A Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based ring resonator includes an outer ring which is supported in resilient deformable movement relative to one or more peripherally disposed electrodes by a symmetrically positioned array of radially extending inner spring supports. The inner spring supports extend radially from a central anchor post or support to the inner circumferential edge of the outer ring. The innerspring supports are configured to deformation or regulate movement in outer ring driving and sensing modes.

The accelerometers disclosed herein provide excellent sensitivity, long-term stability, and low SWaP-C through a combination of photonic integrated circuit technology with standard micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Examples of these accelerometers use optical transduction to improve the scale factor of traditional MEMS resonant accelerometers by accurately measuring the resonant frequencies of very small (e.g., about 1 μm) tethers attached to a large (e.g., about 1 mm) proof mass. Some examples use ring resonators to measure the tether frequencies and some other examples use linear resonators to measure the tether frequencies. Potential commercial applications span a wide range from seismic measurement systems to automotive stability controls to inertial guidance to any other application where chip-scale accelerometers are currently deployed.

A ring gyroscope which comprises a substantially circular and flexible ring which defines a ring plane, one or more primary piezoelectric split transducers configured to drive the ring into resonance oscillation, four or more mass elements which form a symmetrical mass distribution in relation to both a first and a second transversal symmetry axis and to a first and a second diagonal symmetry axis. The ring gyroscope also comprises a suspension structure configured to support the weight of the ring and the mass elements, wherein the suspension structure comprises N outer suspenders, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two, and each outer suspender extends along a ring tangent from a suspension attachment point on the outer edge of the ring to an anchor point.

A bulk acoustic wave resonator apparatus includes a resonator member having an annulus shape, and at least one anchor structure coupling the resonator member to a substrate. A perimeter of the resonator member is at least partially defined by respective sidewalls that are slanted at an angle relative to a plane defined by a surface of the resonator member. The surface of the resonator member may be defined by a (100) crystal plane, and the angle of the respective sidewalls may be defined by a (111) crystal plane. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.

According to one embodiment, a resonator is disclosed. The resonator includes a vibrator and an attenuation mechanism. The attenuation mechanism selectively attenuates vibration of a spurious mode that is mechanically coupled to a first mode when the vibrator vibrates in the first mode.

The accelerometers disclosed herein provide excellent sensitivity, long-term stability, and low SWaP-C through a combination of photonic integrated circuit technology with standard micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Examples of these accelerometers use optical transduction to improve the scale factor of traditional MEMS resonant accelerometers by accurately measuring the resonant frequencies of very small (e.g., about 1 m) tethers attached to a large (e.g., about 1 mm) proof mass. Some examples use ring resonators to measure the tether frequencies and some other examples use linear resonators to measure the tether frequencies. Potential commercial applications span a wide range from seismic measurement systems to automotive stability controls to inertial guidance to any other application where chip-scale accelerometers are currently deployed.

According to one embodiment, a resonator is disclosed. The resonator includes a vibrator and an attenuation mechanism. The attenuation mechanism selectively attenuates vibration of a spurious mode that is mechanically coupled to a first mode when the vibrator vibrates in the first mode.

The accelerometers disclosed herein provide excellent sensitivity, long-term stability, and low SWaP-C through a combination of photonic integrated circuit technology with standard micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Examples of these accelerometers use optical transduction to improve the scale factor of traditional MEMS resonant accelerometers by accurately measuring the resonant frequencies of very small (e.g., about 1 m) tethers attached to a large (e.g., about 1 mm) proof mass. Some examples use ring resonators to measure the tether frequencies and some other examples use linear resonators to measure the tether frequencies. Potential commercial applications span a wide range from seismic measurement systems to automotive stability controls to inertial guidance to any other application where chip-scale accelerometers are currently deployed.

A ring gyroscope which comprises a substantially circular and flexible ring which defines a ring plane, one or more primary piezoelectric split transducers configured to drive the ring into resonance oscillation, four or more mass elements which form a symmetrical mass distribution in relation to both a first and a second transversal symmetry axis and to a first and a second diagonal symmetry axis. The ring gyroscope also comprises a suspension structure configured to support the weight of the ring and the mass elements, wherein the suspension structure comprises N outer suspenders, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two, and each outer suspender extends along a ring tangent from a suspension attachment point on the outer edge of the ring to an anchor point.

A bulk acoustic wave resonator apparatus includes a resonator member having an annulus shape, and at least one anchor structure coupling the resonator member to a substrate. A perimeter of the resonator member is at least partially defined by respective sidewalls that are slanted at an angle relative to a plane defined by a surface of the resonator member. The surface of the resonator member may be defined by a (100) crystal plane, and the angle of the respective sidewalls may be defined by a (111) crystal plane. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.