A simple, high performance piezoresistive accelerometer

The author describes the structure, manufacture, and performance of a 1000 g full-scale piezoresistive accelerometer. This accelerometer has a very high resonant frequency, nominally 65 kHz, and is designed to have a sensitivity of 0.2 mV/g. The design is executed in (110) silicon. The piezoresistors and inertial system are formed in one etching step. The piezoresistors are suspended between the inertial mass and support rim, and are very small in volume, 7.8*10/sup -10/ cm/sup 3/, thus needing very small strain energy.<
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