Matt's Research
Parametrically-Amplified MEMS Magnetometer
Introduction
The focus of this project is on developing parametric MEMS resonators for
application to gyroscopes, magnetometers, and RF MEMS filters. Optical
parametric oscillators and microwave parametric amplifiers are widely
utilized but their current MEMS counterparts are largely an academic
curiosity. Parametric MEMS resonators have a number of advantages over
the current state-of-the-art in MEMS resonator technology. First, they
allow direct mechanical amplification of the sensor input, reducing the
requirement for electronic amplification and allowing a corresponding
reduction in power consumption. Second, in devices that are
electronic-noise limited (rather than Brownian-noise limited), parametric
amplification allows an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio. Third, in
gyroscopes, the fact that the parametric amplification is phase-locked to
an input pump frequency allows selective amplification of the Coriolis
signal without amplifying the quadrature signal.