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Micro-scale Vibratory Rate Sensors

Vibratory rate "gyros" exploit two resonant modes for measuring the sensor's angular rate of rotation. The greatest sensitivity is achieved when the resonant modes have degenerate frequencies since this configuration provides the greatest signal-to-ratio with respect to intrinsic (mechanical-thermal noise) and extrinsic (electronic) noise sources. One way to achieve degeneracy is to design an axisymmetric resonator -the hemisperical resonator gyro, or "wine glass" gyro, is one such example. In this program we design planar, axisymmetric resonators that are fabricated using DRIE. Small fabrication errors, however, detune the modes of interest and thereby degrade sensor performance. We are pioneering post-fab techniques, and algorithms to guide the process, to drive the modal frequencies to degeneracy. We are also developing approaches to further isolate the modes from case vibration since this can be a sourse of spurious rate measurements. Past projects have developed model identification algorithms for extracting sensor mass and stiffness matrix parameters from MIMO frequency response data, efficient methods for electrostatically tuning the resonator modal frequencies, and the design and fabrication of a control and signal processing ASIC that was integrated with a prototype gyro from the Jet Propulsion Lab.

Noise Analysis

A closed-form expression has been developed to predict the rate-equivalent power spectrum as a function of resonator quality factor, resonant frequency, detuning frequency, closed-loop bandwidth, and the intensities of mechanical-thermal and electrical noise sources (data at right). The standard deviation of the integrated rate reveals angle white noise created by electrical pick-off noise.

combined

Resonator Design & Mass Perturbation

Planar resonator designs are explored to facilitate post-fabrication point mass perturbation. The design shown at right has 96 locations where gold film ablation or micro deposition techniques locally modify the resonator. Mass perturbation does not adversely effect resonator quality factor and can be used to "tune" the resonant frequencies of two similar modes and further isolate the modes from vibration.

resonator

Tuning Algorithms

Wafer-level tuning of resonators using point mass perturbations has been demonstratd for both the n=2 and n=3 modal pairs. The tuning process involves a systematic test procedure in which empirical sensitivites are identified for each resonator and used to guide the mass perturbations at selected locations on the resonator. No electrostatic tuning is used in these examples.

tuning

ASIC for Gyro Signal Processing & Prior Work

Our group was the first to create a digital ASIC that implements the sensor filtering and control architecture in a low power chip. The ASIC was integrated with a sensor prototype from JPL. We have also performed extensive analysis on the nonlinear control loops used for sensor excitation, and created system identifcation algorithms for extracting mass, damping and stiffness matrices associated with the coriolis-coupled resonator modes.

chip
 

Relevant Publications

Kim, D-J., Behbahani, A., M'Closkey, R.T., Stupar, P., and DeNatale, J., "Wafer-scale etch process for precision frequency tuning of MEMS gyros", 2015 IEEE Intl. Symp. Inertial Sensors and Systems, pp. 1-2, March 2015

Ge, H., Kim, D-J., and M'Closkey, R.T., "Simultaneous exploitation of the fundamental and higher order wineglass modes in a vibratory gyro", 2015 IEEE Intl. Symp. Inertial Sensors and Systems, pp. 1-4, March 2015

Schwartz, D., Kim, D-J., Stupar, P., DeNatale, J., and M'Closkey, R.T., "Modal parameter tuning of an axisymmetric resonator via mass perturbation", J. Microelectromech. Syst., Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 545-555, June 2015

Kanik, M., Bordeenithikasem, P., Kim, D-J., Selden, N., Desai, A., M’Closkey, R.T., and Schroers, J., "Metallic Glass Hemispherical Shell Resonators", J. Microelectromech. Syst., Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 19-28, Feb. 2015

Kim, D. and M'Closkey, R.T., "A MEM Vibratory Gyro with Mode-Matching Achieved by Resonator Mass Loading", Proc. 2014 Position, Location and Navigation Symp. (PLANS), IEEE/ION, Monterey, CA, pp. 499-503, May 2014

Lorentz, T., Kim, D. and M'Closkey, R.T., "A Novel Technique for Extracting Parametric Models from MEM Resonator Test Data", Proc. 1st IEEE Intl. Symp. Inertial Sens. Syst., Laguna Beach, pp. 117-120, Feb. 2014

Kanik, M., Bordeenithikasem, P., Schroers, J., Kim, D., and M'Closkey, R.T., "Microscale Three-Dimensional Hemispherical Shell Resonators Fabricated from Metallic Glass", Proc. 1st IEEE Intl. Symp. Inertial Sens. Syst., Laguna Beach, pp. 9-12, Feb. 2014

Kim, D-J. and M'Closkey, R.T., "Spectral Analysis of Vibratory Gyro Noise", IEEE Sensors J., Vol. 13, N. 11, pp. 4361-4374, Nov. 2013

Kim, D. and M'Closkey, R.T., "Noise Analysis of Closed–Loop Vibratory Rate Gyros", Proc. 2012 American Control Conf., Montreal, pp. 92-97, June 2012

Schwartz, D., Kim, D. and M'Closkey, R.T., "A Model-Based Approach to Multi-Modal Mass Tuning of a Micro-Scale Resonator", Proc. 2012 American Control Conf., Montreal, pp. 98-103, June 2012

Kim, D. and M'Closkey, R.T., "Dissecting Tuned MEMS Vibratory Gyros", Feedback Control of MEMS to Atoms, Gorman, J.J. and Shapiro, B. (Eds.), New York: Springer, 211-266, Oct. 2011

 Schwartz, D. and M'Closkey, R.T., "Decoupling of a Disk Resonator from Linear Acceleration via Mass Matrix Perturbation", J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., and Cont., Trans. ASME, Vol. 134, No. 2, pp. 1-33, Mar. 2012

Schwartz, D., Kim, D. and M'Closkey, R.T., "Frequency Tuning of a Disk Resonator Gyro Via Mass Matrix Perturbation", J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., and Cont., Trans. ASME, Vol. 131, No. 6, pp. 1 - 12, Nov. 2009

Schwartz, D., Kim, D.J., M'Closkey, R.T., "Frequency tuning of a disk resonator gyro via mass matrix perturbation", Proc. 2008 American Control Conference, Seattle, USA: IEEE, 3740-3745, June 2008

Kubena, R.L., Stratton, F.P., Chang, D.T., Joyce, R.J., Hsu, T.Y., Lim, M.K., and M'Closkey, R.T., "Next Generation Quartz Oscillators and Filters for VHF-UHF Systems", IEEE Microwave Symp. Digest, San Francisco, 668-671, June 2006

Kim, D.J., and M'Closkey, R.T., "A Systematic Method for Tuning the Dynamics of Electrostatically Actuated Vibratory Gyros", IEEE Trans. Control Syst Technol., Vol 14, No. 1, pp. 69 - 81, Jan. 2006

Kubena, R.L., Chang, D.T., Stratton, F.P., Joyce, R.J., Hsu, T.Y., Lim, M.K., and M'Closkey, R.T., "Arrays of high-Q high stability ultrahigh-frequency resonators for chemical/biological sensors", J. Vac Sci Technol. B., Vol. 23, No. 6, pp. 2979 - 2983, Dec. 2005

Kim, D.J. and M'Closkey, R.T., "Real-Time Tuning of MEMS Gyro Dynamics", Proc. 2005 American Control Conf., Portland, Vol. 5, 3598-3603, June 2005

Kubena, R.L., Stratton, F.P., Chang, D.T., Joyce, R.J., Hsu, T.Y., Lim, M.K., and M'Closkey, R.T., "MEMS-Based Quartz Oscillators and Filters for on-Chip Integration", IEEE Intl. Frequency Control Symp. Exhib., Piscataway, NJ, USA, 122-127, 2005

Chen, Y-C, M'Closkey, RT, Tran, T A., and Blaes, B, "A Control and Signal Processing Integrated Circuit for the JPL-Boeing Micromachined Gyroscopes,", IEEE Trans. Control Syst. Technol., Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 286 - 300, Mar. 2005

M'Closkey, R.T. and Challoner A.D., "Modeling, Identification, and Control of Micro-Sensor Prototypes", Proc. 2004 American Control Conf., Boston, Vol. 1, 9-24, June 2004

Chen, Y.-C., Hui, J., and M'Closkey, R., "Closed-loop Identification of a Micro-Sensor", Proc. 42nd IEEE Conf. on Decision Control, Maui, Vol. 3, pp. 2632-2637, Dec. 2003

Yong, Y.-K., Vig, J., Ballato, A., Kubena, R., and M'Closkey, R., "Frequency-temperature analysis of MEMS AT-cut quartz resonators", Proc. 2003 IEEE Intl. Freq. Control Symp., Tampa, 1095 - 1099 , May 2003

Lim, M., M'Closkey, R.T., Kirby, D., Kubena, R., Vig, J.R., Ballato, A., and Yong, Y.-K., "3-D Modeling of High-Q Quartz Resonators for VHF-UHF Applications", Proc. 2003 IEEE Intl. Freq. Control Symp., Tampa, pp. 823 - 828, May 2003

Chen, Y.-C., M'Closkey, R.T., Tran, T., and Blaes, B., "Integration of a signal processing and control ASIC with the JPL micro-gyroscope", Proc. ASME IMECE, New Orleans, Nov. 2002

M'Closkey, R.T., Vakakis, A., and Gutierrez, R., "Mode Localization Induced by a Nonlinear Control Loop", Nonlinear Dynamics, Vol. 25, pp. 221 - 236, July 2001

M'Closkey, R.T., Gibson, S., and Hui, J., "System Identification of a MEMS Gyroscope", J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., and Cont., Trans. ASME, Vol. 123, pp. 201 - 210, June 2001

Grayver, E. and M'Closkey, R.T., "Automatic Gain Control ASIC for MEMS Gyro Applications", Proc. 2001 American Control Conf., Arlington, VA, Vol. 2, 1219 - 1222, June 2001

M'Closkey, R.T., Gibson, S., and Hui, J., "Modal Parameter Identification of a MEMS Gyroscope",Proc. 2000 American Control Conf., Chicago, IL, Vol. 3, 1699-1704, June 2000

M'Closkey, R.T. and Vakakis, A., "Analysis of a Microsensor Automatic Gain Control Loop", Proc.1999 American Control Conf., San Diego, CA, Vol. 5, 3307-3311, June 1999

M'Closkey, R.T., Gibson, S., and Hui, J., "Input-Output Dynamics of the JPL Microgyroscope", Proc. 37th IEEE Conf. Decision and Control, Tampa, FL, Vol. 4, 4328-4333, Dec. 1998

M'Closkey, R.T., Gibson, S., and Hui, J.K., "Model Identification of the JPL Microgyroscope", Proc. ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Division, Anaheim, DCS-64, pp. 801-805, Nov. 1998