A Study on Acoustic and Vibratory Response of a MEMS Resonant Accelerometer

Abstract – It is necessary to study on acoustic and vibratory response of a MEMS resonant accelerometer before applying to military applications. In this paper, we analyze why the resonant accelerometer reacts to an acoustic wave and a high frequency vibration. And we describe experimental results on acoustic and vibratory response of the accelerometer. The accelerometer consists of a proof mass and a dual ended tuning fork. It is a differential resonant accelerometer with arranging a pair of accelerometers. The mode shape was analyzed to find out the input mode frequency by using a FEM simulation. Some experiments regarding the acoustic noise was carried out by using a tweeter and a microphone in the anechoic room. Results showed that the accelerometer reacted to the acoustic wave and vibration which had the input mode frequency as we had expected. We showed experimentally not only that the susceptibility of the accelerometer to an acoustic wave was 70 dB but also that the effectiveness of applying an acoustic absorber and a metal case was 20 dB, respectively. Also, we could minimize the vibratory response property of the accelerometer by installing a IMU with a silicone rubber mount pad.Key Words : Accelerometer, Acoustic wave, Inertial measurement unit, Vibration, MEMS†Corresponding Author : The 3