated mechanical structure) comb drive tuning fork inertial rate sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a micromechanical (microactuated mechanical structure) comb drive tuning fork inertial rate sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a micromechanical comb-shaped tuning fork inertial rate sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of a micromechanical (microactuated mechanical structure) comb drive tuning fork inertial rate sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a cutaway side view of a main part of the structure of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a micromechanical (microactuated mechanical structure) comb drive tuning fork inertial rate sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a side cutaway view of a main part of the structure of the comb drive tuning fork inertial rate (inertial rate) sensor shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cutaway side view of the structure of a micromechanical (microactuated mechanical structure) comb tuning fork inertial rate (inertial rate) sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing one form of an electrode for manufacturing the electrode.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram in a step of forming a driving electrode and a driven electrode having comb-teeth-shaped fingers by one manufacturing step of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 ... Silicon substrate surface 14 ... Silicon substrate 16 ... Rotating structure (assembly) 18 ... First vibrating element 20 ... Second vibrating element 22, 24 ... Support electrode 26, 28 ... Deflection Body 29, 30 ... Support pillar 32, 34 ... Surface electrode 36, 38 ... Driven electrode finger 40, 42 ... Drive electrode 48 ... Electrical path 50, 52 ... Electrical contact 54, 56, 58, 60 ...... Detection electrode 62 …… Bias 64,66,68,70 …… Contact 72 …… Detection electronic circuit 74,76 …… Mass body 78,80 …… Stress relief (reduction) slot 90 …… Zone 92 …… Zigzag Pattern 96 ... Silicon substrate 98 ... P + layer 100, 102 ... Metallized region 104, 104 ... Aluminized layer 110 ... Central motor 112 ... Compensating mass 114 ... Sensing electrodes 116 ...... torque electrode 118 ...... torsion spring 120 ...... anchored regions 120 122 ...... support spring 130 ...... sensing electrode 132 ...... flexure 134 ...... support point 136 ...... support spring 140 ...... support spring

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Mark S. Weinberg United States 02192 Needham Broad Meadow Road 119 Massachusetts

Claims (26)

[Claims] 1. An inertial rate sensor having the following structure: a weight that is erected and supported so as to rotate about a first axis and that is suitable for vibrating in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first axis. An attached first element; a set of a plurality of driven electrodes protruding in the vibration direction from the supported element; a plurality of drive electrodes that mesh without contacting the plurality of driven electrodes in the set A set; a vibration driving source that contacts the set of driven electrodes and the set of drive electrodes having a polarity signal opposite to the set of driven electrodes through the installed elements to induce vibration of the installed elements; A large number of position sensors arranged at positions facing the erected element, wherein a space between the position sensor and the erected element is changed by rotation of the element rotating around the axis. Position sensor; installed above An electrical signal source that excites the sensing electrodes, and a signal responsive to at least some sensing electrodes of the plurality of sensing electrodes to undergo a change with rotation of the element about the axis. sensor. 2. On the opposite side of the rotating shaft, the first
A second suspended supported weighted vibrating element extending substantially parallel to the suspended element of the
Vibrating element corresponds to the first driven electrode group engaged with the second driving electrode group corresponding to the first driving electrode group connected to the driving source in order to induce the vibration of the element. The inertial rate sensor according to claim 1, which has a second driven electrode. 3. A comb-shaped driving tuning fork having a microstructure having the following structure: a substrate; and an assembly formed on the substrate, the assembly having the following elements. A first and a second long oscillating element which are located in parallel, said oscillating element being connected at both ends by a first and a second supporting electrode, between the two parallel elements First and second vibrating elements positioned parallel to a rotation axis passing through; along the rotation axis, away from the first and second vibrating elements toward a mounting position on the substrate; First and second flexures extending from the first and second support electrodes, wherein the first and second support electrodes and the first and second vibrating elements are connected to the rotary shaft. First and second flexible bodies configured to be rotatable as axes First and second weights attached to the first and second vibrating elements, respectively; the first and second vibrating elements having a plurality of driven electrodes protruding in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis; The first and second drive electrodes extend so as to overlap between the driven electrodes of the first and second vibrating elements, and the first and second drive electrodes are structurally arranged on the substrate. Attached to but electrically isolated first and second drive electrodes; and a plurality of sensings provided on the substrate below the support electrodes and away from the axis of rotation. electrode. 4. The vibrating element, the driven electrode, the drive electrode, the weight, the support electrode and the flexure are materials selected from the group consisting of conductive silicon, conductive polysilicon, and plated metal. The comb-shaped drive tuning fork according to claim 3, wherein 5. The comb drive tuning fork of claim 4, wherein the plated metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel and gold. 6. The structure of claim 4, wherein the frame comprises a dielectric surface silicon substrate and the drive electrodes and the flexures are attached to the dielectric surface of the substrate. 7. The structure according to claim 4, wherein a stress relieving / relieving slit is provided inside the supporting electrode in the vicinity of the mounting portion of the flexible body. 8. The structure of claim 6, wherein the plurality of sensing electrodes includes a region diffused into the silicon substrate below the dielectric surface. 9. An electric drive energy source, which is attached to the drive circuit, excites a driven electrode through the flexure body, and vibrates the vibrating element in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis; Rotation of the first and second support electrodes, which are connected to the detection electrode and the first and second support electrodes, and rotate about the rotation axis as an axis according to an inertia factor acting on the vibrating element during vibration. 4. The structure of claim 3 including a sense signal source and a sense signal sensor; 10. The first and second support electrodes are connected to at least a portion of the plurality of sensing electrodes and are responsive to a sensed signal indicative of rotation of the first and second support electrodes. 10. The structure of claim 9, comprising a source of torque electrical energy that torques the first and second support electrodes into position. 11. A method of manufacturing a comb-shaped drive tuning fork for detecting an inertial rate, including the steps of: preparing a silicon substrate; forming a plurality of detection electrodes on a surface of the substrate; Forming the sensing electrode, the electrodes being electrically insulated from each other and capable of being electrically contacted through a portion of the surface of the substrate; the surface of the substrate having the plurality of sensing electrodes The flexible body that rotates around the axis,
And a step of supporting the assembly of the first and second vibrating elements supported by the second supporting electrode, wherein the first and second vibrating elements are separated along both sides of the rotating shaft. And supporting the vibrating element, which is located and has first and second driven electrodes on one side of the vibrating element and first and second mass bodies on the other side. And; electrical contacts for the first and second drive electrodes of the vibrating element and the first and second driven electrodes and the first and second driven electrodes of the vibrating element, which mesh with each other in a comb-teeth shape. And forming on the substrate. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of supporting the vibrating element assembly includes the steps of: growing a semiconductor layer on a plurality of the sensing electrodes; Forming an assembly;
And leaving the first and second flexures to release the assembly from the growth layer in order to rotate the assembly. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein said growing step comprises epitaxially growing a silicon layer. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of forming a substrate includes the step of forming a region of said substrate and an etch resist corresponding to said first and second flexures on the surface of said growth layer. 15. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of liberating comprises etching the growth layer except in regions defining the assembly thus formed. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein said etch resistant portion is made by diffusing boron in the plane of said growth layer. 17. The method of claim 11, wherein said supporting step includes the step of forming a bridge structure as said assembly on a surface of silicon containing said plurality of sensing electrodes. 18. The bridge forming step includes a step of forming a bridge structure of etching resist polysilicon or silicon, and the drive electrode forming step includes a step of forming a drive electrode of etching resist polysilicon or silicon. The method of claim 17. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein both the step of forming the drive electrode and the step of forming the bridge include the step of making the bridge structure and the drive electrode with a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and gold. . 20. A method of forming a comb driven tuning fork structure used in a rate sensor application comprising the steps of: forming a silicon substrate having a flat surface; forming an insulating layer opening in the flat surface. Forming a plurality of sensing electrodes via the above; forming a second silicon substrate having a flat surface in which an etching resist diffuser is diffused; forming the first and second substrates between the flat surfaces A step of joining; the diffusion of an assembly including vibrating elements supported by electrode elements, which extend in a region of the insulating layer of the first substrate and face each other in parallel with each other with a rotation axis interposed therebetween. Forming a layer, wherein the rotary shaft passes through the flexible body, the vibrating element has a mass body on one side surface thereof, and a first mass is formed on each of the opposite side surfaces thereof. And a plurality of driven electrodes as a second set, the electrodes having a plurality of comb-teeth-shaped fingers; and in the diffusion layer, Forming a plurality of drive electrodes having fingers that interpose between the fingers of the driven electrodes in a state mechanically separated from the assembly. 21. The method of claim 11, wherein the supporting step comprises the steps of: forming an etching resist diffusion layer on a second silicon substrate having a flat surface; the first electrode surrounding the plurality of sensing electrodes. Forming a dielectric layer over the silicon substrate of step; bonding the diffusion layer to the dielectric layer of each of the second and first substrates; and the second.
Selectively etching the silicon substrate diffusion layer, the step of forming the assembly in the diffusion layer at a portion overlapping the plurality of sensing electrodes. 22. The second portion is provided in the area of the assembly.
22. The method of claim 20 or 21 including the step of substantially eliminating all of the semiconductor substrate of. 23. The method of claim 22 including the step of providing metalized electrical contacts to the assembly. 24. The method according to claim 11 or 20, including the step of forming at least one of the driven electrode and the driving electrode finger by the following steps: in the region of the assembly of the driving electrode and the driven electrode in the assembly.
Forming an electrically conductive region; and treating the electrically conductive region by reactive ion etching to separate the drive electrode and the driven electrode. 25. The inertial rate sensor of claim 1 including at least one support spring mounting and supporting said first weight element to at least one partial flexure anchored at least at one end to the semiconductor mass. . 26. The inertial rate sensor of claim 25, wherein said at least one support spring is folded to provide greater compliance.