(Invited) CMOS-MEMS Based Microgravity Sensor and Its Application

This paper reviews the feature of newly developed CMOS-MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) and MEMS accelerometers and its application for a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. In order to realize micro-G (1G=9.8m/s2) level sensing, we propose and develop capacitive MEMS accelerometers with Au proof mass using the multi-layer metal technology. In order to reduce Brownian noise (BN), which determines the sensitivity of MEMS accelerometer, we utilize Au as a high density proof mass. In addition, we investigate the crystal structure of Au in terms of the device reliability. Furthermore, we demonstrate the validity of applying the MEMS accelerometer for the early-stage diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. The experimental results regarding the sensor, the material and the diagnosis suggest that our microgravity sensor can pave the new way for the early-stage diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.