Abstract:
The need for inexpensive yet reliable angular rate senors in fields ranging from automotive to consumer electronics has motivated prolific micromachined rate gyroscope research. The vast majority of research has focused on single input axis rate gyroscopes based upon either translational resonance, such as tuning forks, or structural mode resonance, such as vibrating rings. However, this work presents a novel, contrasting approach' based on angular resonance of a rotating rigid rotor suspended by torsional springs. The inherent symmetry of the circular design allows angular rate measurement about two axes simultaneously, hence the name micromachined dual-axis rate gyroscope. The underlying theory of operation, mechanical structure design optimization, electrical interface circuitry, and signal processing are described in detail. Several operational versions were fabricated using two different fully integrated surface micromachining processes as proof of concept.
The heart of the dual-axis rate gyroscope is a -2 um thick polysilicon disk or rotor suspended above the substrate by a four beam suspension. When this rotor in driven into angular oscillation about the axis perpendicular to the substrate, a rotation rate about the two axes parallel to the substrate invokes an out of plane rotor tilting motion due to Coriolis acceleration. This tilting motion is capacitively measured and on board integrated signal processing provides two output voltages proportional to angular rate input about the two axes parallel to the substrate.
The design process begins with the derivation of gyroscopic dynamics. The equations suggest that tuning sense mode frequencies to the drive oscillation frequency can vastly increase mechanical sensitivity. Hence the supporting four beam suspension is designed such that electrostatic tuning can match modes despite process variations. The electrostatic tuning range is limited only by rotor collapse to the substrate when tuning- voltage induced electrostatic forces over power the beam suspension. Multivariable design optimization is used to maximize performance given process constraints.
All electronics needed to sustain rotor oscillation, control oscillation amplitude, sense rotor tilting due to Coriolis acceleration, and process sense signals to produce voltage outputs are explained. A voltage controlled oscillator slaved to the structure oscillation through a phase-lock-loop is used as the master clock to produce all signals needed for signal processing and amplitude control. Thus, the micromachine serves as both a rotation sensor and a frequency reference. Final versions fabricated by Sandia National Laboratory were fully integrated and therefore required only passive components and electrical sources off-chip.
Without electrostatic tuning, dual-axis rate gyroscopes achieved 0.1degrees/sec/Hz noise level. This provided automotive grade performance of approximately 1°/sec noise floor over a 100 Hz bandwidth. Electrical tuning decreased noise to below 0.02 degrees/sec/Hz. However, open-loop operation with nearly matched sense and drive modes can result in higher cross-axis sensitivity, scale factor drift, and phase errors. Closed-loop feedback methods which alleviate these problems as well as reduce offset drift due to quadrature error are presented as future directions.
Publication date:
December 31, 1997
Publication type:
Ph.D. Dissertation
Citation:
Juneau, T. N. (1997). Micromachined Dual Input Axis Rate Gyroscope. United States: University of California, Berkeley.