Optical accelerometers are popular in some applications because of their better immunity to electromagnetic interference, and they are often more sensitive than other accelerometer types. Optical fibers were employed in most previous generations, making micro-fabrication problematic. The optical accelerometers that are suitable for mass manufacture and previously mentioned in the literature have various problems and are only sensitive in one direction (1D). This study presents a novel optical accelerometer that provides 3D measurements while maintaining simple hybrid fabrication compatible with mass production. The operating concept is based on a power change method that allows for measurements without the need for complex digital signal processing (DSP). Springs hold the proof mass between a light-emitting diode and a quadrant photo-detector, allowing the proof mass to move along three axes. Depending on the magnitude and direction of the acceleration affecting the system, the proof mass moves by a certain amount in the corresponding axis, causing some quadrants of the quadrant detector to receive more light than other quadrants. This article covers the design, implementation, mechanical simulation, and optical modeling of the accelerometer. Several designs have been presented and compared. The best simulated mechanical sensitivity reaches 3.7 μm/G, while the calculated overall sensitivity and resolution of the chosen accelerometer is up to 156 μA/G and 56.2 μG, respectively.
Keywords: 3D acceleration measurement; MOEMS; microfabrication; optical accelerometer.