Optimizing stress resistance in MEMS inertial sensors through material and thickness variations

Abstract

Stress on the micro-electromechnical system (MEMS) sensors significantly decreases sensor accuracy. Thermomechanical stresses induced by the packaging assembly process and external loads during operation induce a shift in the output signal (offset) of MEMS sensors. To achieve high precision in accelerometers, gyroscopes, and other MEMS devices, it is crucial to employ advanced modeling and simulation techniques to mitigate stress-induced offset drift. Therefore, this paper aims to explore and simulate stress on inertial sensors by designing a gyroscope tuning fork with a perforated proof mass to reduce the damping effect. Our findings provide insights for decreasing stress by varying the material and thickness of the inertial sensor. The least stress was obtained from an inertial silicon sensor with 5 and 20 mm thicknesses.