Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano SystemsInertial Sensors
Fraunhofer ENAS is working on system solutions for sensor components in the field of inertial sensors for various applications. Inertial sensors detect acceleration, inclination or angular velocity in free space without the need for an external reference. The developed inertial sensors are based on the principle of inertia and convert a mechanical movement usually into a change of capacitance. This change in capacitance must in turn be converted into, for example, an equivalent change in electrical voltage.
Rotation rate sensors play a special role, as they require a forced oscillation. These vibrating gyroscopes are based on the Coriolis effect, which is created by the forced oscillation (vibration) and an existing angular velocity. This results in a force, the so-called Coriolis force, and generates a detectable signal.
Fraunhofer ENAS is engaged in the design of micromechanical components, the continuous development of MEMS technologies, the system architecture for those sensors, the characterization of MEMS sensors at wafer and chip level as well as the characterization and calibration of complete sensor systems up to data processing and development of suitable algorithms for the processing of different sensor signals.
Our sensor systems are developed in close cooperation with our partners and are individually adapted to the respective needs of our customers and partners. The development and production of the integrated circuits is carried out by our partners. The MEMS themselves are manufactured in the clean rooms of Chemnitz up to small series and can be transferred to foundry lines with the appropriate boundary conditions, if required. In the past years, various demonstrators for the sensor systems have been developed.