Patent ID: 7002284

Claim:
A thin film micromechanical resonator gyro comprising (1) a tuning fork having at least two arms and at least one stem connecting said arms, formed of a non-piezoelectric material; (2) a drive section including (a) a first electrode provided on at least one main surface of at least one of said arms in a place inner than a center line of the main surface, (b) a second electrode provided on said at least one main surface in a place outer than the center line with a separation from said first electrode, (c) a first piezoelectric thin film provided on said first electrode, (d) a second piezoelectric thin film provided on said second electrode, (e) a third electrode provided on said first piezoelectric thin film, and (f) a fourth electrode provided on said second piezoelectric thin film; and (3) a sensing section provided on said at least one main surface of said at least one of arms, wherein said tuning fork resonates in the direction perpendicular to said center line (X direction) when an alternating voltage is applied to said third and fourth electrodes at opposite phases each other, and said sensing section detects flexion of said arm due to an angular velocity given thereto, caused in the direction perpendicular to said main surface (Z direction) in proportion to the Coriolis force, as an electrical or optical output, wherein said sensing section includes a fifth electrode disposed on said at least one main surface with a separation from said first and second electrodes, a third piezoelectric thin film provided on said fifth electrode, an a sixth electrode provided on said third piezoelectric thin film, wherein said fifth electrode is disposed in a place further to an end of said arm than said first and second electrodes, a first lead out electrode is provided between said first and second electrodes with a separation from the electrodes, said fifth electrode is connected with said first lead out electrode, at least circumference portions of said first and second electrodes and said first and second piezoelectric thin films, and said first lead out electrode are covered with an insulating layer, a second lead out electrode is provided between said third and fourth electrodes on said insulating layer with a separation from said third and fourth electrodes, said sixth electrode is connected with said second lead out electrode, and said first and second electrodes, said third and fourth electrodes, said fifth and sixth electrodes, said first and second lead out electrodes, said first and second piezoelectric thin films, and said third piezoelectric thin film are disposed substantially symmetric to said center line.