A NOVEL MICROMACHINED ACCELEROMETER CAPACITIVE INTERFACE

In this paper a feasibility study of a novel interface concept is desc ribed for the design of a closed-loop accelerometer based upon a micro machined capacitive sensing element. The approach combines the advanta ges of the simple signal pick-off arrangement typically used for analo gue accelerometers with those of accelerometers based upon an oversamp ling technique or sigma-delta modulation, which include direct digital output signal, an inherent self-test feature and improved system stab ility. The interface circuitry is low in component count, which makes it particularly suitable for prototype evaluation, yet has the potenti al for a high-performance device. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All r ights reserved.