Abstract
We present the design and fabrication of a single axis low noise accelerometer in an unmodified commercial MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) process. The new microfabrication process, MEMS Integrated Design for Inertial Sensors (MIDIS), introduced by Teledyne DALSA Inc. allows wafer level vacuum encapsulation at 10 milliTorr which provides a high Quality factor and reduces noise interference on the MEMS sensor devices. The MIDIS process is based on high aspect ratio bulk micromachining of single-crystal silicon layer that is vacuum encapsulated between two other silicon handle wafers. The process includes sealed Through Silicon Vias (TSVs) for compact design and flip-chip integration with signal processing circuits. The proposed accelerometer design is sensitive to single-axis in-plane acceleration and uses a differential capacitance measurement. Over ±1 g measurement range, the measured sensitivity was 1fF/g. The accelerometer system was designed to provide a detection resolution of 33 milli-g over the operational range of ±100 g.
Highlights
MEMS inertial sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes have become ubiquitous in our modern world [1,2]
For the first time, a MEMS accelerometer fabricated in a commercial MEMS process that itself includes wafer level vacuum encapsulation
The simulation results are based on Finite Element Modeling (FEM) using Coventorware software for electro-mechanical, modal and damping coefficient simulations
Summary
MEMS inertial sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes have become ubiquitous in our modern world [1,2]. MEMS accelerometers have the second largest sales volume after pressure sensors and are used in a variety of applications including automotive, industrial, consumer electronics, and medical devices [3]. Each of above applications uses accelerometer sensors with different operational range from milli-g to several hundred g. Many types of accelerometers are commercially available that are based on different operational principles including piezoresistance, piezoelectricity, optical, capacitive, and frequency resonance [5]. We are the first academic research group to implement an accelerometer sensor fabricated in an unmodified commercial MEMS process called, MEMS Integrated Design for Inertial
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