HDL modeling of convective accelerometers for system design and optimization

This study concerns the integration of convective accelerometers on CMOS. The design approach is based on an HDL modeling of the sensing cell. The development of a monolithic system is then undertaken, using multi-domain simulations, within the microelectronics design environment. For illustration, the sensor equivalent input noise (i.e. the resolution) is computed for various readout circuitry configurations: a simple instrumentation amplifier, a customized low-noise amplifier and a chopper-stabilized amplifier with a track-and-hold signal demodulator. Finally, a noise equivalent acceleration below 1 mg/√Hz has been reached, which is interesting for applications in consumer electronics.