Design and simulation of an orbiting piezoelectric MEMS gyroscope based on phase-shift signals

The feasibility of phase-sensitive detection of angular-rates using bi-directional orbiting piezoresonators suspended by thick annular springs with thin-film aluminium nitride piezoactuators on top of them was investigated. The ring-shaped flexures are more suitable for supporting the orbiting motion due to their angle-dependent spring constant. The response of the orbiting resonators to angular rates was obtained from the phase-shift at resonance frequency of the motional current derived by integration of the current density from piezolayers’ boundaries. The simulations are suitable for modeling complex behavior of systems not easily treatable analytically, e.g., response to the angular rates of the system having a mismatch between the resonance frequencies of the orthogonal modes, as well as verifying various driving and read-out schemes.