Dynamic analysis and characterization of MEMS accelerometers by computational and opto-electromechanical methodologies

Characterizing the dynamic response of MEMS accelerometers is critical in order to determine their measuring accuracy, precision, and reliability as well as their applicability. Advances in our development of computational and opto-electromechanical methodologies for the effective characterization of the dynamic response of MEMS inertial sensors are presented. 3D finite element methods to calculate the dynamic characteristics of specific MEMS accelerometers are developed while experimental verifications and computational model updating are performed by novel noninvasive, high-resolution, full-field of view, quantitative optoelectronic holographic microscopy (OEHM). With OEHM, it is possible to measure shape and dynamically induced deformations in near realtime. Results show the effectiveness of the described methodologies to take into consideration material and geometrical uncertainties and to provide the necessary quantitative results for characterizing the dynamic response of MEMS inertial sensors.