Towards a Self-Calibratable Gravimeter on a Chip: Theoretical Study

摘要

In this paper, we provide a theoretical study of our proposed gravimeter on a chip. A gravimeter is a device used to measure gravity or changes in gravity. There are several kinds of conventional gravimeters: pendulum, free falling body, and spring gravimeters. They are all large, expensive, delicate, and require an external reference for calibration. What is new and different about our proposed gravimeter is its micro-scaled size which increases portability, robustness, and lowers it costs; and its ability to self-calibrate on chip, which increases its autonomy. Gravimeters are most often used in geophysical applications such as measuring gravitational fields for navigation, oil exploration, gravity gradiometry, earthquake detection, and possible earthquake prediction. Precisions of such gravimetry can require measurement uncertainties on the order of 20uGal = 20 xlO-8 m/s2. In our study we present the self-calibration method of a proposed MEMS gravimeters and we predict its ability to achieve the necessary accuracy and precision needed for its use as a gravimeter or sub-micro-G accelerometer. For practical reasons, our MEMS design to adhere to the design constraints of a standard SOI foundry process.