Surface acoustic wave MEMS gyroscope

• Published in: Wave motion Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 367 - 381
• Main Authors: Jose, K.A., Suh, W.D., Xavier, P.B., Varadan, V.K., Varadan, V.V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.10.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Exact sciences and technology; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Measurements common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; Metrology, measurements and laboratory procedures; Micromechanical devices and systems; Physics; Velocity, acceleration and rotation; Acoustic wave device; Interdigital transducers; Acoustic surface waves; Modelling; Gyroscopes; Velocity measurement; Microsensors; Microelectromechanical device; Equivalent circuits
• ISSN: 0165-2125; 1878-433X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-2125(02)00030-6

The design and performance evaluation of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) MEMS gyroscope is presented in this paper. This gyroscope is an integration of a SAW resonator and a SAW sensor. The SAW resonator is used to setup a stable reference vibration and SAW sensor is used for the detection of the secondary SAW generated by the Coriolis force. Further to this resonator, strategically positioned metallic dots that form an array along the standing wave anti-node locations are subjected to the reference vibratory motion. These vibrating dot arrays through the Coriolis effect will generate secondary SAW, which is picked up by the SAW sensor. The SAW resonator is designed and optimized using coupling-of-modes (COM) theory. In view of its one-layer planar configuration, this gyroscope can be implemented easily for applications requiring conformal mounting onto a surface of interest. This SAW gyroscope can be competitively priced inherently rugged, reliable and very sensitive. It is also capable of being wirelessly interrogated, without any sensor power source.