Silicon Micromachined Accelerometer/Seismometer

The figure illustrates a silicon micromachined accelerometer currently under development that is designed specifically for seismologic applications. The device is designed for a sensitivity of 1 ng/Hz1/2 (where g denotes the Earth's gravitational acceleration, i.e., 9.81 m/s2) and a frequency range of 0.05 to 50 Hz. Silicon micromachining allows this instrument to be much more compact, rugged, and much lighter than commercial seismometers, without sacrificing sensitivity.