Design of Monolithic Differential Quartz Vibrating Beam Accelerometer with Optimized Electrode Layout

The electrode layout determines the piezoelectric performance of quartz resonator and directly affects the precision of the quartz VBA. We presented a novel monolithic differential quartz VBA with optimized electrode layout and solved the lock-in problem due to mechanical coupling. Based on the mass-equivalent system, an analytical model was developed and the uncoupling condition of the monolithic differential quartz VBA was deduced. Then we proposed five different electrode layouts and the optimum one was determined via simulation of piezoelectric and harmonic characteristics of quartz resonator with ANSYS. As a result, the mechanical coupling can be eliminated and at the same time, ±100 g measurement range and 80Hz/g scale factor can be achieved. The optimum electrode layout can drive quartz resonator in the desired modal. The presented device with advantages of miniaturization, low mechanical coupling, none assembly errors and high electromechanical coupling efficiency is very promising in the high-precision quartz VBA.