Page 62: of Marine Technology Magazine (September 2014)

F ormed in 1999 Silicon Sensing’s is known for preci- sion in the fi eld of MEMS inertial sensors. 30 mil- lion MEMS gyroscopes, accelerometers, and Inertial

Measurement Units (IMUs) have been supplied to hundreds of customers worldwide for use in a diverse spec- trum of applications from marine applications through to space vehicle control.

Recent developments have expanded these capabilities to meet the accuracy requirements typically reserved for FOG (Fiber-optic Gyroscopes) and RLG (Ring Laser Gyroscopes) technologies by providing evolutionary high precision MEMS inertial products with low output noise and bias instability.

These products have emerged from pedigree processes and platforms to offer lower cost, robust, and reliable products coupled with compact packaging to help meet the ever de- creasing space and cost constraints of today’s marine applica- tions.

Silicon Sensing produces a wide range of single-axis silicon

MEMS gyroscope sensors and modules to suit a diverse range of applications with varying performance specifi cations. The family of gyroscopes all use the same unique patented Vi- brating Structure Gyroscope (VSG) resonating ring technol- ogy to sense rotation rate through the Coriolis Effect. VSG ring technology is designed to provide superior performance in high shock and vibration environments. Silicon Sensing has coupled this base technology with in-house foundry ex- pertise to successfully and effi ciently develop high yield mass production capability of three generations of MEMS VSGs.

These fi eld proven generational technologies include Induc- tive (VSG3), Capacitive (VSG4), and the latest fi fth gen- eration PZT (VSG5). Silicon Sensing leverages its inertial experience to develop custom and discrete electronics in con- junction with the various VSGs to assemble and package the family of products with the desired performance characteris- tics and output parameters. These intrinsic capabilities allow

Silicon Sensing to produce a wide range of MEMS VSG gyros from low-cost, precision, chipscale sensors (e.g.PinPoint) up to FOG-grade high performance MEMS Gyro modules (e.g.

CRS39 and CRH02).

Silicon Sensing provides a diverse group of single-axis

High Precision MEMScisi

Silicon Sensing Inertial Sensors and Systems

By Jon Wilkins, Silicon Sensing

PinPoint (CRM100) PZT MEMS Gyro Construc- tion and Chipscale (5.7 x 4.8 x 1.2mm)

September 2014 62 MTR

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