On Frequency-Based Interface Circuits for Capacitive MEMS Accelerometers
Interface circuits for capacitive MEMS accelerometers are conventionally based on charge-based approaches. A promising alternative to these is provided by frequency-based readout techniques that have some unique advantages as well as a few challenges associated with them. This paper addresses these...
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doaj-f7e375b35de0496a9224938dbed1f6bd2020-11-25T00:15:17ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2018-09-0191048810.3390/mi9100488mi9100488On Frequency-Based Interface Circuits for Capacitive MEMS AccelerometersZhiliang Qiao0Boris A. Boom1Anne-Johan Annema2Remco J. Wiegerink3Bram Nauta4IC Design Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The NetherlandsNikhef, P.O. Box 41882, 1009 DB Amsterdam, The NetherlandsIC Design Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The NetherlandsIntegrated Devices and Systems Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The NetherlandsIC Design Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The NetherlandsInterface circuits for capacitive MEMS accelerometers are conventionally based on charge-based approaches. A promising alternative to these is provided by frequency-based readout techniques that have some unique advantages as well as a few challenges associated with them. This paper addresses these techniques and presents a derivation of the fundamental resolution limits that are imposed on them by phase noise. Starting with an overview of basic operating principles, associated properties and challenges, the discussions then focus on the fundamental trade-offs between noise, power dissipation and signal bandwidth (BW) for the LC-oscillator-based frequency readout and for the conventional charge-based switched-capacitor (SC) readout. Closed-form analytical formulas are derived to facilitate a fair comparison between the two approaches. Benchmarking results indicate that, with the same bandwidth requirement, charge-based readout circuits are more suitable when optimizing for noise performance, while there is still some room for frequency-based techniques when optimizing for power consumption, especially when flicker phase noise can be mitigated.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/9/10/488oscillatorfrequencyinterfacereadoutMEMScapacitiveaccelerometernoisepowerbandwidth |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Zhiliang Qiao Boris A. Boom Anne-Johan Annema Remco J. Wiegerink Bram Nauta |
spellingShingle |
Zhiliang Qiao Boris A. Boom Anne-Johan Annema Remco J. Wiegerink Bram Nauta On Frequency-Based Interface Circuits for Capacitive MEMS Accelerometers Micromachines oscillator frequency interface readout MEMS capacitive accelerometer noise power bandwidth |
author_facet |
Zhiliang Qiao Boris A. Boom Anne-Johan Annema Remco J. Wiegerink Bram Nauta |
author_sort |
Zhiliang Qiao |
title |
On Frequency-Based Interface Circuits for Capacitive MEMS Accelerometers |
title_short |
On Frequency-Based Interface Circuits for Capacitive MEMS Accelerometers |
title_full |
On Frequency-Based Interface Circuits for Capacitive MEMS Accelerometers |
title_fullStr |
On Frequency-Based Interface Circuits for Capacitive MEMS Accelerometers |
title_full_unstemmed |
On Frequency-Based Interface Circuits for Capacitive MEMS Accelerometers |
title_sort |
on frequency-based interface circuits for capacitive mems accelerometers |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Micromachines |
issn |
2072-666X |
publishDate |
2018-09-01 |
description |
Interface circuits for capacitive MEMS accelerometers are conventionally based on charge-based approaches. A promising alternative to these is provided by frequency-based readout techniques that have some unique advantages as well as a few challenges associated with them. This paper addresses these techniques and presents a derivation of the fundamental resolution limits that are imposed on them by phase noise. Starting with an overview of basic operating principles, associated properties and challenges, the discussions then focus on the fundamental trade-offs between noise, power dissipation and signal bandwidth (BW) for the LC-oscillator-based frequency readout and for the conventional charge-based switched-capacitor (SC) readout. Closed-form analytical formulas are derived to facilitate a fair comparison between the two approaches. Benchmarking results indicate that, with the same bandwidth requirement, charge-based readout circuits are more suitable when optimizing for noise performance, while there is still some room for frequency-based techniques when optimizing for power consumption, especially when flicker phase noise can be mitigated. |
topic |
oscillator frequency interface readout MEMS capacitive accelerometer noise power bandwidth |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/9/10/488 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT zhiliangqiao onfrequencybasedinterfacecircuitsforcapacitivememsaccelerometers AT borisaboom onfrequencybasedinterfacecircuitsforcapacitivememsaccelerometers AT annejohanannema onfrequencybasedinterfacecircuitsforcapacitivememsaccelerometers AT remcojwiegerink onfrequencybasedinterfacecircuitsforcapacitivememsaccelerometers AT bramnauta onfrequencybasedinterfacecircuitsforcapacitivememsaccelerometers |
_version_ |
1725387783309099008 |