Monocrystalline Silicon Carbide Accelerometer with L-Shaped Cantilevers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing accelerometers face challenges in achieving high sensitivity, stability, and interference robustness, particularly in high-radiation and high-temperature environments, due to limitations in material properties and structural design.
Innovation Solution
The accelerometer employs a centrally symmetric mass body with L-shaped cantilever arms made of monocrystalline silicon carbide (6H-SiC), integrated with a base and cantilever, and incorporates an Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric (EFPI) cavity using a laser light source and antireflection film to enhance measurement precision and robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional materials and structures are used in accelerometers, then manufacturing is easier and device complexity is lower, but sensitivity, stability, and interference robustness deteriorate in harsh environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs monocrystalline silicon carbide (6H-SiC) as the material for the mass body, cantilever, and base. This single-crystal material provides superior mechanical strength, thermal stability, and radiation resistance compared to conventional materials, directly improving reliability in harsh environments while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cantilever is divided into four L-shaped arms with specific geometric configurations. This segmentation provides symmetrical support structures that enhance measurement stability and reduce interference from external forces, while the modular design allows for precise fabrication and assembly.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional materials are used, then device complexity is lower, but interference robustness in high-radiation and high-temperature environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Monocrystalline silicon carbide (6H-SiC) is used throughout the sensor structure because it exhibits exceptional resistance to radiation damage and maintains mechanical properties at high temperatures. This material choice directly addresses interference robustness against harmful environmental factors while the integrated design keeps overall complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies precise geometric parameters for the L-shaped cantilever arms, including arm lengths and widths optimized for maximum interference robustness. The dimensional parameters are carefully selected to minimize sensitivity to thermal expansion and radiation-induced stress, enhancing performance in harsh environments.
3Measurement precision
If the mass body and cantilever are separate components, then ease of manufacture is better, but measurement precision and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The mass body, cantilever, and base are integrated into a single monolithic structure fabricated from monocrystalline silicon carbide. This merging eliminates interface errors and stress concentrations that would occur with separate components, significantly improving measurement precision and long-term stability while the integrated structure can be fabricated using standard micromachining techniques.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design provides high sensitivity, stability, and interference robustness, enabling accurate acceleration measurement in harsh environments with improved mechanical and thermal performance, suitable for applications like aeronautics and astronautics.
Implementation Method 1
an Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric (EFPI) cavity is formed between an end face of the first uni-mode optic fiber facing the mass body and the surface of the mass body facing the substrate
Implementation Method 2
Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric (EFPI) cavity
Implementation Method 3
an antireflection film to enhance measurement precision and robustness
Implementation Method 4
incorporates an Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric (EFPI) cavity using a laser light source
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure discloses an acceleration sensor and an accelerometer, and the acceleration sensor includes a base, a cantilever, and a mass body fixed on the base through the cantilever, where the shape of the mass body is a centrally symmetric shape; and the cantilever includes four L-shaped arms, where the respective L-shaped arms include a long arm connected with the base, and a short arm connected with the mass body, and any adjacent two of the L-shaped arms are arranged symmetric to an axis.