SILICON RESONANT ANGULAR RATE SENSOR USING ELECTROMAGNETIC-EXCITATIONAND CAPACITIVE DETECTION

A new silicon resonant angular rate sensor is presented. The sensor co nsists of a packaged glass-silicon-glass structure and is made by a ba tch-fabrication process. The sensor is a tuning fork with both sides s uspended by torsion bars. Electromagnetic excitation and capacitive de tection are used. The applied angular rate generates the Coriolis' for ce and the resonator starts torsional vibration around the torsion bar s. The test device shows a sensitivity of 0.7 fF sec/deg. In this pape r, the working principles, fabrication process, and simulated and meas ured outputs of the sensor are described. The scaling rule of the angu lar rate sensor are also considered.