Sub-degree-per-hour silicon MEMS rate sensor with 1 million Q-factor

We report characterization of a silicon MEMS rate gyroscope with measured sub-deg/hr bias stability, enabled by the quality factor (Q) of 1.1 million. The rate sensor utilizes degenerate, dynamically balanced Quadruple Mass Gyroscope (QMG) design, which suppresses substrate energy dissipation and maximizes Q-factors. We demonstrated a 0.9°/hr in-run bias stability and a 0.06°/√hr rate noise density for the 0.1 mTorr vacuum packaged QMG with a 0.2 Hz mode-mismatch between drive- and sense-modes. This level of noise allowed detection of azimuth with 150 mrad precision, showing feasibility of a QMG for gyrocompassing.