A 3-axis surface micromachined ΣΔ accelerometer

Abstract

A monolithic 3-axis surface micromachined accelerometer with capacitive sense and feedback circuitry uses three separate proof masses to measure acceleration. Each proof mass has its own set of interface circuitry, all of which are coordinated by an on-chip master clock. By including x-, y-, and z-axis sensors on one chip, this accelerometer provides a single-chip solution for measuring three ofthe six degrees of freedom needed in an inertial measurement unit. The sensor chip is implemented in 2 /spl mu/m CMOS technology.