Optimising Performance of a Cantilever-type Micro Accelerometer Sensor

Abstract

A technique for optimising performance of cantilever-type micro acceleration sensor has been developed. Performance of a sensor is judged mainly by its sensitivity and bandwidth. Maximising product of these two important parameters of inertial sensors helps to optimise the sensor performance. It is observed that placement of a lumped mass (add-mass) on the sensor's proof-mass helps to control both sensitivity and the first resonant frequency of the cantilever structure to the designer's choice. Simulation and modelling of various dimensions of rectangular structures for acceleration sensor with this novel add-mass technique are discussed. Coventorware MEMSCAD has been used to model, simulate, and carry out FEM analysis. A simple analytical model is discussed to elaborate the mechanics of cantilever-type micro accelerometer. The comparison of the results obtained from analytical model and the finite element simulations reveal these to be in good agreement. The advantages of this technique for choosing the two most important sensor parameters (i.e., sensitivity and bandwidth) of an inertial sensor are brought out.

Research on Micro-piezoresistive Accelerometer with Slotted Beams

“…For example, the sensitivity of a sensor can be increased by using the stress concentration effect and by the combination of the large and small beams. (7)(8)(9) The latter relies on the development of new materials and new MEMS processes to improve sensor sensitivity by replacing the traditional doped resistance with emerging materials such as polymer composite nanomaterials, graphene, and amorphous carbon films. (10,11) In contrast, because changing the sensitive structure does not depend on the development of new materials, it is more suitable for the development of high-performance accelerometers.…”

The design and simulation study of the electrothermal excitation resonant beam based on slit-structure stress concentration effect

“…Mo Yang et al utilized elliptical holes on the micro-cantilever to improve the detection sensitivity of biochemical stress [8] . B. P. Joshi et al processed different shapes of pore structure on a micro-cantilever to improve the acceleration detection sensitivity, and this microcantilever sensitivity increased by 2 times [9] . Ahmed ASM et al put forward surface trenches to improve the sensor performance in the structure of a piezoresistive pressure sensor [10] .…”

Performance optimization and mechanical modeling of uniaxial piezoresistive microaccelerometers

“…Seidel and Csepregi (1984) reported a design optimization procedure of a piezoresistive microaccelerometer to maximize its sensitivity while its bandwidth maintained a specific value, but without considering the stress caused by the accelerations. Joshi et al (2005) proposed a technique for optimizing performance of a cantilever-type microaccelerometer based on finite element method (FEM) models through Coventoreware MEMSCAD software; however, this technique analyzes only the bandwidth variation and stresses caused by the changes in the dimensions of the cantilever. In addition, this technique requires much computation time to evaluate the performance of the FEM models.…”