The focus of this project is on developing parametric MEMS resonators for application to gyroscopes, magnetometers, and RF MEMS filters. Optical parametric oscillators and microwave parametric amplifiers are widely utilized but their current MEMS counterparts are largely an academic curiosity. Parametric MEMS resonators have a number of advantages over the current state-of-the-art in MEMS resonator technology. First, they allow direct mechanical amplification of the sensor input, reducing the requirement for electronic amplification and allowing a corresponding reduction in power consumption. Second, in devices that are electronic-noise limited (rather than Brownian-noise limited), parametric amplification allows an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio. Third, in gyroscopes, the fact that the parametric amplification is phase-locked to an input pump frequency allows selective amplification of the Coriolis signal without amplifying the quadrature signal.
Project end date: 08/11/10