Methods and apparatus for providing a semiconductor optical flexured mass accelerometer
US7808618B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 9, 2008 |
| Grant date | Oct 5, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 22, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01P15/093
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for integrating various optical components onto a planar substrate using a single semiconductor material system to produce an accelerometer. A light beam is generated on the semiconductor optical accelerometer. The light beam is split to form two light beams using a multimode interference (MMI) coupler. One of the two light beams that is formed is directed towards a reference mirror and the other is directed towards a flexured mirror. The flexured mirror moves as a result of acceleration and thereby reflects the light beam with a different light beam characteristic. The light beams are combined by the MMI coupler to produce an interference light beam. A microprocessor measures acceleration based on the differences in light beam characteristics of the reflected light beams. Along the optical path light beam detectors measure various beam characteristics. The microprocessor accounts for characteristics measured by the detectors when computing acceleration.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.