This paper presents the design, fabrication, and experimental results of a multiple-beam tuning-fork gyroscope (MB-TFG). Based on a numerical model of thermoelastic damping, a multiple-beam tuning-fork structure is designed with high Quality factors (Qs) in its two operation modes. A simple mask that defines the device through trenches is employed to implement this MB-TFG design on silicon-on-insulator wafers. The highest measured Qs of the fabricated MB-TFGs in vacuum are 255,000 in the drive-mode and 103,000 in the sense-mode, at a frequency of 15.7kHz. Under a frequency difference of 4Hz between the two modes (operation frequency is 16.8kHz) and a drive-mode vibration amplitude of 3.0μm, the measured rate sensitivity is 80μVPP/°/s with an equivalent impedance of 2.5MΩ. The calculated overall rate resolution of this device is 0.377hr°/√Hz.

Volume Subject Area:
MEMS, NEMS
Topics:
Design, Computer simulation, Manufacturing, Q-factor, Resolution (Optics), Semiconductor wafers, Silicon-on-insulator, Thermoelastic damping, Vacuum, Vibration
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Copyright © 2011
 by ASME
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