OPTICAL ACCELEROMETER FOA
MEMS SENSOR HEAD for OEM integration
Sercalo's MEMS fiber optic accelerometer (FOA) is an opto-mechanical acceleration sensor. The sensing device is a micromechanical Silicon mirror (MEMS) which deflects a light beam proportional to the acceleration. It can be placed in a harsh environment and is separated from the measurement electronics by optical fibers.
The standard measurement direction is along the axial direction. A different variant in the same form factor is available for radial measurement. The sensor head is available in a housing of either stainless steel or ceramic material (MACOR). The steel housing is hermetically sealed and has a laser welded collimator. No epoxy is present in the optical path. This ensures an outstanding long term stability.
The miniature package withstands rugged environments and is intended for integration in customer defined packages. The component is compliant to RoHS requirements 2015/863/EU.
| # | FEATURES | APPLICATIONS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reliable | Vibration sensing in harsh environment |
| 2 | Insensitive to magnetic and electrical fields | Transformers and high voltage systems |
| 3 | Antennas and Telecom Systems |
About our optical accelerometer
Our optical accelerometers are a type of accelerometer that uses light to measure acceleration. They are typically made of silicon or other semiconductor materials and use interferometry to measure the tiny changes in the distance between two mirrors caused by acceleration. Our optical accelerometers offer several advantages over traditional accelerometers, including high precision, low noise, and wide bandwidth.
How Optical Accelerometers Work
Optical accelerometers work by using a laser beam to split light into two paths. The two beams are then reflected off of two mirrors, and the difference in the path lengths of the two beams is measured. When the accelerometer is accelerated, the distance between the two mirrors changes, which causes a change in the difference in the path lengths of the two beams. This change in path length is then measured by an interferometer and converted into an acceleration measurement.
Advantages of Optical Accelerometers
Oour optical accelerometers offer several advantages over traditional accelerometers, including:
- High precision: our optical accelerometers can measure acceleration with very high precision. This makes them ideal for applications that require very accurate measurements of acceleration, such as inertial navigation systems and scientific research.
- Low noise: our optical accelerometers are very low noise, which means that they can measure very small changes in acceleration. This makes them ideal for applications that require high sensitivity, such as vibration monitoring and medical imaging.
- Wide bandwidth: our optical accelerometers have a wide bandwidth, which means that they can measure acceleration over a wide range of frequencies. This makes them ideal for applications that require high-speed measurements of acceleration, such as shock and vibration testing.
Applications of Optical Accelerometers
Optical accelerometers are used in a wide variety of applications, including:
- Inertial navigation systems: our Optical accelerometers are used in inertial navigation systems to measure the acceleration of a vehicle or aircraft. This information is then used to calculate the vehicle's or aircraft's position, velocity, and orientation.
- Scientific research: our Optical accelerometers are used in scientific research to measure acceleration in a variety of applications, such as earthquake studies, wind tunnel testing, and robotics.
- Vibration monitoring: our Optical accelerometers are used in vibration monitoring to measure the vibration of machinery and equipment. This information is then used to identify and diagnose problems with the machinery or equipment.
