Temperature and Humidity Effects on MEMS Vibratory Gyroscope

MEMS vibratory gyroscopes are increasingly used in applications ranging from consumer electronics to aerospace and are now one of the most common MEMS products after accelerometers. Despite their widespread use, the performance of MEMS gyroscopes in harsh environments is still under question. While some studies have been conducted to understand the temperature dependent performance of MEMS gyroscopes, the effects of sustained exposure to temperature combined with other harsh environment stresses have not been well researched. Thus, it is necessary to quantify MEMS vibratory gyroscope performance under such conditions. This paper will focus on the combined effects of temperature and humidity only. Performance of the MEMS vibratory gyroscope will be evaluated over time at high temperature and high humidity conditions by conducting an aging test on a COTS (commercial of the shelf) single axis MEMS vibratory gyroscope having an operating temperature range from −40°C to 80°C. The gyroscope sensor will be exposed to 60 °C and 90% RH (Relative humidity) for 500 hours. In-situ data will be monitored to track any shifts in device output. Any permanent changes in the output signal will be traced back to their fundamental root cause damage mechanism.