A MEMS-based gravity gradiometer for future planetary missions |
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Authors: | J Flokstra R Cuperus RJ Wiegerink MC van Essen |
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Affiliation: | Low Temperature Division, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | The gradient in the gravity acceleration is of great interest for planetologists when it can be measured with at least 1 E/√Hz. For this purpose several gravity gradiometer designs are considered. A MEMS-based gradiometer made from a single wafer is considered in this article. Using long springs and small attached masses it is possible to reach a sufficiently low Brownian noise level. The proposed readout for this device will be capacitive plates placed in a comb drive configuration. Trapped charges on these plates can cause noticeable errors when there are more than 0.004 electrons/μm2. Measurements show that trapped charge mobility goes down with temperature. |
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Keywords: | A Semiconductors C Dielectric properties C Mechanical properties D Instrumentation F Space cryogenics |
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