Resonant opto-mechanical accelerometer for use in navigation grade environments

• US 10,488,429 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Zotov, Sergey Alexandrovich, Kasten, Ansas Matthias, Lin, Yizhen, Karp, Jason Harris, Challener, William Albert, Knobloch, Aaron Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Saint Surin, Jacques M
• Application Number:
  US15/618,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20180246139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 7351426
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/093 by photoelectric pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/097 by vibratory elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0837 the mass being suspended so as to only allow movement perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, i.e. z-axis sensor

Abstract

An accelerometer includes a controller, a light source operatively coupled to the controller, and a bifurcated waveguide coupled to the light source and configured to receive light output by the light source. The bifurcated waveguide includes a first waveguide portion and a second waveguide portion. The accelerometer also includes a first resonator operatively coupled to the controller and configured to receive light from the first waveguide portion, and a second resonator operatively coupled to the controller and configured to receive light from the second waveguide portion. The first resonator includes a first proof mass, and the second resonator includes a second proof mass.

Claims

1. An accelerometer comprising:

a controller;

a light source operatively coupled to said controller;

a bifurcated waveguide coupled to said light source and configured to receive light output by said light source, said bifurcated waveguide comprising;

a first waveguide portion; and

a second waveguide portion;

a first resonator operatively coupled to said controller, said first resonator out of plane with said first waveguide portion and configured to receive light from said first waveguide portion, said first resonator comprising a first proof mass; and

a second resonator operatively coupled to said controller, said second resonator out of plane with said second waveguide portion and configured to receive light from said second waveguide portion, said second resonator comprising a second proof mass, said second proof mass different from said first proof mass.

2. The accelerometer of claim 1, wherein said first proof mass comprises:

a central portion;

a first spring;

a first portion coupled to said central portion by said first spring;

a second spring; and

a second portion coupled to said central portion by said second spring.

3. The accelerometer of claim 2, further comprising at least one electrode disposed in proximity to at least one of said central portion of said first proof mass, said first portion of said first proof mass, and said second portion of said first proof mass.

4. The accelerometer of claim 3, wherein said at least one electrode is configured to generate a bias voltage between at least one of said central portion of said first proof mass, said first portion of said first proof mass, and said second portion of said first proof mass.

5. The accelerometer of claim 2, wherein said second proof mass comprises:

a central portion;

a first spring;

a first portion coupled to said central portion by said first spring;

a second spring; and

a second portion coupled to said central portion by said second spring.

6. The accelerometer of claim 5, further comprising at least one electrode disposed in proximity to at least one of said central portion of said second proof mass, said first portion of said second proof mass, and said second portion of said second proof mass.

7. The accelerometer of claim 6, wherein said at least one electrode is configured to generate a bias voltage between at least one of said central portion of said second proof mass, said first portion of said second proof mass, and said second portion of said second proof mass.

8. The accelerometer of claim 1, further comprising a first photodetector configured to receive light reflected from said first proof mass.

9. The accelerometer of claim 8, further comprising a second photodetector configured to receive light reflected from said second proof mass.

10. The accelerometer of claim 1, further comprising a cover disposed over said first resonator, wherein an optical cavity is defined between said cover and a central portion of said first proof mass, and wherein said central portion is configured to oscillate within said optical cavity at a resonance frequency of said first proof mass.

11. The accelerometer of claim 1, wherein the light received by said first resonator from said first waveguide portion is unmodulated, and wherein said first proof mass is configured to:

absorb the light received from said first waveguide portion; and

vibrate in the presence of the light received from said first waveguide portion.

12. A resonator for use in an accelerometer, said resonator comprising:

a substrate;

a transparent cover; and

a proof mass mounted between said substrate and said transparent cover, said proof mass comprising;

a central portion that includes a reflective region, said reflective region of said central portion configured to reflect light received from an out of plane waveguide portion back towards the out of plane waveguide portion;

a first spring;

a first portion coupled to said central portion by said first spring;

a second spring; and

a second portion coupled to said central portion by said second spring.

13. The resonator of claim 12, wherein an optical cavity is defined between said transparent cover and said proof mass.

14. The resonator of claim 13, wherein said optical cavity comprises a Fabry-Perot cavity.

15. The resonator of claim 12, further comprising a coating disposed over a surface of said central portion of said proof mass that is partially reflecting and partially absorbing.

16. The resonator of claim 12, further comprising a partially reflective coating disposed over one or both surfaces of said transparent cover.

17. The resonator of claim 12, further comprising at least one electrode disposed in proximity to at least one of said central portion, said first portion, and said second portion.

18. The resonator of claim 12, wherein said substrate comprises at least one of silicon and floated borosilicate glass.

19. An accelerometer comprising:

a light source;

a waveguide coupled to said light source and configured to receive light output by said light source; and

a resonator out of plane with said waveguide and configured to receive light from said waveguide, said resonator comprising a proof mass, said proof mass configured to reflect at least a portion of the light received from said waveguide back towards said waveguide.

20. The accelerometer of claim 19, wherein said proof mass of said resonator comprises:

a central portion;

a first spring;

a first portion coupled to said central portion by said first spring;

a second spring; and

a second portion coupled to said central portion by said second spring.

21. The accelerometer of claim 20, further comprising at least one electrode disposed in proximity to at least one of said central portion, said first portion, and said second portion.

22. The accelerometer of claim 19, further comprising a photodetector configured to receive light reflected from said proof mass.