Optomechanical Inertial Sensors Based on Ring Resonators: Design Approaches and Technology

This paper is dedicated to the integration of photonic components into Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) to develop high-performance inertial sensors, particularly for autonomous vehicle applications. Traditional MEMS sensors face limitations in electrical signal conversion. Optomechanical sensing, which couples mechanical motion with optical detection, offers enhanced sensitivity, reduced noise, and improved stability. By embedding optical components directly into the MEMS structure, we aim to address these advantages for improved performance, to be first demonstrated for a sensor/actuator test structure compatible for acceleration measurement. The paper describes in detail the design and fabrication process, incorporating electrostatic actuators, sensors and optical ring resonators into OptoMEMS. Comprehensive simulations use ANSYS Mechanical for mechanical and electrostatic part with a coupling to ANSYS Lumerical to convert mechanical deformations into optical resonance shifts. Preliminary fabrication and measurement results validate the simulation concept, demonstrating the feasibility of this integrated optomechanical approach.