MEMS analogue accelerometers tolerate temperature fluctuations
Enhanced temperature performance, low cost, general purpose, analogue, surface mount accelerometers have been launched by Silicon Designs. There are eight models in the Model 1522 series ranging from ±2g to ±400g.
According to Silicon Designs, the Model 1522 series provides reliable vibration and acceleration measurements within more thermally demanding zero-to-medium frequency applications. These can be characterised by large or rapid temperature fluctuations or, where high or low temperature extremes must otherwise be maintained over an extended time frame. The accelerometers also provide superior bias and scale factor performance over an expanded operating temperature range of -55 to +125 degrees C, says the company, further responding to both AC and DC acceleration.
The Model 1522’s robust design combines a micro-machined capacitive sense element together with a custom integrated circuit (IC). The circuit includes both a sense amplifier and a ±4V differential output stage. An additional integral temperature sensor facilitates the self-correction of any previously characterised bias and scale factor temperature dependence for any one particular accelerometer. All accelerometer internal components are housed within a hermetically-sealed and nitrogen-damped LCC surface mount package. Units are also RoHS-compliant.
Each Model 1522 series accelerometer is made to be virtually identical within a given g-range, says Silicon Designs. Units are tested in-house, programmed, calibrated and verified within a climate chamber environment for continued measurement accuracy and reliability, particularly under thermally volatile conditions. Each accelerometer is marked with a serial number for traceability and is shipped with an initial test report. The test report lists measured bias, scale factor, bias and scale factor temperature coefficients, linearity, operating current and DV frequency response/phase plots.
The accelerometers are in production and available for immediate shipment.
Silicon Designs was founded in 1983 with the goal of improving the accepted design standard for traditional MEMS capacitive accelerometers. At that time, industrial-grade accelerometers were bulky, fragile and costly. The engineering team at Silicon Designs listened to customers who required more compact, sensitive, rugged and reasonably priced accelerometer modules and chips, which also offered high performance.
