Design of a novel low cross-axis sensitivity micro-gravity sandwich capacitance accelerometer

This paper presents a novel design of the highly symmetric beam-mass structure for out-of-plane differential capacitance accelerometer. In this design, the thick proof mass is mirror symmetrically suspended by eight L-shape beams form both top and bottom sides. By this approach, the sensing mode of the accelerometer is successfully decoupled from other variation modes without tradeoff between sensing capacitance and structure flexibility. Accelerometer adopting this structure achieves a differential capacitance sensitivity of 54.38pF/g. The capacitance instability is 0.95μg (30min) in normal pressure, and the close-loop sensitivity is 1.01 v/g.