A 50 pico-g resolution integrated test facility for high-precision inertial sensors

Abstract

High-precision inertial sensors are the key instruments for many applications. However, their performance is difficult to test on the ground due to the effect of seismic noise. To evaluate the complete performance of inertial sensors, the main test items include noise floor test, scale factor calibration, resolution test and so on. The accelerometers used in inertial navigation and precision measurement fields usually require direct resolution test. Depending on the application, the resolution of high-precision accelerometers can reach up to the pico-g (pg) level or even higher. However, the resolution test ability of conventional test systems is limited by the seismic noise and the precision of the input signal, which becomes the main obstacle for the development of sub-nano-g to pg level accelerometers. In this paper, a simultaneous two-dimensional integrated performance test facility is developed using an active vibration isolation bench and precision gravitational input, allowing the performance test of high-precision inertial sensors and direct evaluation of resolution at the 50 pg level.