Linear Parametric Amplification /Attenuation Without Spring Hardening /Softening Effect in MEMS Gyroscopes

This paper presents linear parametric amplification/attenuation for MEMS vibratory gyroscopes using triangular area-varying capacitors for the first time. A pump voltage containing both DC tuning voltage and AC parametric excitation voltage is added to triangular shaped capacitors, thus mode-matching, amplification of Coriolis force, and attenuation of quadrature error are realized simultaneously. Spring softening/hardening effect is totally cancelled out. Experimental results show that, ARW and BI are improved by 5.4 times and 8.3 times, respectively, for one MEMS gyroscope using linear parametric amplification, while the quadrature error is attenuated by 9 times compared to the non-amplification case.