Surface acoustic wave acceleration sensor with high sensitivity incorporating ST-X quartz cantilever beam

The implementation and performance of a surface acoustic wave (SAW)-based acceleration sensor is described. The sensor was composed of a flexible ST-X quartz cantilever beam with a relatively substantial proof mass at the undamped end, a pattern of a two-port SAW resonator deposited directly on the surface of the beam adjacent to the clamped end for maximum strain sensitivity and a SAW resonator affixed on the metal package base for temperature compensation. The acceleration was directed to the proof mass flex of the cantilever, inducing relative changes in the acoustic propagation characteristics of the SAW traveling along the beams. The frequency signal from the differential oscillation structure utilizing the SAW resonators as the feedback element varies as a function of acceleration. The sensor response mechanism was analyzed theoretically, with the aim of determining the optimized dimension of the cantilever beam. The coupling of modes (COM) model was used to simulate the synchronous SAW resonator prior to fabrication. The oscillator frequency stability was improved using the phase modulation approach; the obtained typical short-term frequency stability ranged up to 1 Hz s. The performance of the developed acceleration sensor was evaluated using the precise vibration table and was also evaluated in comparison to the theoretical calculation. A high frequency sensitivity of 29.7 kHz g, good linearity and a lower detection limit (∼1 × 10 g) were achieved in the measured results.