Simulation of the potting effect on the high-G MEMS accelerometer

The package structure of a high-G microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer was studied using the finite element method. When the Young’s modulus of the potting resin is E<1 GPa, vibration of the package behaved as vibration of the potting resin at natural frequencies much lower than those of the header. Potting resin with E≥5 GPa was rigid enough and suitable for the potting of the accelerometer. Under a 100,000-G acceleration, the output voltage of the accelerometer decreased slightly (by about 0.1%) with the increase in Young’s modulus or density of the potting resin. The simulated output voltage was close to the analytical solution, well linear with the acceleration applied. The potting effect on the output voltage of the accelerometer could be ignored.