Modal analysis of MEMS using ultrasonic base excitation

We developed a new test facility based on the principle of piezoelectric base excitation in order to meet the requirements for modal analysis of a micromachined angular rate sensor at very high frequencies. A combination of a 0.5 mm thin piezoelectric disc, a seismic mass and a damping element mounted in a vacuum chamber results in a linear frequency response over the whole frequency range from 10 to 200 kHz. Therefore the test facility is particularly suitable for the analysis of mechanical nonlinearities of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).