OPTICAL ACCELEROMETER SYSTEM

摘要

One embodiment includes an accelerometer system. The system includes a laser configured to emit an optical beam at a linear polarization. The system also includes an optical cavity system. The optical cavity system includes a mirror that is coupled to an accelerometer housing via a spring and is configured to reflect the optical beam. The optical cavity system also includes at least one photodetector configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the optical beam and the reflected optical beam and to generate an acceleration signal that is indicative of motion of the mirror resulting from an external acceleration acting upon the accelerometer housing. The system further includes an acceleration processor configured to calculate a magnitude of the external acceleration based on the acceleration signal.