Integrating Resonator to Enhance Magnetometer Microelectromechanical System Implementation with ASIC Compatible CMOS 0.18 μm Process

Micromachines (Basel). 2021 May 29;12(6):635. doi: 10.3390/mi12060635.

Abstract

In this study, a multi-function microelectromechanical system (MEMS) was integrated with a MEMS oscillator, using the resonant frequency oscillation characteristics of the oscillator to provide the Lorentz current of the magnetometer to enhance a large dynamic range of reading, which eliminates the off-chip clock and current generator. The resonant frequency can be adjusted by adjusting the bias voltage of the oscillator to further adjust the sensitivity of the magnetometer. With the mechanical Q value characteristic, a great dynamic range can be achieved. In addition, using the readout circuit of the nested chopper and correlated double-sampling (CDS) to reduce the noise and achieve a smaller resolution, the calibration circuit compensates for errors caused by the manufacturing process. The frequency of the tuning range of the proposed structure is 17,720-19,924 Hz, and the tuning range of the measurement result is 110,620.36 ppm. The sensitivities of the x-, y-, and z-axes of the magnetometer with driving current of 2 mA are 218.3, 74.33, and 7.5 μV/μT for ambient pressure of 760 torr. The resolutions of the x-, y-, and z-axes of the magnetometer with driving current of 2 mA are 3.302, 9.69, and 96 nT/√Hz for ambient pressure of 760 torr.

Keywords: microelectromechanical systems; three-axis accelerometer; three-axis magnetometer.