Design of a Novel Optical Acceleration Sensor

The design and simulation of a novel optical accelerometer integrating a Fresnel diffractive micro lens is proposed. The working principle based on the variation of the output light intensity versus the acceleration due to the displacement of a reflecting inertial mass is specifically discussed. The inertial mass is supported by four lateral beams anchored to its four corners. The mechanical simulation through the finite element method shows that four lateral beams allow the flat displacement of the mass. Moreover, a detection circuitry is also presented to eliminate the amplitude drift of the signal. This accelerometer can be mass produced at low cost, so it is a competitive candidate for acceleration measurements.