This paper describes an electro-mechanical auto-calibration technique for use in capacitive MEMS accelerometers. Auto-calibration is achieved using the combined information derived from an initial measurement of the resonance frequency and the measurement of the pull-in voltages during device operation, with an estimation of process-induced variations in device dimensions from layout and deviations in material properties from the known nominal value. An experiment-based analytical model is used to compute the required electrostatic forces required to simulate external accelerations allowing the electro-mechanical calibration of the accelerometer. Measurements on fabricated devices confirm the validity of the proposed technique and electro-mechanical calibration is experimentally demonstrated.

A test technique for capacitive MEMS accelerometers and electrostatic microactuators, based on the measurement of pull-in voltages and resonance frequency, is described. Using this combination of measurements, one can estimate process-induced variations in the device layout dimensions as well as deviations from nominal value in material properties, which can be used either for testing or device diagnostics purposes. Measurements performed on fabricated devices confirm that the 250 nm overetch observed on SEM images can be correctly estimated using the proposed technique.

This paper provides experimental validation of the predictions by two recent models for squeezed film damping in the free molecule regime. Measurements were carried out using a parallel-plate microstructure with a 2.29 μm gap operated at pressures from 10 5 to 10 1 Pa (corresponding to Knudsen numbers from 0.03 to 300). Experiments are in good agreement with the modelling based on molecular dynamics at Knudsen numbers over 10. The result also indicates that modelling based on the modified Reynolds equation including inertia effects underestimates the damping due to end effects; however, it correctly predicts the trend for lower Knudsen numbers.

This paper provides experimental validation of the predictions by two recent models for squeezed film damping in the free molecule regime. Measurements were carried out using a parallel-plate microstructure with a 2.29 μm gap operated at pressures from 10 5 to 10 1 Pa (corresponding to Knudsen numbers from 0.03 to 300). Experiments are in good agreement with the modelling based on molecular dynamics at Knudsen numbers over 10. The result also indicates that modelling based on the modified Reynolds equation including inertia effects underestimates the damping due to end effects; however, it correctly predicts the trend for lower Knudsen numbers.

Squeeze-film damping is highly inadequate in low-pressure systems or in systems where air pressure and/or gap dimensions are poorly defined. Input shaping has been used to circumvent the oscillations typically associated with under-damped mass-spring-damper systems and drastically decrease the settling time. The proposed method does not rely on feedback but solely on the system dynamics. The required input signal is derived analytically from the differential equation describing the system. The resulting device response is simulated and experimentally verified on an electrostatically actuated microstructure. Settling occurs even faster than for an equivalent critically damped system.