• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 2005

Inertial-grade vertical-type and lateral-type differential resonant accelerometers (DRXLs) are designed, fabricated using one process and tested for navigational applications. The accelerometers consist of an out-of-plane (for z-axis) accelerometer and in-plane (for x, y-axes) accelerometers. The sensing principle of the accelerometer is based on gap-sensitive electrostatic stiffness changing effect. It says that the natural frequency of the accelerometer can be changed according to an electrostatic force on the proof mass of the accelerometer. The out-of-plane resonant accelerometer shows bias stability of $2.5{\mu}g$, sensitivity of 70 Hz/g and bandwidth of 100 Hz at resonant frequency of 12 kHz. The in-plane resonant accelerometer shows bias stability of $5.2{\mu}g$, sensitivity of 128 Hz/g and bandwidth of 110 Hz at resonant frequency of 23.4 kHz. The measured performances of two accelerometers are suitable for an application of inertial navigation.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.114-120
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• 2012

This paper describes the design, fabrication and testing of a micromachined resonant accelerometer consisting of a symmetrical pair of proof masses and double-ended tuning fork(DETF) oscillators. Under the external acceleration along the input axis, the proof mass applies forces to the oscillators, which causes a change in their resonant frequency. This frequency change is measured to indicate the applied acceleration. Pivot anchor and leverage mechanisms are adopted in the accelerometer to generate larger force from a proof mass under certain acceleration, which enables increasing its scale factor. Finite element method analyses have been conducted to design the accelerometer and a silicon on insulator(SOI) wafer with a substrate glass wafer was used for fabricating it. The fabricated accelerometer has a scale factor of 188 Hz/g, which is shown to be in agreement with analysis results.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.64 no.9
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• pp.1330-1336
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• 2015

It is necessary to study on acoustic and vibratory response of a MEMS resonant accelerometer before applying to military applications. In this paper, we analyze why the resonant accelerometer reacts to an acoustic wave and a high frequency vibration. And we describe experimental results on acoustic and vibratory response of the accelerometer. The accelerometer consists of a proof mass and a dual ended tuning fork. It is a differential resonant accelerometer with arranging a pair of accelerometers. The mode shape was analyzed to find out the input mode frequency by using a FEM simulation. Some experiments regarding the acoustic noise was carried out by using a tweeter and a microphone in the anechoic room. Results showed that the accelerometer reacted to the acoustic wave and vibration which had the input mode frequency as we had expected. We showed experimentally not only that the susceptibility of the accelerometer to an acoustic wave was 70 dB but also that the effectiveness of applying an acoustic absorber and a metal case was 20 dB, respectively. Also, we could minimize the vibratory response property of the accelerometer by installing a IMU with a silicone rubber mount pad.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.520-528
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• 2001

This paper investigates a resonant microaccelerometer that measures acceleration using a built-in micromechanical resonator, whose resonant frequency is changed by the acceleration-induced axial force. A set of design equations for the resonant microaccelerometer has been developed, including analytic formulae for resonant frequency, sensitivity, nonlinearity and maximum stress. On this basis, the sizes of the accelerometer are designed for the sensitivity of 10$^3$Hz/g in the detection range of 5g, while satisfying the conditions for the maximum nonlinearity of 5%, the minimum shock endurance of 100g and the size constraints placed by microfabrication process. A set of the resonant accelerometers has been fabricated by the combined use of bulk-micromachining and surface-micromachining techniques. From a static test of the cantilever beam resonant accelerometer, a frequency shift of 860Hz has been measured for the proof-mass deflection of 4.3${\pm}$0.5$\mu\textrm{m}$; thereby resulting in the detection sensitivity of 1.10${\times}$10$^3$Hz/g. Uncertainty analysis of the resonant frequency output has been performed to identify important issues involved in the design, fabrication and testing of the resonant accelerometer.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.674-679
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• 2008

In this paper, we introduce a new design approach for self-sustained resonant accelerometer, that takes advantage of the automatic gain control (AGC) loop to achieve a stabilized oscillation dynamics. Fundamental idea of this accelerometer is to maintain uniform amplitude of oscillation under input accelerations. Through system modeling and loop transformation considering the envelope of oscillation, the controller is designed to maintain uniform amplitude in oscillation under dynamic input acceleration. The simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed accelerometer design, which is applicable to control grade inertial measurement system in industrial and civil application fields.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1996.07c
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• pp.1994-1996
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• 1996

This paper presents the fabrication and testing of a polysilicon piezoresistive accelerometer with p+ silicon diaphragm by simple process such as two step photolithography for the RIE process to form the cantilevers and a deep anisotropic etch process for the complete fabrication of the accelerometer. The fabricated accelerometer consists of a seismic mass and four cantilevers on which polysilicon piezoresistors are formed. The measurement of the output signal from the bridge circuit of the fabricated accelerometer is carried out with the HP 3582A spectrum analyzer. The analysis of the experimental result is showed in terms of the sensitivity and the resonant frequency. At atmospheric condition, the measurement values of the sensitivity and the resonant frequency are $11\;{\mu}V/Vg$ and 475 Hz, respectively.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.08a
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• pp.574-578
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• 2004

In this paper, a nonlinear feedback system is analyzed for a surface micromachined resonant accelerometer. For this, a brief illustration of the plant dynamics is given. In the analysis, the periodic signal in the nonlinear feedback loop is obtained by the limit cycle point, which is best approximated via the describing function method. Considering the characteristic feature of plant dynamics, a simple phase shifted relay with finite slope is designed for the nonlinearity implementation. With a describing function for random plus sinusoidal input, we analyzed the effect of a white Gaussian noise on oscillation frequency. Finally, simulation and experimental result is given.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.2182-2186
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• 2003

This paper presents the differential type resonant accelerometer (DRXL) and its performance test results. The DRXL is the INS grade, surface micro-machined sensor. The proposed DRXL device produces a differential digital output upon an applied acceleration, and the principle is a gap-dependent electrical stiffness variation of the electrostatic resonator with torsion beam structures. Using this new operating concept, we designed, fabricated and tested the proposed device. The final device was fabricated by using the wafer level vacuum packaging process. To test the performance of the DRXL, a nonlinear self-oscillation loop is designed using describing function technique. The oscillation loop is implemented using discrete electronic elements. The performance test of the DRXL shows that the sensitivity of the accelerometer is 12 Hz/g and its long term bias stability is about $2mg(1{\sigma})$. The turn on repeatability, bandwidth, and dynamic range are 4.38 mg, 100 Hz, and ${\pm}\;70g$, respectively.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2007

This paper presents an INS(Inertial Navigation System) grade, surface micro-machined differential resonant accelerometer(DRXL) manufactured by an epitaxially grown thick poly silicon process. The proposed DRXL system generates a differential digital output upon an applied acceleration, in which frequency transition is measured due to gap dependent electrical stiffness change. To facilitate the resonance dynamics of the electromechanical system, the micromachined DRXL device is packaged by using the wafer level vacuum sealing process. To test the DRXL performance, a nonlinear self-oscillation loop is designed based on the extended describing function technique. The oscillation loop is implemented using discrete electronic elements including precision charge amplifier and hard feedback nonlinearity. The performance test of the DRXL system shows that the sensitivity of the accelerometer is 24 Hz/g and its long term bias stability is about 2 mg($1{\sigma}$) with dynamic range of ${\sigma}70g$.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.1036-1038
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• 1994

In this paper, a silicon piezoresistive accelerometer is designed and fabricated using a silicon direct bonded wafer. The accelerometer consists of a seismic mass and four cantilevers, and is fabricated mainly by the anisotropic etching method using EPW as an etchant. The measured sensitivity and the resonant frequency are 0.02 mV/V.g and 3.4 kHz, respectively. The nonlinearity is less than $\pm$0.3% of the full scale of the output.