Modeling and measuring self-noise in velocity and acceleration sensors
- NAWC Aircraft Division, Code 45544 MS 07, Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974-0591 (United States)
Evaluation of the inherent noise levels of high-responsivity sensors is critical for good design but this area is often treated casually until testing reveals a problem. Careful noise analysis early in the design process can save time, effort, and much frustration and reveal options for better performance. Once the sensor is fabricated, careful measurement of its noise can uncover deficiencies in the design or construction. In fact, serious examination of sensor noise can often reveal more about the fundamental workings of the sensor than can measurement of its transduction response. The usual assumption that the preamplifier dominates the noise of a sensor system, while sometimes true over limited bands, often leads either to suboptimal performance or to unrealistic expectations. This paper contains a discussion of noise resulting from thermal-equilibrium agitation of mechanical elements, internal Johnson noise, equilibrium and non-equilibrium shot noise, 1/f noise, stress-induced noise in piezoceramics, various optical noise sources in fiber sensors, and preamplifier voltage and current noise. In addition, several measurement techniques are presented. These include effective isolation techniques for sub-nano-g resolution in ordinary laboratory spaces; coherence measurement; use of resistors as primary noise sources; and evaluation of preamplifier noise. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}
- OSTI ID:
- 288375
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9509298-; ISSN 0094-243X; TRN: 9615M0118
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 368, Issue 1; Conference: Acoustic velocity sensor focused workshop, Mystic, CT (United States), 12-13 Sep 1995; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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