Ultra-thick and high-aspect-ratio nickel microgyroscope using EFAB (TM) multi-layer additive electroforming

Alper S., Ocak I., Akin T.

19th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS 2006), İstanbul, Türkiye, 22 - 26 Ocak 2006, ss.670-673 identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: İstanbul
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.670-673
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This paper presents a 240 mu m-thick nickel microgyroscope with a lateral aspect ratio greater than 100, fabricated using the EFAB (TM) commercial multi-layer additive electroforming process. The fabricated gyroscope demonstrates a measured mechanical sensitivity of 65 mu V/(deg/sec) and a noise-equivalent rate of 0.086deg/sec at atmospheric pressure in a measurement bandwidth of 1Hz, using a capacitive interface circuit constructed from off-the-shelf components. The gyroscope's measurement bandwidth approaches to 100Hz. The variation of the drive-mode resonance frequency is measured to be better than 0.1% within 40 hours period, demonstrating the reliability of the electroformed nickel of the EFAB (TM) process. The gyroscope is sensitive to rotations about an in-plane axis, and therefore, allows implementation of a two-axis rate sensor on the same substrate.