Design and development of a micromachined vibratory gyroscope with enhanced mechanical sensitivity

• Main Author: Leow, Kok Wah.
• Other Authors: Lim Mong King
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/42798
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Most of the current research activities in micromachined gyroscope are focusing on the design of a single resonator to increase mechanical sensitivity and performance. These aim to fine tuning the design factors that directly affect the vibration characteristic of the resonator in order to improve the sensitivity. Others are focusing on the microfabrication process since fabrication flaws can significantly degrade a sensor's performance. In this research project, a self-amplified mechanical system is introduced to increase the mechanical sensitivity of a vibratory gyroscope. It consists of two individual oscillating structures whereby one of them is the resonator and the other is a flexible sensing structure. Instead of using Coriolis deflection of the resonator to gauge the magnitude of an applied rotation rate, a much larger deflection of the sensing structure is used. In this project, the resonator is referred as the primary oscillating mass and the sensing structure is called the secondary oscillating mass. This new design methodology incorporates the vibration characteristics of a 2 degrees-of-freedom (DOF) system to improve the mechanical sensitivity.