Optomechanical sensor for accelerometry and gyroscopy

• US 9,239,340 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hutchison, David N., Heck, John
• Primary Examiner(s): HANSEN, JONATHAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/106,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20150168441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 356/461
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5712 the devices involving a micromechanical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5733 Structural details or topology
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5776 Signal processing not specific to any of the devices covered by groups G01C19/5607 - G01C19/5719
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/093 by photoelectric pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/14 by making use of gyroscopes gyroscopes per se G01C19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0828 the mass being of the paddle type being suspended at one of its longitudinal ends
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/084 the mass being suspended at more than one of its sides, e.g. membrane-type suspension, so as to permit multi-axis movement of the mass

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards techniques and configurations for a MEMS device configured to determine inertial change applied to the device. In one instance, the device may comprise a laser arrangement configured to generate a light beam having a resonant wavelength, a waveguide configured to receive and output the light beam, and an optical resonator comprising a deformable closed loop and optically coupled to the waveguide to receive a portion of the light beam. A deformation of the optical resonator may result in a change of an optical path length of a portion of the light beam traveling through the optical resonator, causing a change in the resonant wavelength of the light beam outputted by the waveguide. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Claims

1. A micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) apparatus, comprising:

a laser arrangement configured to generate a light beam having a resonant wavelength;

a waveguide configured to receive and output the light beam; and

an optical resonator comprising a deformable closed loop and optically coupled to the waveguide to receive a portion of the light beam, wherein the deformable closed loop defines a radial plane in which the deformable closed loop is disposed,

wherein the deformable closed loop is to deform in response to an application of inertial force to the deformable closed loop, substantially parallel to the radial plane of the deformable closed loop, wherein a deformation of the deformable closed loop occurs in the radial plane of the deformable loop and results in a change of a length of the deformable closed loop and corresponding change of an optical path length of a portion of the light beam traveling through the deformable closed loop, to cause a change in the resonant wavelength of the light beam outputted by the waveguide.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the change in the resonant wavelength corresponds to a detectable change in light intensity of the light beam outputted by the waveguide.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a detector coupled to the waveguide and configured to detect the change in light intensity of the light beam outputted by the waveguide.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising circuitry coupled to the detector to determine an inertial change associated with the apparatus based on the detected change in light intensity.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the deformation of the deformable closed loop is caused by an external acceleration in response to the application of the inertial force.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a frame and a proof mass movably disposed inside the frame and wherein the deformable closed loop is partially disposed about the proof mass, wherein movement of the proof mass includes movement of the proof mass in the plane of the frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the proof mass comprises an elongated shape having one end cantilevered to the inner side of the frame and wherein the deformable closed loop is disposed about the cantilevered end of the proof mass.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the proof mass comprises an elongated shape, wherein the proof mass is attached to the frame with one or more spring arrangement, and wherein the deformable closed loop is disposed about a side of the proof mass.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the deformable closed loop comprises one of a substantially circumferential shape, a substantially serpentine shape, or a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein movement of the proof mass is to cause the deformation of the deformable closed loop, including stretch or compression of the deformable closed loop, wherein the bending or movement of the proof mass is caused by an external acceleration applied to the frame, in response to the application of the inertial force.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the proof mass is cantilevered to the frame to move in the plane of the frame, wherein movement of the proof mass in one direction causes stretching of the deformable closed loop, and wherein movement of the proof mass in an opposite direction causes compression of the deformable closed loop, the stretching and compressing indicating a direction of an external acceleration applied to the frame that causes the bending of the proof mass.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is integrated in a chip.

14. A method, comprising:

detecting a change in light intensity of light outputted by a waveguide of a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) apparatus that includes an optical resonator comprising a deformable closed loop and optically coupled to the waveguide, the deformable closed loop defining a radial plane in which the deformable closed loop is disposed, wherein the change in light intensity corresponds to a change of a resonant wavelength of the light outputted by the waveguide, wherein the change of a resonant wavelength is caused by a change of an optical path length of light traveling through the optical resonator in response to deforming the deformable closed loop in the radial plane of the deformable closed loop, as a result of applying inertial force to the deformable closed loop, substantially parallel to the radial plane of the deformable closed loop; and

determining an inertial change associated with the MEMS apparatus based on the detected change in light intensity, wherein the inertial change corresponds to an external acceleration applied to the MEMS apparatus, wherein the external acceleration is caused by the inertial force.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the MEMS apparatus comprises an accelerometer or gyroscope.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the MEMS apparatus includes a frame and a proof mass disposed inside the frame, wherein the proof mass comprises an elongated shape having one end cantilevered to the inner side of the frame.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the deformable closed loop is disposed about the cantilevered end of the proof mass, wherein the deformable closed loop comprises one of:

a substantially circumferential shape, a substantially serpentine shape, or a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.