Teeter Totter Accelerometer with Unbalanced Mass

摘要

A balanced teeter-totter accelerometer has a mass suspended above a substrate, the mass having an axis of rotation that is parallel to the substrate and substantially geometrically centered with respect to the shape of the mass. A physical acceleration in a direction perpendicular to the substrate causes the mass to rotate about the axis of rotation. The rotation is sensed by measuring a change in capacitance of electrodes on the substrate. The accelerometer may be calibrated using the same sensing electrodes.

主权项

1. A microelectromechanical accelerometer comprising:
a substrate having a top surface; a mass suspended above the substrate, the suspended mass having a top surface facing away from the top surface of the substrate and a bottom surface facing toward the top surface of the substrate and having first and second lateral ends, the suspended mass being adapted to rotate about an axis that is substantially geometrically centered between the first and second lateral ends, the suspended mass comprising a first section between the axis and the first lateral end and a second section between the axis and the second lateral end, the first section having a greater weight than the second section; a first readout electrode attached to the top surface of the substrate facing the bottom surface of the first lateral end of the suspended mass; and a second readout electrode attached to the top surface of the substrate facing the bottom surface of the second lateral end of the suspended mass.