Design, simulation, and testing of a tunable MEMS multi-threshold inertial switch

Qiu Xu; Rodrigo T Rocha; Yousef Algoos; Eric Feron; Mohammad I Younis

doi:10.1038/s41378-024-00662-z

Design, simulation, and testing of a tunable MEMS multi-threshold inertial switch

Microsyst Nanoeng. 2024 Mar 7:10:31. doi: 10.1038/s41378-024-00662-z. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Qiu Xu^{1

2}, Rodrigo T Rocha³, Yousef Algoos⁴, Eric Feron², Mohammad I Younis^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Electronic Information Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, 223003 PR China.
² Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900 Saudi Arabia.
³ Piezoelectric Microsystem Technologies, Silicon Austria Labs, Villach, 9524 Austria.
⁴ Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955 Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Mechanical Engineering Department, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY 13902 USA.

Abstract

This paper presents a tunable multi-threshold micro-electromechanical inertial switch with adjustable threshold capability. The demonstrated device combines the advantages of accelerometers in providing quantitative acceleration measurements and g-threshold switches in saving power when in the inactive state upon experiencing acceleration below the thresholds. The designed proof-of-concept device with two thresholds consists of a cantilever microbeam and two stationary electrodes placed at different positions in the sensing direction. The adjustable threshold capability and the effect of the shock duration on the threshold acceleration are analytically investigated using a nonlinear beam model. Results are shown for the relationships among the applied bias voltage, the duration of shock impact, and the tunable threshold. The fabricated prototypes are tested using a shock-table system. The analytical results agree with the experimental results. The designed device concept is very promising for the classification of the shock and impact loads in transportation and healthcare applications.

Keywords: Electrical and electronic engineering; Sensors.