A high performance, variable capacitance accelerometer

A variable capacitance acceleration sensor is described. Manufactured using silicon microfabrication techniques, the sensor uses a midplane, flat plate suspension, gas damping, and overrange stops. The sensor is assembled from three silicon wafers, using anodic bonds to inlays of borosilicate glass. Typical sensor properties are 7-pF active capacitance, 3-pF tare capacitance, a response of 0.05 pF/G, a resonance frequency of 3.4 kHz, and damping 0.7 critical. It is concluded that this sensor, with appropriate electronics, forms an accelerometer with an order-of-magnitude greater sensitivity-bandwidth product than a comparable piezoresistive accelerometer, and with extraordinary shock resistance