Abstract
In this work, we designed a novel structure to produce vibration sensors with a linear voltage output that are suitable for large-amplitude vibration applications. Specifically, the sensor structure featured a cylindrical proof mass attached to a diaphragm structure with eight release holes. Based on this structure and using a commercial eight-inch microelectromechanical system foundry process, aluminum nitride based piezoelectric vibration sensors were successfully fabricated. The produced piezoelectric gauge film and the mechanical properties and electrical performance of the fabricated vibration sensors were comprehensively evaluated. The results demonstrated that the fabricated vibration sensors presented center resonance values within the frequency range of 5–6 kHz and an acceleration responsivity of up to 460 mV/g. The measured nonlinearity of the sensors was less than 1% in the testing range of 10–50 g at 150 Hz. The mass fabrication of our high-performance large-amplitude vibration sensors is expected to support the realization of many advanced domestic and industrial applications, e.g., for the rational and economical monitoring of the safety of industrial and civil structures over time.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abeysinghe DC, Dasgupta S, Boyd JT, Jackson HE (2001) A novel MEMS pressure sensor fabricated on an optical fiber. IEEE Photonics Technol Lett 13:993–995. https://doi.org/10.1109/68.942671
Bernstein J, Miller R, Kelley W, Ward P (1999) Low-noise MEMS vibration sensor for geophysical applications. J Microelectromech Syst 8:433–438. https://doi.org/10.1109/84.809058
Chae J, Kulah H, Najafi K (2005) A monolithic three-axis micro-g micromachined silicon capacitive accelerometer. J Microelectromech Syst 14:235–242. https://doi.org/10.1109/JMEMS.2004.839347
Choi WJ, Jeon Y, Jeong JH, Sood R, Kim SG (2006) Energy harvesting MEMS device based on thin film piezoelectric cantilevers. J Electroceram 17:543–548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-006-6287-3
Chung L, Park T, Woo SS (2016) Vertical shaking accident and cause investigation of 39-story office building. J Asian Archit Build Eng 15:619–625. https://doi.org/10.3130/jaabe.15.619
Elfrink R, Kamel TM, Goedbloed M, Matova S, Hohlfeld D, van Andel Y, van Schaijk R (2009) Vibration energy harvesting with aluminum nitride-based piezoelectric devices. J Micromech Microeng 19:094005. https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/19/9/094005
Huang S, Li X, Song Z, Wang Y, Yang H, Che L, Jiao J (2005) A high-performance micromachined piezoresistive accelerometer with axially stressed tiny beams. J Micromech Microeng 15:993–1000. https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/15/5/014
Iannacci J (2018) Internet of things (IoT); internet of everything (IoE); tactile internet; 5G—a (not so evanescent) unifying vision empowered by EH-MEMS (energy harvesting MEMS) and RF-MEMS (radio frequency MEMS). Sens Actuators A 272:187–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2018.01.038
Iborra E, Olivares J, Clement M, Vergara L, Sanz-Hervás A, Sangrador J (2004) Piezoelectric properties and residual stress of sputtered AlN thin films for MEMS applications. Sens Actuators A 115:501–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2004.03.053
Jackson T, Mansfield K, Saafi M, Colman T, Romine P (2008) Measuring soil temperature and moisture using wireless MEMS sensors. J Meas 41:381–390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2007.02.009
Jeon YB, Sood R, Jeong JH, Kim SG (2005) MEMS power generator with transverse mode thin film PZT. Sens Actuators A 122:16–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2004.12.032
Lu J, Zhang Y, Kobayashi T, Maeda R, Mihara T (2007) Preparation and characterization of wafer scale lead zirconate titanate film for MEMS application. Sens Actuators A 139:152–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2006.10.031
Manbachi A, Cobbold RSC (2011) Development and application of piezoelectric materials for ultrasound generation and detection. Ultrasound 19:187–196. https://doi.org/10.1258/ult.2011.011027
Moubarak P, Ben-Tzvi P, Zaghloul ME (2011) A self-calibrating mathematical model for the direct piezoelectric effect of a new MEMS tilt sensor. IEEE Sens J 12:1033–1042. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2011.2173188
Mustafa MS, Cheng P, Oelmann B (2014) Stator-free low angular speed sensor based on a MEMS gyroscope. IEEE Trans Instrum Meas 63:2591–2598. https://doi.org/10.1109/TIM.2013.2283153
Piazza G, Stephanou P, Pisano AP (2006) Piezoelectric aluminum nitride vibrating contour-mode MEMS resonators. J Microelectromech Syst 15:1406–1418. https://doi.org/10.1109/JMEMS.2006.886012
Partridge A, Reynolds JK, Chui BW, Chow EM, Fitzgerald AM, Zhang L, Maluf NI, Kenny TW (2000) A high-performance planar piezoresistive accelerometer. J Microelectromech Syst 9:58–66. https://doi.org/10.1109/84.825778
Proie RM, Polcawich RG, Pulskamp JS, Ivanov T, Zaghloul ME (2011) Development of a PZT MEMS switch architecture for low-power digital applications. J Microelectromech Syst 20:1032–1042. https://doi.org/10.1109/JMEMS.2011.2148160
Sill RD, Seller EJ (2006) Accelerometer transverse sensitivity measurement using planar orbital motion. In: Proceedings of the 77th shock and vibration symposium, Monterey, CA
Sodano HA, Park G, Inman DJ (2004) An investigation into the performance of macro-fiber composites for sensing and structural vibration applications. Mech Syst Signal Process 18:683–697. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0888-3270(03)00081-5
Takei R, Okada H, Makimoto N, Itoh T, Kobayashi T (2016) Simulation of an ultralow-power power management circuit for MEMS cantilever piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters. Jpn J Appl Phys 55:10TA06. https://doi.org/10.7567/JJAP.55.10TA06
Wu J, Fedder GK, Carley LR (2004) A low-noise low-offset capacitive sensing amplifier for a 50-/spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz monolithic CMOS MEMS accelerometer. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits 39:722–730. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSSC.2004.826329
Zhang L, Lu J, Takagi H, Maeda R (2014) Frontside-micromachined planar piezoresistive vibration sensor: Evaluating performance in the low frequency test range. AIP Adv 4:017112. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4862253
Zhang L, Lu J, Takei R, Makimoto N, Itoh T, Kobayashi T (2016) S-shape spring sensor: sensing specific low-frequency vibration by energy harvesting. Rev Sci Instrum 87:085005. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4960959
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Mr. Yoshihisa Mishima for his collaboration on the early stages of this work.
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
LZ and JL conceived and designed the sensor nodes and the package. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by LZ, JL, and RM. All authors performed the field experiments of the vibration sensor. The first draft of the manuscript was written by LZ and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, L., Lu, J., Kuwashiro, S. et al. Fabrication and evaluation of aluminum nitride based MEMS piezoelectric vibration sensors for large-amplitude vibration applications. Microsyst Technol 27, 235–242 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-020-04941-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-020-04941-3