Design optimized membrane-based flexible paper accelerometer with silver nano ink

Here we report a highly sensitive single-axis membrane-type paper accelerometer. The accelerometer is consisted of a suspended parallel-plate sensing capacitor prepared by cost-effective nano ink printing technologies on a flexible paper substrate. The proof mass and suspension bridge structures of the accelerometer are designed based on the simulation results for the optimization of sensitivity. Vertical acceleration sensitivity of the optimized design with long ellipse-shaped bridges and round-shaped proof mass can reach 20 fF/g at z-axis acceleration of 1–10 g.