Frame micro-optoelectromechanical angular velocity transducer with optical readout units based on the optical tunneling effect

Abstract

A model of a frame micro-optoelectromechanical angular velocity transducer with electrostatic excitation of primary oscillations is proposed. The transducer includes optical readout units based on the optical tunnel effect, in which precision optical reading of submicrometer movements of the sensing element is implemented. The optical reading unit was experimentally investigatedand the linear region of the function of converting the working gap into optical power was determined. To measure the amplitude of the secondary vibrations of the sensitive element (several hundreds of nanometers), two channels for reading optical signals were used. Values of the parameters of elastic suspensions are found to ensure the secondary movement of the sensitive element in the range of high sensitivity of the optical readout units. The parameters of the proposed transducer and the nonlinearity of the transformation function in the range of measured angular velocities are estimated. The proposed micro-optoelectromechanical transducer can be effectively used for highly sensitive measurement of the angular velocities of moving objects.