<p>&nbsp; High-precision accelerometers have a wide range of applications from automobile, aviation, and aerospace. The resonant accelerometers are widely used due to their high sensitivity and quasi-digital signal. Recently, a series of accelerometer based on the phenomenon of mode-localization were proposed due to their high sensitivity and robustness, and it is validated that the output metric based on amplitude modulation is much more sensitive than those of frequency shift. Hence, the research topic of achieving high sensitivity has attracted extensive attention.</p><p style="text-align: justify">&nbsp; A novel dual-mass accelerometer is proposed while exploiting the phenomenon of mode localization in two electrostatically coupled resonators with an adjustable coupling strength. The external inertial forces are transmitted differentially to the resonators in term of axial load change through the two levering mechanisms, breaking the balanced state and resulting in a drastic change in the amplitudes of the two resonators. Based on the Euler Bernoulli theory, the governing equations of the coupled system is derived and numerically solved. The sensitivity in term of relative shift of amplitude ratio can be improved by 4 orders of magnitude compared to frequency shift. Finally, the effect of the quality factor on the sensor dynamics has also been investigated, and the results show that it only affects the vibration amplitude of the resonator.</p>

A Novel Dual-Mass Accelerometer Exploiting Mode Localization in Electrostatically Coupled Resonators

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/IDETC-CIE/IDETC-CIE2021/volume/85369

ASME 2021 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE2021)

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