Patent ID: 7453269

Claim:
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor comprising: a lower magnetic member comprising a first magnetic layer of the lower magnetic member and a lower base layer; an upper magnetic member disposed over said lower magnetic member, the upper magnetic member comprising a first magnetic layer of the upper member and an upper base layer; an intermediate magnetic member magnetically levitated between said lower magnetic member and upper magnetic member, the intermediate magnetic member comprising a first magnetic layer of the intermediate magnetic member and a second magnetic layer of the intermediate magnetic member; a detector measuring at least one of motion of, forces acting on, and displacement of the intermediate magnetic member with respect to the lower magnetic member and the upper magnetic member; and an electric coupling, wherein the detector comprises: a first conductive plate disposed at said lower magnetic member; a first intermediate conductive plate disposed at one side of said intermediate magnetic member facing said first conductive plate; a second conductive plate disposed at said upper magnetic member; and a second intermediate conductive plate disposed at another side of said intermediate magnetic member facing said second conductive plate, wherein the displacement of said intermediate magnetic member is determined in accordance with at least one of a current and a resonant frequency measured between said first conductive plate and said second conductive plate, wherein the electric coupling is a conductor which connects the first intermediate conductive plate and the second intermediate conductive plate and wherein coercivities of the lower and the upper magnetic members are greater than a coercivity of the intermediate magnetic member.