MEMS sensor generations

{{one source|date=February 2017}}

MEMS sensor generations represent the progress made in micro sensor technology and can be categorized as follows:

;1st Generation :MEMS sensor element mostly based on a silicon structure, sometimes combined with analog amplification on a micro chip.{{cite journal |last1=Terry |first1=S.C. |last2=Jerman |first2=J.H. |last3=Angell |first3=J.B. |title=A gas chromatographic air analyzer fabricated on a silicon wafer |journal=IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices |date=December 1979 |volume=26 |issue=12 |pages=1880–1886 |doi=10.1109/T-ED.1979.19791}}

;2nd Generation:MEMS sensor element combined with analog amplification and analog-to-digital converter on one micro chip.

;3rd Generation :Fusion of the sensor element with analog amplification, analog-to-digital converter and digital intelligence for linearization and temperature compensation on the same micro chip.

;4th Generation :Memory cells for calibration- and temperature compensation data are added to the elements of the 3rd MEMS sensor generation.