Failure Mechanism Analysis and Reliability Assessment of MEMS Accelerometers

ABSTRACT Recent years have witnessed remarkable progress in Micro‐Electro‐Mechanical Systems (MEMSs) technology. With increasingly stringent performance demands, reliability has become a critical bottleneck limiting further development of MEMS devices. This study specifically examines comb‐drive capacitive MEMS accelerometers, investigating their performance degradation mechanisms and developing corresponding reliability assessment methodologies. Through systematic analysis of crack propagation mechanisms in silicon thin‐film microstructures under both static and dynamic loading conditions, we demonstrate that fatigue crack growth can initiate structural fractures in sensitive components, ultimately leading to device failure and compromised reliability. To overcome current limitations in fatigue‐induced reliability evaluation, we establish a comprehensive crack propagation model using COMSOL simulations. By synergistically combining silicon microstructure fracture mechanics with Gamma process degradation modeling, this research achieves accurate reliability assessment and precise quantification of performance degradation in MEMS accelerometers.