An integrated microelectromechanical resonant output gyroscope

We describe the principle of operation and experimental characterization of an integrated micromechanical vibratory rate gyroscope based on resonant sensing of the Coriolis force. The new design has several advantages over rate gyroscopes that utilize open-loop displacement sensing for rotation rate measurement. Some of these advantages include simpler dynamics and control, improved scale factor stability, large dynamic range, high resolution, and a quasi-digital FM output. A z-axis integrated surface-micromachined gyroscope fabricated at the Sandia National Laboratories has a measured noise floor of 0.3 deg/sec//spl radic/(Hz).