Miniaturization limits of field-effect based MEMS accelerometers

• Published in: Microsystem technologies : sensors, actuators, systems integration Vol. 16; no. 11; pp. 1861 - 1868
• Main Authors: Engesser, Manuel, Jakovlev, Oleg, Franke, Axel R., Korvink, Jan G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.11.2010; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accelerometers; Applied sciences; Electrodes; Electronics; Electronics and Microelectronics; Engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Instrumentation; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Mathematical models; Mechanical Engineering; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; Microelectromechanical systems; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Micromechanical devices and systems; Miniaturization; Nanotechnology; Physics; Precision engineering, watch making; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Sensors; Technical Paper; Transistors; Flicker Noise; Spring Stiffness; Sensor Length; Evaluation Circuit; Seismic Mass; Accelerometers; Acceleration sensor; Pull in voltage; Capacitive transducer; Measurement sensor; Size effect; Modelling; Miniaturization; Microelectromechanical device
• ISSN: 0946-7076; 1432-1858
• DOI: 10.1007/s00542-010-1083-z

Accelerometers are increasingly gaining in importance in the consumer electronics sector. To estimate whether field-effect based accelerometers have an advantage over sensor types common today, we analyze their scaling performance in this paper. Within the scope of this research, firstly we create an analytical model and subsequently verify it by numerical simulation. Based thereon, a numerical–analytical study of the scaling performance follows. The requirements are based on a commercially available capacitive accelerometer. We identify the main miniaturization limits of field-effect based accelerometers, which are total noise and pull-in effect. Those limits lead to a total area estimation for a triaxial MEMS accelerometer core of only 410 μm × 300 μm.