Improving the Sensitivity and Bandwidth of In-Plane Capacitive Microaccelerometers Using Compliant Mechanical Amplifiers

Khan, Sambuddha and Ananthasuresh, GK (2014) Improving the Sensitivity and Bandwidth of In-Plane Capacitive Microaccelerometers Using Compliant Mechanical Amplifiers. In: JOURNAL OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS, 23 (4). pp. 871-887.

PDF jou_mic_sys_23-4_871_2014.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (4MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

This paper presents a method to enhance both the sensitivity and bandwidth of in-plane capacitive micromachined accelerometers by using compliant mechanical amplifiers, and thus obviating the compromise between the sensitivity and bandwidth. Here, we compare one of the most sensitive single-axis capacitive accelerometers and another with large resonant frequency reported in the literature with the modified designs that include displacement-amplifying compliant mechanisms (DaCMs) occupying the same footprint and under identical conditions. We show that 62% improvement in sensitivity and 34% improvement in bandwidth in the former, and 27% and 25% in the latter can be achieved. Also presented here is a dual-axis accelerometer that uses a suspension that decouples and amplifies the displacements along the two in-plane orthogonal axes. The new design was microfabricated, packaged, and tested. The device is 25-mu m thick with the interfinger gap as large as 4 m. Despite the simplicity of the microfabrication process, the measured axial sensitivity (static) of about 0.58 V/g for both the axes was achieved with a cross-axis sensitivity of less than +/- 2%. The measured natural frequency along the two in-plane axes was 920 Hz. Displacement amplification of 6.2 was obtained using the DaCMs in the dual-axis accelerometer. 2013-0083]

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	JOURNAL OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Publisher:	IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC,
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belongs to the IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC, 445 HOES LANE, PISCATAWAY, NJ 08855-4141 USA.
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Mechanical Engineering
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2014 06:53
Last Modified:	18 Oct 2014 06:53
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/50038

Actions (login required)

View Item