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Design and Analysis of 3D Capacitive Accelerometer For Automotive Applications

The document describes the design and simulation of a 3D capacitive MEMS accelerometer for automotive airbag applications. It discusses the need for accelerometers that can detect rapid collisions and are less prone to noise and temperature variations. A 3D capacitive accelerometer structure is proposed and its design parameters such as spring constant, mass, and resonant frequency are detailed. Finite element simulations are performed in COMSOL Multiphysics to analyze acceleration-dependent responses like stress, displacement, capacitance variation, and voltage output. The results indicate the accelerometer can withstand accelerations up to 200g. Future work will involve stability studies and fabricating the proposed accelerometer.

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Arnold Ramon Avila
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75 views

Design and Analysis of 3D Capacitive Accelerometer For Automotive Applications

The document describes the design and simulation of a 3D capacitive MEMS accelerometer for automotive airbag applications. It discusses the need for accelerometers that can detect rapid collisions and are less prone to noise and temperature variations. A 3D capacitive accelerometer structure is proposed and its design parameters such as spring constant, mass, and resonant frequency are detailed. Finite element simulations are performed in COMSOL Multiphysics to analyze acceleration-dependent responses like stress, displacement, capacitance variation, and voltage output. The results indicate the accelerometer can withstand accelerations up to 200g. Future work will involve stability studies and fabricating the proposed accelerometer.

Uploaded by

Arnold Ramon Avila
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore

Design and Analysis of 3D


Capacitive Accelerometer for
Automotive Applications

Vijila G. ,Vijayakumar S,
Alagappan M. Anju Gupta

PSG College of Technology,


Coimbatore-641004

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2011 COMSOL Conference in Bangalore


PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Objective

• Accelerometers which detect rapid collisions.

• 3D Capacitive accelerometers which are less prone to


noise and temperature variations.

• Checking out maximum stress device withstands.

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Air bag deployment

• Vehicle safety device


• Airbag Control
Unit(ACU)
• Accelerometers as
inertia sensors in ACU

The driver and passenger front airbags,


after having been deployed, in a Peugeot
306 car
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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Accelerometers

• An accelerometer thus
measures weight per
unit of (test) mass, a
quantity also known as
specific force , or g-
force..

• Measuring is basically
done by converting a
mechanical signal in
form of strain into an
electrical signal

Courtesy:Sensors & Transducers Journal, Vol. 103, Issue 4, April 2009, pp. 52-64
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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Structure

Damped mass spring system


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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Types of accelerometers

Accelerometers

Piezoelectric Piezoresistive Capacitive

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Why Capacitive accelerometers?

• Higher sensitivity
• Lower temperature coefficients.
• Less Prone to noise
• Low power consumption
• Excellent Stability

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Capacitive accelerometer

Acceleration

Displacement

Capacitance
Change

11/17/2011 Courtesy: Sensors & Transducers Journal, Vol. 103, Issue 4, April 2009, pp. 52-64 8
PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Why MEMS accelerometers?

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Proposed Model

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Schematic view of 3D model

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Design Parameters

• Spring Constant

Folded spring structure

• Mass

• Reasonant frequency

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore

Design Parameters

S.No Parameter Value


1 Spring constant (K) 13.5829 N/m
2 spring
Spring constant (K) 54.3364 N/m
4 spring
2 Mass 12.5605 ×10 -17 Kg

Spring Constant
Mass
E= 131 ×10 9 Pa for silicon
Mass of central proof mass= 9.69×10-17 Kg W= 100nm
Mass of fixed and movable fingers = H=40 nm
2.8705×10-17 Kg L1=L2= 500 nm
Total mass= 12.5605 ×10 -17 Kg
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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Measurement Parameters
Capacitance

Voltage output

Where
∆x
is displacement, Vs is input voltage, d
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is original gap between electrodes.
PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Simulation

• Software used : COMSOL Multiphysics 4.1

• Material: Polysilicon

• Physics: Electrostatics & Solid mechanics

• Mesh : Free Tetrahedral

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Simulation Results

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Maximum Stress device withstands…..

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Acceleration: 25g Acceleration: 50g

Acceleration: 100g Acceleration: 200g


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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Displacement along the spring

Displacement along the spring length


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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore

CAPACITANCE Capacitance Variation

g force

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Variation of acceleration with voltage

Relation between acceleration and voltage

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
Conclusion

• Accelerometers for airbag deployment applications


designed

• Capacitance Studies done

• Nano dimensions

Future Work

Stability studies
Fabricating the accelerometer

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore
References

[1] Ninia Sejersen Almind, Simon Hedegaard Brodersen “MEMS PZT


Based Accelerometer: Design, Fabrication and Characterization”
Thesis submitted to University of Denmark (2007).
[2] Wenjing ZHAO, Limei XU “Design of a Capacitive SOI”
Micromachined Accelerometer, sensors and transducers(2009)
[3] Rajib Ul Alam Uzzal, Ion Stiharu, and Waiz Ahmed “Design and
Analysis of MEMS based Accelerometer for Automatic Detection
of Railway Wheel Flat” World Academy of Science, Engineering and
Technology (2009)
[4] Stephen D. Senturia, “Microsystem Design”, Kluwer Academic
Publishers (2009)

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PSG College Of Technology, Coimbatore

Acknowledgement

• P.S.G College of Technology


• Dr. A. Kandaswamy, HOD, Department of Biomedical
Engineering
• Ms. Anju Gupta, Assistant Professor, Department of
Biomedical Engineering
• Mr. M. Alagappan, Assistant Professor (Sr. Gr.),
Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Mrs. Nithya, Lab Assistant, Department of
Biomedical Engineering

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