Sensors 2017, 17(2), 389; doi:10.3390/s17020389
Theoretical Analysis of an Optical Accelerometer Based on Resonant Optical Tunneling Effect
Aoqun Jian 1,2, Chongguang Wei 1,2, Lifang Guo 3, Jie Hu 1,2, Jun Tang 4,5, Jun Liu 4,5, Xuming Zhang 6,*
and Shengbo Sang 1,2,*
and Shengbo Sang 1,2,*
1
MicroNano System Research Center, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
2
Key Laboratory of Advanced Transducers and Intelligent Control System, Shanxi Province and Ministry of Education, Taiyuan 030024, China
3
Laboratory of Wireless Communication Network, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
4
State Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Electronic Test & Measurement, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
5
Key Laboratory of Instrumentation Science & Dynamic Measurement, North University of China, Ministry of Education, Taiyuan 030051, China
6
Department of Applied Physics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Mustafa Yavuz
Received: 10 November 2016 / Revised: 7 February 2017 / Accepted: 9 February 2017 / Published: 17 February 2017
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS and Nano-Sensors)
Abstract
Acceleration is a significant parameter for monitoring the status of a given objects. This paper presents a novel linear acceleration sensor that functions via a unique physical mechanism, the resonant optical tunneling effect (ROTE). The accelerometer consists of a fixed frame, two elastic cantilevers, and a major cylindrical mass comprised of a resonant cavity that is separated by two air tunneling gaps in the middle. The performance of the proposed sensor was analyzed with a simplified mathematical model, and simulated using finite element modeling. The simulation results showed that the optical Q factor and the sensitivity of the accelerometer reach up to 8.857 × 107 and 9 pm/g, respectively. The linear measurement range of the device is ±130 g. The work bandwidth obtained is located in 10–1500 Hz. The results of this study provide useful guidelines to improve measurement range and resolution of integrated optical acceleration sensors. View Full-TextKeywords:
accelerometer; ROTE; finite element modeling; sensitivity; bandwidth
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Jian, A.; Wei, C.; Guo, L.; Hu, J.; Tang, J.; Liu, J.; Zhang, X.; Sang, S. Theoretical Analysis of an Optical Accelerometer Based on Resonant Optical Tunneling Effect. Sensors 2017, 17, 389.
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