Low SWaP-C IMU based on 4H-SiC BAW Gyroscopes

Inertial navigation systems are critical for U.S. Navy surface and subsurface platforms to gain access to accurate and reliable position and velocity information. Current solution based on Ring Laser Gyro (RLG) navigators are large and expensive to build and maintain. StethX Microsystems, Inc. proposes to develop a MEMS inertial measurement unit utilizing a unique 4H silicon carbide (4H-SiC) bulk acoustic wave (BAW) gyroscope technology along with advanced interface circuits for in-run bias control and calibration, which will deliver high performance equivalent to RLG navigators at a fraction of the size, power consumption, and cost. The 4H-SiC BAW gyroscope based on our established unique 4H-SiC microfabrication platform offers superior Q-factor, axisymmetry, and linearity, beyond the material limits of single-crystal silicon, resulting orders of magnitude improvement in the performance metrics compared to conventional silicon MEMS gyroscopes. The 4H-SiC BAW gyroscopes will be integrated with StethX’s proprietary high-bandwidth low-noise MEMS accelerometers and custom Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) chips to enable 6-axis sensitivity of the inertial measurement unit, enabling near-strategic-grade performance in a compact cubic package. Comprehensive simulations and short loop testing of the sensors, circuits, and assembly will be done in Phase I to support the feasibility of the technology with initial designs developed for prototype fabrication in Phase II.