Capacitive MEMS accelerometers for measuring high-g accelerations

Abstract

A possibility of creating a capacitive accelerometer for measuring high-g accelerations (up to 106 g and higher) is discussed. It is demonstrated that insertion of a thin electret film with a high surface potential into the gap between the electrodes ensures significant expansion of the frequency and amplitude ranges of acceleration measurements, whereas the size of the proposed device is smaller than that of available MEMS accelerometers for measuring high-g accelerations. A mathematical model of an electret accelerometer for high-g accelerations is developed, and the main specific features of accelerometer operation are analyzed.