US Patent 7036373 MEMS gyroscope with horizontally oriented drive electrodes

Devices and methods for reducing rate bias errors and scale factor errors in a MEMS gyroscope are disclosed. A MEMS actuator device in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention can include at least one substrate including one or more horizontal drive electrodes, and a movable electrode spaced vertically from and adjacent to the one or more horizontal drive electrodes. The horizontal drive electrodes and/or movable electrode can be configured to eliminate or reduce rate bias and scale factor errors resulting from the displacement of the movable electrode in the direction of a sense axis of the device.