Massive Optomechanical Navigation Accelerometer (MONA)

ABSTRACT:High performance linear accelerometers with low SWaP, wide operating temperature range, and low cost are required to improve tactical IMUs to strategic grade for long-range weapons guidance without GPS. The ATA/Sandia Team is proposing the Massive Optomechanical Navigation Accelerometer (MONA), a MEMS integrated with an optical wave guide (zipper cavity). MONA will utilize a state-of-the-art optomechanical transduction scheme coupled to a large MEMS inertial sensing mass to enable incredibly high sensitivities. As a fundamental part of the design, the structure will be designed with high reliability and manufacturability, accomplished by the separation of the thin films needed for the optical transduction from the much larger bulk silicon inertial sensing structure. MONA has the potential for very high performance with extremely low SWaP and cost. Initial analysis of MONA shows promise of a small, rugged, low power accelerometer in a relatively small package (~0.25 in3). The Phase I effort will focus on the design, fabrication, and the characterization of the MONA Engineering Development Unit (EDU) where the MEMS accelerometer is integrated with the optical detector. The MONA EDU is a critical laboratory experiment unit to demonstrate the physical principles and concept feasibility to achieve the required IMU improvements.BENEFIT:There are numerous technical benefits to ATAs Massive Optomechanical Navigation Accelerometer (MONA). Integration of optomechanical sensing produces higher performance accelerometers than currently exist. MONAs large proof mass allows for a more commercially viable end product by reducing packaging challenges and will reduce thermo-mechanical noise. Our team will integrate the source and detector at the chip level and the device will have an electrical signal in and out. This proposed effort leverages existing Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) technologies and programs in MEMS fabrication and packaging, to provide a faster path to a commercially viable end product. It also leverages existing ATA capabilities in high performance packaging, which will lead to a more stable and rugged sensor system. ATA has been developing technology for the U.S. Government and Aerospace contractors since 1975. ATAs success in generating additional revenue tied to our Phase I and Phase II SBIR projects has allowed ATA to grow and expand its business through Phase III commercialization and other spin-off contracts. As reported in the ATA Company Commercialization Report, we have received 54 Phase I SBIR awards and 22 Phase II awards. ATAs track record for commercialization of SBIR sponsored technology is excellent, resulting in a Commercialization Achievement Index of 95 and related cumulative revenues from sales and additional investments of over $42 million. The market for the MONA would be large and varied, as more and more powerful technology is being placed into smaller and smaller devices for both military and commercial use. In the military markets, current trends towards smaller SWaP for tactical missions such as UAV and weapon systems, combined with the constant desire for better performance in mission critical areas such as GPS denied, are driving the need for smaller, lower power, but still higher performing accelerometers. In the commercial marketplace, that same need is driven by the challenge of delivering ever more capability in the competitive automotive, energy, and seismic markets. Because the MONA is a component that could enable such a broad range of products, we have identified current commercially available high performance accelerometers and determined that, at the start, the MONA would be a direct competitor of the Honeywell navigation grade QA2000 and 3000 accelerometers. Given that the MONA would have better performance in a lower SWaP than these Honeywell sensors, we project that we could ultimately capture a significant portion of this market, up to 1,000 units per month, once the MONA is available for commercial distribution. Competitors in the MEMS accelerometer marketplace include Colibrys and Hewlett Packard. The MONA would be a high-end performance and higher priced entry into the MEMS accelerometer marketplace. We anticipate that by targeting higher-end products that could benefit from the advanced performance we could develop additional sales of up to 500 units per month.