Surface-micromachined resonant accelerometer

Conference · Wed Apr 02 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:474910

Roessig, T A; Howe, R T; Pisano, A P ^[1]; Smith, J H ^[2]

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1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center
2. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

This paper discusses the design and testing results of a resonant accelerometer developed for integrated surface-micromachining processes.First- and second-generation designs are presented. The sensors use leverage mechanisms to transfer force from a proof mass to double-ended tuning fork (DETF) resonators, used as force transducers. Each fork forms the basis of an integrated oscillator to provide the output waveforms. The DETF`s on the first-generation device have a nominal frequency of 175 kHz, and the sensor has a measured scale factor of 2.4 Hz/g. The oscillators on this device exhibit a root Allan variance floor of 38 mHz (220 ppb). The second-generation, higher-sensitivity sensor uses DETF`s with a nominal frequency of 68 kHz and has measured a scale factor of 45 Hz/g.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 474910
• Report Number(s): SAND--97-0831C; CONF-970646--3; ON: DE97004640
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
ACCELEROMETERS
DESIGN
MACHINING
MINIATURIZATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RESONATORS