SBIR-STTR Award

This project will develop a full microelectronic ASIC design for a navigational grade front-end application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that supports electrostatic and/or piezoelectric microelectromechanical (MEMS) gyroscopes operating in closed loop or whole angle operation. The ASIC proposed technology of choice is 180nm CMOS with high voltage transistor options. The high voltage transistors integrated the high speed transistors enable improvements in minimum detectable capactive charge sensitivity (10V operation). The proposed 180nm technology also affords minimum power consumption and die area due to the high performance high scaled transistors available. Temperature stability across the -40C to 85C range will be achieved using bandgap voltage references to set the bias points and operating conditions across the ASIC circuitry.

A universal Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) is developed to interface with best-in-class symmetric resonator/transducer assemblies and provide a navigation grade digital or analog gyroscope output. It supports conventional Coriolis Vibratory Gyro (CVG) operation including Rate Gyro and Rate Integrating Gyro as well as recent advanced CVG approaches including dual mode-reversed RGs and single RIGs with operational self-precession (Patent Pending). Direct output form its very high resolution, high dynamic range analog interface is provided to support Software Defined Gyros. This ASIC will replace current bulky and costly discrete electronics in current DoD and other navigation systems. It would also offer the potential to achieve wide-bandwidth, self-calibrated zero bias performance and, notably, reduce the quantity of resonators required for reduced costs. This could have further significant impact by replacing IMUs based on other gyro technology, e.g. optical, for precision pointing and navigation applications. The high front-end resolution of their design