Development of the high sensitive MEMS accelerometer for the seismic exploration system

Abstract

We developed a new high-sensitive MEMS acceleration sensor for seismic exploration applying automotive control technology of MEMS acceleration sensor. Using the developed MEMS acceleration sensors, we build 100 pieces of the prototype sensor that detects 3-axial direction (x, y and z axes) acceleration for the seismic exploration system. The developed high-sensitive MEMS sensor is an electronic capacitance type using movable overhung silicon plate electrode that has gained achievements for automotive application. This detection system is high-sensitive and excellent in detecting temperature and DC characteristic detection. Under the theme of this study based on the technology of automotive MEMS acceleration sensor, we pursued development of achieving the required quality and performance for the reflection method seismic-exploration system aiming higher sensor sensitivity and more appropriateness of frequency characteristic, by reviewing structural analysis using Finite element method for simulation, reviewing Brownian noise and control of Squeeze film damping. The system of the trial built seismic-exploration system is configured focusing expected ultra-large scale measurements covering millions of channels foreseeable in near future, using automotive technologies.

Development of the high sensitivity MEMS accelerometer for oil and gas exploration

“…The authors have developed MEMS sensors and seismographs compatible with them (Aizawa et al, 2011;Kunimi et al, 2009;Sekine et al, 2009), and demonstrated the ability of acquiring high-quality seismic data with MEMS sensors which require electric power supply (Aizawa et al, 2011;). However, the noise level of the MEM sensor at that time was as high as -120 to -110dB/√Hz, and the sensitivity was inferior to the conventional geophones.…”