Structural parameter sensitivity analysis of cantilever- and bridge-type accelerometers

The paper deals with the analytical estimation of bandwidth and device sensitivity of cantilever- and bridge-type monolithic piezoresistive and capacitive accelerometers using different beam models and of their design sensitivity due to the change of geometrical parameters. Using a simplified two-beams model, closed-form formulae have been derived to give the relationship between the rates of length, width and thickness of the beams and the lowest eigenfrequency characterizing the bandwidth as well as the physical sensitivity of the accelerometers. By means of symbolic derivation, a structural design sensitivity analysis has been carried out to obtain information for the optimal selection of the geometrical parameters. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.