A MOEMS Accelerometer Based on Diffraction Grating with Improved  Mechanical Structure

Qianbo Lu; Wenxiu Lian; Shuqi Lou; Chen Wang; Jian Bai; Guoguang Yang

doi:10.20965/ijat.2015.p0473

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IJAT Vol.9 No.5 pp. 473-481

doi: 10.20965/ijat.2015.p0473

(2015)

Paper:

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A MOEMS Accelerometer Based on Diffraction Grating with Improved Mechanical Structure

Qianbo Lu, Wenxiu Lian, Shuqi Lou, Chen Wang, Jian Bai, and Guoguang Yang

State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, Zhejiang University
No.38, Zheda Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China

Received:

December 14, 2014

Accepted:

April 1, 2015

Published:

September 5, 2015

Keywords:

MOEMS, optical interferometry, diffraction grating, mechanism improvement

Abstract

In this study, an improved MOEMS (micro-optical electronic mechanical system) accelerometer based on integrated grating with phase modulation is proposed. This device is composed of a laser diode, an optoelectronic processing circuit, a sensing chip (consisting of a piezoelectric translator), an integrated grating as a reflective mirror on a transparent substrate, and a mechanical part of a bulk silicon proof mass suspended by four cantilevers whose upper surface acted as another mirror. This device generates a series of interference fringes by two diffracted beams when illuminated with a coherent light source, whose intensities are modulated by the relative distance between the grating and the proof mass. The intensities of the interference fringes varied with alterations in the distance caused by external accelerations that are proportional to the acceleration. The magnitude of acceleration can be calculated by using a differential circuit detecting the distance. The modified structure introduced in this paper obtains high sensitivity and reduces cross-sensitivity between different sensitive axes. The experimental results before the simulation and theory analysis demonstrate that this modified MOEMS accelerometer has a good performance with higher static acceleration sensitivity of 3 x 3¹⁰ V/g and very low crosstalk.

Cite this article as:

Q. Lu, W. Lian, S. Lou, C. Wang, J. Bai, and G. Yang, “A MOEMS Accelerometer Based on Diffraction Grating with Improved Mechanical Structure,” Int. J. Automation Technol., Vol.9 No.5, pp. 473-481, 2015.

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References

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[4] G. A. Macdonald, “A review of low cost accelerometers for vehicle dynamics,” Sens. Actuators A, Vol.21, pp. 303-307, 1990.
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[13] L. Chen, Q. Lin, S. Li, and X. Wu, “Optical accelerometer based on high-order diffraction beam interference,” Applied Optics, Vol.49, No.14, pp. 2658-2664, 2010.
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[16] N. C. Loh and M. A. Schmidt et al., “sub-10 cm³ interferometric accelerometers with nano-g resolution,” J. of Microelectromechanical systems, Vol.11, No.3, 182-187, 2002.
[17] M. Born and E. Wolf, “Principles of Optics, 6th ed.,” Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp. 370-380, 1980.
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[19] T. Mineta and S. Kobayashi et al., “Three-axis capacitive accelerometer with uniform axial sensitivities,” J. of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Vol.6, No.4, pp. 431-435, 1996.

This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

[1] [1] A. R. Schuler and K. A. Fegley, “Measuring rotational motion with linear accelerometers,” IEEE Trans. Aerosp. Electron. Syst. AES-3, pp. 465-472, 1967.

[2] [2] B. E. Boser and R. T. Howe, “Surfaced micromachined accelerometers,” IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol.31, pp. 366-375, 1996.

[3] [3] N. Yazdi, F. Ayazi, and K. Najafi, “Micromachined inertial sensors,” Proc. IEEE, Vol.86, pp. 1640-1659, 1998.

[4] [4] G. A. Macdonald, “A review of low cost accelerometers for vehicle dynamics,” Sens. Actuators A, Vol.21, pp. 303-307, 1990.

[5] [5] H. Tanaka, A. Nakata, and H. Ide, “Study of Motion Monitoring Using an Accelerometer Unrestrained Measurement,” J. of Robotics and Mechatronics, Vol.11, No.2, 1999.

[6] [6] Y. Wu and X. Zeng et al., “MOEMS accelerometer based on microfiber knot resonator,” Proc. of SPIE 7503 (75036), 2009.

[7] [7] C. Hou and Y. Wu et al., “Novel high sensitivity accelerometer based on a microfiber loop resonator,” Opt. Eng., Vol.49, No.1, 014402, 2010.

[8] [8] Y. Wu and X. Liu et al., “Structure Design of MI-Z Interference MOEMS Accelerometer,” Int. Technology and Innovation Conf., pp. 1801-1807, 2006.

[9] [9] M. Stephens, “a sensitive interferometric accelerometer,” Rev. Sci. Instrum., Vol.64, No.9, pp. 2612-2614, 1993.

[10] [10] K. Zandi and B. Wong et al., “In-plane silicon-on-insulator optical MEMS accelerometer using waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavity with silicon/air bragg mirrors,” IEEE Conf. on MEMS, pp. 839-842, 2010.

[11] [11] L. Feng and H. Liu et al., “MOEMS accelerometer based on double Fabry-Perot interferometers and closed loop,” J. of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Vol.32, No.6, pp. 691-694, 2006.

[12] [12] N. A. Hall, M. Okandan, R. Littrell, D. K. Serkland, G. A. Keeler, K. Peterson, B. Bicen, C. T. Garcia, and F. L. Degertekin, “Micromachined Accelerometers With Optical Interferometric Read-Out and Integrated Electrostatic Actuation,” J. of Microelectromechanical Systems, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 37-43, 2008.

[13] [13] L. Chen, Q. Lin, S. Li, and X. Wu, “Optical accelerometer based on high-order diffraction beam interference,” Applied Optics, Vol.49, No.14, pp. 2658-2664, 2010.

[14] [14] E. B. Cooper and E. R. Post et al., “high-resolution micromachined interferometric accelerometer,” Applied Physics Letters, Vol.76, No.22, pp. 3316-3318, 2000.

[15] [15] N. A. Hall and M. Okandan et al., “micromachined accelerometers with optical interferometric read out and integrated electroelastic actuation,” J. of Microelectromechanical systems, Vol.17, No.1, pp. 37-44, 2008.

[16] [16] N. C. Loh and M. A. Schmidt et al., “sub-10 cm³ interferometric accelerometers with nano-g resolution,” J. of Microelectromechanical systems, Vol.11, No.3, 182-187, 2002.

[17] [17] M. Born and E. Wolf, “Principles of Optics, 6th ed.,” Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp. 370-380, 1980.

[18] [18] S. Zhao and J. Zhang et al., “Optical accelerometer based on grating interferometer with phase modulation technique,” Applied Optics, Vol.51, No.29, pp. 7005-7010, 2012.

[19] [19] T. Mineta and S. Kobayashi et al., “Three-axis capacitive accelerometer with uniform axial sensitivities,” J. of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Vol.6, No.4, pp. 431-435, 1996.