A 2-DOF convective micro accelerometer with a low thermal stress sensing element

This paper presents the development of a dual-axis convective microaccelerometer, whose working principle is based on the convective heat transfer and thermoresistive effect of lightly doped silicon. In contrast to the developed convective accelerometer, the sensor utilizes new structures of the sensing element which can reduce at least 90% of the thermally induced stress. By using a numerical method, the dimensions of the sensing chip and of the package are optimized. The sensitivity of the sensor is simulated; other characteristics such as frequency response, shock resistance and the noise problem were investigated. The sensor has been fabricated by a microelectrical mechanical systems (MEMS) process and characterized by experiments.