MEMS Gyroscope Technology

InvenSense®Technology

Overview

Our technology is comprised of five coreelements: our patented Nasiri-Fabrication process, our advanced MEMS motionsensor designs, our mixed-signal circuitry for sensor signal processing, ourMotionFusion™ and calibration firmware, and our MotionApps™ software consistingof drivers and APIs for applications development on all major consumerelectronics operating systems. Our patented Nasiri-Fabrication process enablesdirect integration of MEMS mechanical structures with standard complementarymetal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) at the wafer level. This results insignificant performance, reliability, integration and cost benefits, andenabled InvenSense to pioneer the industry’s first high-volume, commercial MEMSfabless business model. Our mixed-signal circuitry provides sensor signalprocessing which enables MotionFusion™ technology critical to ourMotionProcessing™ platform. Our technology allows us to deliver MotionInterface solutions for all major consumer electronics applications includingsmartphones, tablets, game controllers, smart TVs, and wearable sensors, andwith increasing levels of integration, from single-axis analog gyroscopes tofully-integrated, intelligent six and nine-axis MotionTracking™ devices.

Highly integrated and cost effective solutions enabled by our patentedNasiri-Fabrication Process

The foundation of our MotionTracking™devices is the patented Nasiri-Fabrication process, which combines MEMS on CMOS(also known as CMOS-MEMS) in a small, cost effective standard package.Combining a MEMS wafer with an industry standard CMOS wafer allows us to reducethe number of MEMS manufacturing steps, perform wafer-level testing, and usechip-scale packaging, thereby reducing back-end costs of packaging and testingand improving overall yield and quality. In addition to our CMOS-MEMS process,we have also developed low cost, high throughput proprietary test andcalibration systems for our motion sensors, capable of proving fully functional9 DOF testing, which further reduces the back-end costs. We have pioneered atechnological breakthrough in manufacturing low-cost MEMS motion interfacesolutions. Combining this unique process capability with our MEMS-based motionsensor designs and methodologies, mixed-signal IC integration techniques,MotionApps™ and Embedded MotionApps firmware, we have introduced MotionTracking™devices that are industry-leading in form factor, performance, cost andreliability.

Manufacturing efficiency, flexibility and scalability

Most MEMS devices are manufactured inproprietary fabrication facilities utilizing numerous proprietary andnon-standard MEMS processing steps that are not compatible with CMOSmanufacturing fabrication lines. Nasiri-Fabrication utilizes all off-the-shelfequipment and processing steps that are compatible with CMOS fabrication thathas allowed us to port our proprietary process in leading CMOS foundries andoperate as a fabless MEMS company. Our fabless model enables cost-effectivehigh volume production and provides us with flexibility to quickly react to ourcustomers’ needs.

Scalable MotionProcessing™ platform with opportunities for multi-sensorintegration

Our current generation of MotionTracking™devices are the six-axis MPU-6050 and the nine-axis MPU-9150. The MPU-9150packages the InvenSense single chip 6-axis gyroscope and accelerometer withonboard Digital Motion Processor™ (DMP) hardware acceleration along with a 3-axisE-Compass die to deliver the world’s first integrated 9-axis MotionTracking™device. Our 9-axis MotionFusion™ firmware combines calibrated accelerometer,gyroscope, and compass sensor output into a single data stream for softwaredevelopers to easily incorporate Motion Interface functionality in theirapplications.

As a result of integrating multiple sensorsonto the same die and package, and providing complete 9-axis MotionFusion™ withrun-time calibration software, our MotionTracking™ devices do not require thetraditional calibration steps required with discrete sensor solutions by ourcustomers. Furthermore, offloading intensive motion tracking computations fromthe host processor to our chip has provided entirely new capabilities andperformance for consumer devices, applications and services.

High performance and reliability

Consumer electronics devices are exposed to harsh environmental conditionsand must meet increasing performance and reliability requirements. One of theprimary requirements for MEMS sensors in consumer applications is the abilityto detect and measure all types of motion at varying rates of rotation in awide range of environmental conditions. Gyroscopes, in particular, areresponsible for the measurement of rotational motion; hence their functionalityover the life of the product is critical. Nasiri-Fabrication combines the MEMSwith CMOS at the wafer level, providing highly reliable hermetically sealedcavities for the MEMS structures without the need for a costly and additivegetter process, whereby reactive materials are deposited in the cavity tomaintain the vacuum integrity of the sensor. Our metallic eutectic sealprovides for an inherently more reliable hermetic seal that will allow forreliable operation under harsh environmental conditions over the productlifecycles. The use of thick bulk silicon has enabled us to deliver highresonance frequency structures in the 30 kHz range, exceeding any potentialambient noises due to sounds and or vibrations, enabling for consistent highperformance and accuracy under all condition.