OVER-RANGE CAPACITY OF A PIEZORESISTIVE MICROACCELEROMETER

Over-range capacity is one of the most important parameters for an acc elerometer. Over-range protection has been provided for commercially a vailable micromechanical piezoresistive accelerometers to make them pr actical for applications. Described in this paper is an extensive anal ysis an the over-range protection capability for a cantilever beam acc elerometer. Also analysed in the paper is the acceleration of a labora tory testing system using a drop hammer scheme for shock accelerations . Based on the theoretical analyses and experimental data, the system has been calibrated and used to provide shock accelerations for experi mental testing in the laboratory.