(Left) The high-sensitivity MEMS accelerometer. (Right) The SEM images show the close-up views of the Au proof mass and the spring structure.

A high-sensitivity and low-noise MEMS accelerometer was developed using multi-layer metal structures composed of multiple metal layers. The accelerometer achieves 1 µG level resolution that has been a challenging task with conventional MEMS technology.

The new accelerometer achieved sensitivity of 100 times or more and the noise one-tenth or less as compared with conventional accelerometers of the same size. Accordingly, the accelerometer has the potential to detect input acceleration as low as 1 µG.

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