EMI proposes to develop a novel digital self-calibration and compensation algorithm and a novel fabrication process for the fused silica birdbath resonator gyroscope (BRG). The mechanical resonator of the BRG is made of fused silica and has a shape of an inverted wineglass or a birdbath. The resonator has a mechanical quality factor (Q) on the order of 1-5 million. At the University of Michigan, a prototype BRG demonstrated a short-term in-run bias stability (0.0014 deg/hr) and angle random walk (ARW = 0.00016 deg/sqrt(hr)) at room temperature without temperature control. Digital algorithms for bias and scale factor due to long term Q change, drive and sense electrode misalignment, capacitive feedthrough, and electrode-to-shell misalignment will be developed. A low-cost dual-layer vacuum packaging process will be developed to obtain excellent vacuum pressure level and excellent vacuum leakage rate.
