Physical Logic has confirmed that it has been awarded a contract to develop a new-generation navigation-grade closed-loop MEMS accelerometer that will be known as the MAXL-CL-4000. Small-sized navigation-grade GNSS-INS (GNSS-aided inertial navigation systems) are a highly prized goal within the inertial solutions industry, and Physical Logic hopes that its new sensor will provide a significant advantage to its development partners.
The new accelerometer is designed to meet the market requirements of small size, low power consumption, and low-cost navigation-grade inertial measurement, with long-term bias repeatability of less than 0.25mg and long-term scale factor repeatability of less than 250 ppm, and a tuneable sensing range between 15g to 70g.
The low power consumption of less than 120mW, combined with the unique mechanical design that achieves uniform heat dissipation within the package, will enable sub-µg/min drifts after less than 1 minute from turning on the system. This advantage makes Physical Logic’s high-end MEMS accelerometers ideal for a range of applications such as north finding, target location and inertial navigation.
The new generation sensor is designed with the same MEMS die that has already been successfully applied in production of the current MAXL-CL-3000 series. A new ASIC and new electronics approach will allow integration of all electronics features into a stand-alone, hermetically sealed 44LCC ceramic package.
The MAXL-CL-4000 generation will be added to the currently available MAXL-CL-3000 accelerometer family of sensors, which delivers high performance and low SWaP-C for tactical and navigation applications with input ranges of up to 70g, and long term bias repeatability as low as 500µg and scale factor below 400ppm.
Aviram Feingold, CEO of Physical Logic, commented: “Prototypes of MAXL-CL-4000 with long-term bias repeatability below 250 µg and scale factor below 250 ppm will be available by mid-2023. We are not stopping there – we are also planning a design of a new closed-loop accelerometer with target long term bias repeatability below 100µg and SF below 100 ppm. This design is based on the new electronic elements added to MAXL-CL-4000, combined with a new MEMS die. The new die is designed to dump environmental stress effects on the MEMS sensing and driving elements by an order of magnitude. The sub-100µg sensor program is to answer the strategic needs of our customers.”
