Design of a MEMS Capacitive Comb-drive Micro-accelerometer with Sag Optimization
The current paper presents an optimization study for the designing of a highly sensitive inertial grade capacitive accelerometer based on comb-drive actuation and sensing. The proof mass, suspension system (beams or tethers), stators and rotors have to be realized through an HAR (high aspect ratio)...
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IFSA Publishing, S.L.
2009-09-01
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doaj-f843fd6d4b85418894dda4b3dd10217e2020-11-24T23:05:52ZengIFSA Publishing, S.L.Sensors & Transducers2306-85151726-54792009-09-0110891530Design of a MEMS Capacitive Comb-drive Micro-accelerometer with Sag OptimizationB. D. PANT0Lokesh DHAKAR1P. J. GEORGE2S. AHMAD3MEMS and Micro-sensors Laboratory, Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Pilani-333031, Rajasthan, IndiaBirla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India Kurukshetra Institute of Technology and Management, Kurukshetra, IndiaInstitute of Nano Electronic Engineering, University of Malaysia, Perlis, MalaysiaInstitute of Nano Electronic Engineering, University of Malaysia, Perlis, MalaysiaThe current paper presents an optimization study for the designing of a highly sensitive inertial grade capacitive accelerometer based on comb-drive actuation and sensing. The proof mass, suspension system (beams or tethers), stators and rotors have to be realized through an HAR (high aspect ratio) DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) process for which process optimization has already been done at our laboratory. As the proof mass is a bulk micro-machined structure having a mass in milligram range, the optimum positioning of the tethers on the proof mass is important to have minimum sag, necessary to reduce the off-axis sensitivity. The optimization for the positioning of the tethers has been carried out using a commercial software tool ANSYSTM Multiphysics. The accelerometer has been modeled analytically to predict its characteristics. The dependency of sensitivity on the dimensions of the suspension beams (tethers) has also been verified using the above FEM software tool. The present device has been designed to deliver a high sensitivity of 13.6 mV/g/V for low-g applications.http://www.sensorsportal.com/HTML/DIGEST/september_09/P_488.pdfAccelerometerComb-driveCapacitive sensingHigh aspect ratioDRIE |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
B. D. PANT Lokesh DHAKAR P. J. GEORGE S. AHMAD |
spellingShingle |
B. D. PANT Lokesh DHAKAR P. J. GEORGE S. AHMAD Design of a MEMS Capacitive Comb-drive Micro-accelerometer with Sag Optimization Sensors & Transducers Accelerometer Comb-drive Capacitive sensing High aspect ratio DRIE |
author_facet |
B. D. PANT Lokesh DHAKAR P. J. GEORGE S. AHMAD |
author_sort |
B. D. PANT |
title |
Design of a MEMS Capacitive Comb-drive Micro-accelerometer with Sag Optimization |
title_short |
Design of a MEMS Capacitive Comb-drive Micro-accelerometer with Sag Optimization |
title_full |
Design of a MEMS Capacitive Comb-drive Micro-accelerometer with Sag Optimization |
title_fullStr |
Design of a MEMS Capacitive Comb-drive Micro-accelerometer with Sag Optimization |
title_full_unstemmed |
Design of a MEMS Capacitive Comb-drive Micro-accelerometer with Sag Optimization |
title_sort |
design of a mems capacitive comb-drive micro-accelerometer with sag optimization |
publisher |
IFSA Publishing, S.L. |
series |
Sensors & Transducers |
issn |
2306-8515 1726-5479 |
publishDate |
2009-09-01 |
description |
The current paper presents an optimization study for the designing of a highly sensitive inertial grade capacitive accelerometer based on comb-drive actuation and sensing. The proof mass, suspension system (beams or tethers), stators and rotors have to be realized through an HAR (high aspect ratio) DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) process for which process optimization has already been done at our laboratory. As the proof mass is a bulk micro-machined structure having a mass in milligram range, the optimum positioning of the tethers on the proof mass is important to have minimum sag, necessary to reduce the off-axis sensitivity. The optimization for the positioning of the tethers has been carried out using a commercial software tool ANSYSTM Multiphysics. The accelerometer has been modeled analytically to predict its characteristics. The dependency of sensitivity on the dimensions of the suspension beams (tethers) has also been verified using the above FEM software tool. The present device has been designed to deliver a high sensitivity of 13.6 mV/g/V for low-g applications. |
topic |
Accelerometer Comb-drive Capacitive sensing High aspect ratio DRIE |
url |
http://www.sensorsportal.com/HTML/DIGEST/september_09/P_488.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
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