High Sensitivity and Wide Bandwidth in Multi-Mass MEMS Accelerometers

A novel multi-mass MEMS accelerometer architecture was designed to enhance mechanical sensitivity within a wide operational bandwidth. Two devices were developed: one targeting a broader and more challenging bandwidth, and another employing a more conservative bandwidth that consequently yields higher sensitivity. Experimental results show -3 dB bandwidths of 7.48 kHz and 4.62 kHz, with sensitivities of 105.5 mV/g and 224.6 mV/g, respectively. Both devices exhibit mechanical gains up to 24 dB over single-mass devices with the same bandwidth. This approach enables high-performance, multipurpose MEMS accelerometers ideal for autonomous driving applications that require both wide frequency response and high sensitivity.