Resonant opto-mechanical accelerometer for use in navigation grade environments

US10488429B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Sergey Alexandrovich Zotov · Glenville, US
• Ansas Matthias Kasten · Niskayuna, US
• Yizhen Lin · Cohoes, US
• Jason Harris Karp · Niskayuna, US
• William Albert Challener · Dorpsstraat, US
• Aaron Jay Knobloch · Clifton Park, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 9, 2017
• Grant date: Nov 26, 2019
• Expiry date: Jan 6, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01P2015/0837
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

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.