A High-Performance MEMS Accelerometer with an Improved TGV Process of Low Cost

Area of Science:

• Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)
• Sensor fabrication
• Inertial measurement units

Background:

• Traditional high-performance MEMS accelerometers often employ bulky pendulum structures, leading to high manufacturing costs.
• There is a need for cost-effective fabrication methods that maintain or improve the performance of MEMS accelerometers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a novel fabrication method for high-performance MEMS accelerometers using Through-Glass Via (TGV) processing.
• To reduce manufacturing costs while ensuring low-noise characteristics and high anti-overload capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Through-Glass Via (TGV) processing involving laser drilling and metal filling via casting mold and chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP).
• Introduced the casting mold process for MEMS device preparation, a first in the field.
• Employed a three-layer anodic bonding process for packaging, incorporating distributed comb electrodes for overload suppression and gas release for mechanical damping.

Main Results:

• Achieved an anti-overload capability of 10,000 g.
• Demonstrated a noise density below 0.001°/√Hz.
• Exhibited ultra-high performance in tilt measurement applications.

Conclusions:

• The proposed TGV fabrication method offers a cost-effective solution for producing high-performance MEMS accelerometers.
• The novel integration of casting mold and TGV processes, coupled with advanced packaging, yields superior anti-overload and low-noise characteristics.
• The developed MEMS accelerometer is suitable for demanding tilt measurement applications requiring high precision and robustness.