Modeling of a folded spring supporting MEMS gyroscope

• Main Author: Steward, Victoria
• Other Authors: Ryszard J. Pryputniewicz, Advisor
• Format: Others
• Published: Digital WPI 2003
• Subjects: MEMS; suspension; gyroscope; folded springs; statics; Microelectromechanical systems; Gyroscopes; Detectors; Springs (Mechanism)
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.wpi.edu/etd-theses/1057; https://digitalcommons.wpi.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2056&context=etd-theses

"Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are integrated mechanical and electrical devices that are fabricated with features micrometers in size. MEMS are used as chemical laboratories on a chip, actuators, sensors, etc. To increase their operational capability, various MEMS sensors are being integrated into sensor systems, whose functionality may not decrease when their size decreases. However, before more advancement can be made in the sensor systems, behavior of individual sensors must be better understood. Without the basic knowledge of how and why MEMS sensors react the way they do, it is impossible to determine how MEMS sensor systems will behave. Out of the many sensors that can be included in the system, a MEMS gyroscope was selected for consideration in this paper. More specifically, the effects that suspension has on the topography of the microgyroscopes were studied. In this thesis, the folded springs that support the MEMS gyroscopes were modeled using analytical and computational methods, whose results were verified using experimentation. The analytical results correlated well with the computational and experimental results. The analytical and computational results for the deformations of the cantilever compared within 0.1%. The differences between the analytical and experimental results were on the order of 10%. Knowledge gained from these studies will help in the development of a through methodology for modeling the microgyroscope. This methodology will facilitate insertion of the microgyroscopes into the sensor systems."