Modeling and measurements of MEMS gyroscopes

Advances in MEMS inertial sensors, such as gyroscopes, require the use of computational modeling and simulation with physical measurements. We believe that successful combination of computer aided design (CAD) and multiphysics simulation tools with the state-of-the-art (SOTA) measurement methodology will contribute to reduction of high prototyping costs, long product development cycles, and time-to-market pressures while developing MEMS gyroscopes for various military and commercial applications. In our approach we combine a unique, fully integrated, software environment for multiscale, multiphysics, high fidelity analyses of MEMS gyroscopes with the SOTA optoelectronic laser interferometric microscope (OELIM) methodology. The OELIM methodology allows remote, noninvasive, full-field-of-view measurements of deformations with high spatial resolution, nanometer accuracy, and in near real-time. In this paper, both, the software environment and the OELIM methodology are described and their applications are illustrated with representative examples demonstrating viability of the hybrid approach, combining modeling and measurements, for the development of MEMS gyroscopes. These preliminary examples demonstrate capability of our approach to quantitatively determine effects of static and dynamic loads on the performance of MEMS gyroscopes.