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A novel quasi-digital detection method of micro differentialcapacitance in micro-accelerometers
SONG Xing*, FANG Jiancheng, YI Ranran, SHENG Wei Novel Inertial Instrument & Navigation System Technology Lab, Beijing University of Aeronauticsand Astronautics
，
Beijing 100083, China
ABSTRACT
This paper proposed a novel method of sensing the weak differential capacitance change of Micro-Electro-MechanicalSystems (MEMS) accelerometer with sandwich structure. The detection circuit mainly consisted of frequency selectivenetworks, Phase Locked Loop (PLL), logical gate and low-pass filter. The two elemental capacitances of differentialcapacitance respectively harmonic oscillated in two parameter symmetry resonance units. Beating wave representedwhen the two output signals with different frequency had passed the logical gate and low-pass filter in turn. Thefrequency of beating wave was proportional to the sensing differential capacitance. One of the most important aspects of using circuit resonance elements with MEMS technology was the elimination of analog voltage amplitude measurementused in conventional MEMS accelerometers. On the other hand, this method overcame the disadvantages of conventionalmechanical resonance accelerometers, with frequency output and high Signal Noise Ratio (SNR), such as poor dynamicresponse, temperature drift, complex structure and large power dissipation. According to the numerical simulation results,the circuit resonance detector with PLL can reach high capacitance resolution:
16
10
F 
−
.
Keywords
: MEMS, MEMS accelerometer, circuit resonance, differential capacitance, Phase Locked Loop (PLL).
1.
 
INTRODUCTION
Micromachined accelerometers have extensive potential applications in many fields, such as aerospace, automotive,consumer electronics, robotics and biomedical engineering [1]. Hence, there has been intensive study of a variety of micromachined accelerometers with different sensitive structures and different detection methods during the last fewyears [2, 3]. Capacitance Micro Electrical Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors have the advantages of simple structure,fine dynamic response, high resolution and low temperature drift, which are activated by electrostatic force and sensedby capacitance variation[4, 5]. This kind of accelerometer is popular in inertial measurement field and effective for highperformance sensors [6].Capacitance MEMS accelerators can measure the acceleration by sensing the inner capacitance change due to theplacement of sensing mass. The interface circuit performance is currently the bottleneck of MEMS accelerometers.There are two main difficulties: Firstly, the sensing capacitance is so small that parasitic capacitance and other noises arehundreds times larger than the useful capacitance [7].According to the computation, the variable parameter of measuredcapacitance is usually just
15
10
F 
−
, while the variance of parasitic capacitance can reach
12
10
F 
−
. On the other hand, it isdifficult to achieve high stabilization and precise measurement as the analog output is accessible to environmenttemperature and electromagnetic interference (EMI) [8].Currently, two kinds of analog and one kind of quasi-digital measuring method was mainly used for weak capacitancedetection: switch demodulation, sinusoidal demodulation and mechanical resonance, while both experimental results andtheoretical analysis shown that these three kinds of measurement method were not well enough for high performancemicro silicon accelerometers. Obvious disadvantages of analog measuring method were low SNR, accessible to disturband complex interface circuit, while the biggest problems of mechanical resonant method were poor dynamic response,high temperature drift, complex structure and large power dissipation.
*songxing2003@gmail.com; phone (010)82317078.
 
This paper focused on differential capacitance micromachined accelerometers with “sandwich” structure produced by thebulk silicon micromachining procedures. The detection capacitance consisted of two differential capacitances. Self-oscillation was activated respectively by analog PLL in both two differential capacitances, and the oscillation frequencydifference was related to the differential capacitance. As the phase detection scheme handled the phase variation of alarge signal instead of the amplitude of a weak signal, the phase detection scheme for differential capacitance couldimprove the immunity to interference significantly. In addition, the elements were insensitive to temperature and thecircuit arrangement was highly symmetrical. Therefore, the temperature coefficient of the accelerometer in phasedetection scheme was theoretically zero. Finally, the numerical simulation results were presented. It is shown that thedetection capacitance method can be used in the field of high precision design of micro-accelerometers.
2.
 
SENSING MECHANISM
2.1
 
Sensing mechanics of sandwich structure accelerometer
Sensing element of sandwich structure micro-accelerometer consisted of upper electrode (static electrode), sensing mass(dynamic electrode) and lower electrode (static electrode), as shown in Fig 1.
Sensing mass(dynamic electrode)Cantilever
Air
upper electrode(static electrode)lower electrode(static electrode)
 
Fig 1 Sensing element of sandwich structure micro-accelerometer
Sensing structure was designed as cantilever, produced by bulk silicon technics. Upper and lower electrodes wereusually silicon insulator plated by thin gold film, respectively exported by special electric wires. Middle electrode wassensing mass made of monocrystalline silicon. The sensing structure was packaged by static-electric bonding. Due to thespring characteristic of cantilever, movable sensing mass with two static electrodes formed differential capacitancestructure, as shown in Fig 2. The distances between sensing mass and two static electrodes would change due to theeffect of acceleration, and then caused the equivalent capacitance changing therewith. The magnitude and direction of acceleration could be acquired by measuring the differential capacitances [9].
Fig 2 Equivalent circuit elements of sandwich structure silicon micro-accelerometer
2.2
 
Fundamentals of circuit resonance detection
In order to get rid of the distributed capacitance induced by voltage difference between dynamic electrode and the siliconsubstrate, which was the biggest error source in differential capacitance measurement, the dynamic electrode wasconnected to the silicon substrate. Self-oscillation was activated respectively by analog Phase Locked Loop (PLL) inboth two differential capacitances, and the oscillation frequency was related to the target capacitance. Then, theexclusive-OR gate circuit compared duplex square waves, and the duty cycle of the output voltage due to beat effect wasdirect proportion to the phase contrast of the duplex square waves, while the beat frequency was direct proportion to thedifferential capacitance.General schematic diagram was shown in Fig 3, which consisted of circuit resonance with Phase Locked Loop (PLL),waveform conditioning, waveform comparing and peak holding.
 
 
Fig 3 General schematic diagram of circuit resonance detection
Supposed that, one self-oscillation period was
1
T 
, and the other self-oscillation period was
2
T 
, then
1122
22
TLC TLC 
π  π  
==
⎧⎪⎨⎪⎩
 
(1)
 
Then the beat frequency of the two self-oscillation period T could be written as
12121212
2
CC TT TLTT CC 
π  
= = •−−
 
(2)
 
As capacitance
1
C 
and
2
C 
changed differentially, then
1020
CCC CCC 
= + Δ= − Δ
⎧⎨⎩
 
(3)
 
Where,
C 
Δ
was capacitance increment,
120
2
CC C 
+=
.Obviously, according to equation (2) and (3), the beat frequency
 f 
could be written as
00220
112()
CCCC  f T  LCC 
π  
+ Δ − − Δ= = •− Δ
 
(4)
 
According to Taylor expansion,
( )
2
(1)m(m-1)(m-n+1)11+,12!n!
mn
mm xmxxxx
− ⋅⋅⋅+ = + + + ⋅⋅⋅ + ⋅⋅⋅ <
 
(5)
 
Usually,
0
CC 
Δ
, ignoring high order small increment, equation (4) could be expressed as
30
2
C  f  LC 
π  
Δ=
 
(6)
 
O
U 
 
Fig 4 Detection diagram of circuit resonance detection. Dashed line connecting capacitances
1
 x
C 
and
2
 x
C 
means that thetwo capacitances can have the common electrode.
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