SBIR Phase I: Waveguide Optical Gyroscope

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目建议使用先进的材料和微加工技术来生产微光电系统（MOEMs）陀螺仪。这项创新使用了自组装硅量子点纳米复合材料和一种独特的极化等离子体聚合物来制造适合于制造光纤陀螺仪（FOG）的固态等效器件的微光子结构。通常，在微机电系统（MEMs）或微光电机械系统（MOEMs）中，尺寸的减小通常伴随着精度的降低。提出的技术在紧凑、低成本的moem格式中提供高水平的FOG精度。我们建议使用线性自组装量子限制硅纳米复合材料和非线性稳定极化聚合物（包括螺旋波导阵列）构建光学陀螺仪的光子部分，以产生紧凑形式的显著光路长度。紧凑的螺旋波导结构具有较长的光程长度，可用于光纤陀螺和生物光子学等其他应用中替代光纤线圈。纳米复合材料允许沉积具有不同平面折射率（VIPIR）的薄膜，从而在芯片波导光学陀螺上构建微型光纤陀螺，达到传统光纤陀螺的性能水平。用于测量速率或旋转角度的微制造陀螺仪可以用作微机械加速度计的低成本微型伴侣，为惯性导航目的或在其他领域提供航向信息，包括用于行驶稳定和侧翻检测的汽车应用；消费电子应用，如摄像机防抖、机器人应用；以及广泛的军事应用。目前光纤陀螺仪的市场估计为2亿美元，并以每年7%的速度增长。其他陀螺仪类型代表了目前每年超过10亿美元的市场，是MEMs传感器类别中增长最快的一个。我们相信所提出的技术可以将光纤陀螺仪的精度带入更广泛的商用陀螺仪市场，并显着增加两个市场的规模。我们相信，在5到10年的时间框架内，拟议的技术有可能获得至少10%的市场份额。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project proposes to use advanced materials and microfabrication techniques to produce a micro-opticalelectrical system (MOEMs) gyroscope. The innovation uses both self-assembled silicon quantum dot nano-composites and a unique poled plasma polymer to produce micro-photonic structures suitable for construction of a solid-state equivalent of a fiber optic gyroscope (FOG). Typically, in a MEMs or micro-optical-electrical-mechanical system (MOEMs), a reduction in size is often accompanied by a reduction in precision. The proposed technology provides the high levels of FOG precision in the compact, low cost MOEMs format. We propose to construct the photonic portion of an optical gyroscope using linear self assembled quantum confined silicon nanocomposites and non linear, stable poled polymers including spiral waveguide arrays to produce significant optical path lengths in a compact form. The compact spiral waveguide structures, which possess long optical path length, can be used for replacement of the optical fiber coil in a FOG and other applications such as biophotonics. The nano-composite materials permit deposition of thin films with varying in plane index of refraction (VIPIR) that achieve performance levels of conventional fiber optic gyros to be constructed in miniature, on chip waveguide optical gyros.Microfabricated gyroscopes for measuring rate or angle of rotation can be used either as a low-cost miniature companion with micromachined accelerometers to provide heading information for inertial navigation purposes or in other areas, including automotive applications for ride stabilization and rollover detection; consumer electronic applications, such as video-camera stabilization, robotics applications; and a wide range of military applications. Current market for fiber gyroscopes is estimated to be $200 million and growing by 7% a year. Other gyroscope type represents a current market of well over $1 billion per year and is one of the fastest growing of the MEMs sensor categories. We believe the proposed technology can bring fiber gyroscope precision to the broader commercial gyroscope market and significantly increase both market sizes. We believe it is possible to attain a minimum of 10% market share with the proposed technology in the five to ten year time frame.