Development of integrated vibratory-gyroscopes based on photonic bandgap materials

Abstract

This work focuses on a Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical (MOEM) vibratory gyroscope which operates in resonant condition. A custom technology performed through the adoption of a Silicon On Insulator (SOI) substrate has been considered for the development of the inertial sensor. The optical readout has been realized by using metal dielectric multilayer photonic band gap materials (PBGs). This optical structure, composed of alternating layers of one metal and one dielectric material, has been deposited on the surface of the micromachined device obtaining reflection properties function of the displacement of the proof mass induced by an external angular velocity. Theoretical and experimental investigations of metal-dielectric one dimensional PBG structures applied in a SOI-MOEM prototype have been performed, showing the improvement of the proposed approach with respect to the classical strategies.