DEVELOPMENT OF A SAFE SEPARATION SENSOR ACCELEROMETER

MAJOR ADVANCES IN MICROELECTRONIC AND MICROMECHANICAL COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN RECENT YEARS. THE OFFEROR HAS DEVELOPED A PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR A VERY LOW-COST ACCELEROMETER THAT COMBINES THE SENSOR, SENSE AMPLIFIER AND A/D CONVERTER ON A SINGLE CHIP. ANALYSES INDICATE THAT THE DESIGN OFFERS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN TEMPERATURE STABILITY OVER CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES. THE OFFEROR PROPOSES TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH APPLYING THIS DESIGN AS A SAFE SEPARATION SENSOR. ADVERSE EFFECTS OF VIBRATION WILL BE EXAMINED ON SIMILAR MICROMECHANICAL COMPONENTS. A SCALED BREADBOARD OF THE SENSORS AND ELECTRONICS WILL BE FABRICATED AND TESTED. DAMPING METHODS COMPATIBLE WITH MICROELECTRONIC AND MICROMECHANICAL COMPONENTS WILL BE INVESTIGATED. MODIFICATIONS TO AN EXISTING FABRICATION PROCESS WILL BE EXAMINED WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING ASSEMBLY YIELD. FINALLY, A COST MODEL WILL BE DEVELOPED TO EVALUATE COMMERCIAL FEASIBILITY.