Physical Level Simulation of PolyMUMPs Based Monolithic Tri-Axis MEMS Capacitive Accelerometer Using FEM Technique

Abstract:

In this paper, we present the design verification of PolyMUMPs based monolithic tri-axis MEMS capacitive accelerometer. The physical level simulation has been done using the analyzer module of Coventorware to verify the performance of the three-axis accelerometer using Finite Element Method (FEM) and compared with the optimized results obtained in ANSYS and in MATLAB. The 2D model is created in the designer module of Coventorware. The 3D layout is generated in the preprocessor module and mesh is created on solid model. Proposed three axis accelerometer has three individual single axis accelerometers, integrated on a single substrate uniformly centered on single axis. Low mechanical noise, high sensitivity and sense capacitance have been measured for all axes individually and presented. The results obtained from both the analytical and finite element models are found to be in excellent agreement.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 403-408)
• Pages: 4625-4632
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.403-408.4625
• Online since: November 2011
• Authors: M.S. Khan, A. Iqbal, S.A. Bazaz, M. Abid
• Keywords: Accelerometer, Coventorware, Finite Element Method (FEM), Micro-Electromechanical System (MEMS), Tri-Axis

References

[1] L.M. Roylance and J. B. Angell, Batch-fabricated silicon accelerometer, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, Vol. 26, pp.1911-1917, (1979).

DOI: 10.1109/t-ed.1979.19795

[2] N. Yazdi, F. Ayazi, and K. Najafi, Micromachined inertial sensors, Proc. of the IEEE, vol. 86, pp.1640-1658, Aug (1998).

DOI: 10.1109/5.704269

[3] Jingran Zhou, Weiyou Chen, Caixia Liu, Ziran Liu, Hailin Xue, Feng Zhu, Liang Shen and Wei Dong, A Single-Axis Area Changeable Capacitive Accelerometer with Folded Springs, Proc. of the 3rd IEEE Int. Conf. on Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems, January 6-9, 2008 Sanya, China, pp.128-131.

DOI: 10.1109/nems.2008.4484302

[4] Huikai Xie and Gary Fedder, A CMOS z-axis capacitive accelerometer with comb-finger sensing, proceedings of the 13th IEEE Int. Conf. on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, January, 2000, pp.496-501.

DOI: 10.1109/memsys.2000.838567

[5] Toshiyuki Tsuchiya and Hirofumi Funabashi, A z-axis differential capacitive SOI accelerometer with vertical comb electrodes, Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Volume 116, Issue 3, 29 October 2004, pp.378-383.

DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2004.05.008

[6] Hongwei Qu, Deyou Fang and Huikai Xie, An integrated fully differential CMOS-MEMS Z-axis accelerometer utilizing a torsional suspension, proceedings of the 3rd IEEE Int. Conf. on NANO/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems, January 6-9, 2008 Snaya, China, pp.1063-1066.

DOI: 10.1109/nems.2008.4484502

[7] M. Lemkin, T. Juneau, W. Clark, T. Roessig, and T. Brosnihan, A lownoise digital accelerometer using integrated SOI-MEMS technology, " in Proc. 10th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators (TRANSDUCERS , 99), Sendai, Japan, 1999, pp.1294-1297.

[8] X. Jiang, F. Wang, M. Kraft, and B. Boser, An integrated surface micromachined capacitive lateral accelerometer with 2 ug/rtHz resolution, in Proc. Solid-State Sensors and Actuators Workshop, Hilton Head Island, SC, 2002, pp.202-205.

DOI: 10.31438/trf.hh2002.51

[9] M. Lemkin and B. E. Boser, Three-axis micromachined accelerometer with a CMOS position-sense interface and digital offset-trim electronics, IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, vol. 34, 1999, pp.456-468.

DOI: 10.1109/4.753678

[10] R. Toda, N. Takeda, T. Murakoshi, S. Nakamura, and M. Esashi, Electrostatically levitated spherical 3-axis accelerometer, " Proc. 15th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS , 02), 2002, pp.710-712.

DOI: 10.1109/memsys.2002.984369

[11] Huikai Xie, Gary K. Fedder, Zhiyu Pan, Wilhelm Frey, Design and Fabrication of an Integrated CMOS-MEMS 3-Axis Accelerometer, Nanotec, 2003, pp.420-423.

[12] Ming-Han Tsai, Chih-Ming Sun, Chuanwei Wang, Jrhoung Lu, and Weileun Fang, A monolithic 3D Fully-difFerential CMOS Accelerometer, proceedings of the 3rd IEEE Int. Conf. on Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems. January 6-9, Sanya, China, 2008, pp.1067-1070.

DOI: 10.1109/nems.2008.4484503

[13] L. HofF, O.J. Elle, M.J. Grimnes, S. Halvorsen, H.J. Alker, E. Fosse, Measurements of Heart Motion using Accelerometers, Proceedings of the 26th Annual International Conference of the IEEE EMBS, San Franciso, CA, USA Sep 1-5, (2004).

DOI: 10.1109/iembs.2004.1403602

[14] Junseok Chae, Member, IEEE, Haluk Kulah, Member, IEEE, and Khalil Najafi, Fellow, IEEE, A Monolithic Three-Axis Micro-g Micromachined Silicon Capacitive Accelerometer, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, Vol. 14, No. 2, April (2005).

DOI: 10.1109/jmems.2004.839347

[15] R. de Reus, J.O. Gullov, P.R. Scheeper, Fabrication and characterization of a piezoelectric accelerometer, J. Micromech. Microeng., vol. 9, no. 2, p.123–126, (1999).

DOI: 10.1088/0960-1317/9/2/005

[16] G. Li, Z. Li, Y. Jin, Y. Hao, D. Zhang, and G. Wu, Design and simulation of capacitive, piezoresistive and piezoelectric tri-axial accelerometers using a highly symmetrical quad-beam structure, in Proc. 11th Int. Conf. Solid State Sens. Actuators, Munich, Germany, Jun. 10–14, 2001, p.304.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-59497-7_72

[17] M. Shuja Khan, Shafaat A. Bazaz, Muhammad Abid, Comparative Study on System Model and Finite Element Analysis of a Monolithic 3DOF MEMS Capacitive Accelerometer, Int. Conf. on Semi-Conductor Technology, ISBN 978-0-7695-3922-5, DEC 16-18, Jeju, South Korea 2009. pp.524-528.

DOI: 10.1109/icimt.2009.93

[18] Jim Carter, Allen Cowen, Busbee, Ramaswamy, Mahadean, Mark Stonefield, and Steve Wilcenski, PolyMUMPs Design Handbook, Revision 11. 0; MEMSCAP Inc.

[19] CoventorWare ANALYZER, version 2008, Reference: MEMS and Microsystems System- Level Design Coventor, Inc.

[20] James J. Allen, Micro ElectroMechanical Systems Design, C R C Press LLC, (2005).

[21] W. Kuehnel, Modeling of the mechanical behavior of a differential capacitor acceleration sensor, Sensors Actuators A, vol. A48, p.101–108, May (1995).

DOI: 10.1016/0924-4247(94)00983-o