Low power MEMS oscillators for sensor applications

In this paper, we report on the design of a low power CMOS oscillator front-end interface circuit for micromachined resonant sensors. The circuits are fabricated in a standard 0.35 μm process while the MEMS resonators are fabricated in a SOI-MEMS foundry process with the two die electrically integrated through wirebonding in a ceramic package. The oscillator core draws less than 1μA at 1.2V supply while demonstrating a short-term frequency stability of less than 0.5 ppm.