A Method to Calibrate Accelerometers by Laser Self-Mixing Self-Traceable Grating Interferometry

As key devices in dynamic measurement, the precision and accuracy of accelerometers not only directly influence the performance of the equipment they are part of but also can impact user safety. Accelerometers must undergo prefactory calibration and regular recalibration during usage, attributable to factors such as manufacturing and installation errors, as well as environmental conditions. Currently, the majority of initial calibrations for accelerometers depend on laser interferometry measurement technology. However, ensuring the accuracy and stability of laser measurements is difficult, since laser wavelengths are easily affected by environmental factors, and on-site traceability calibration presents challenges. In this article, we use a chromium atom self-traceable grating, whose pitch is traceable to natural constants (grating pitch ${d}$ = 212.78 nm), and combine it with a laser self-mixing grating interferometer and vibrator calibration technology, introducing a novel method for accelerometer calibration. The system’s efficacy was validated using a commercial accelerometer as a test subject. This calibration technique not only promises to enhance the accuracy and interference resistance of the vibrator calibration method but also addresses the issue of on-site traceability.