A 3D-printed microhemispherical shell resonator with electrostatic tuning for a Coriolis vibratory gyroscope

The emergence of microhemispherical resonant gyroscopes, which integrate the advantages of exceptional stability and long lifetime with miniaturization, has afforded new possibilities for the development of whole-angle gyroscopes. However, existing methods used for manufacturing microhemispherical resonant gyroscopes based on MEMS technology face the primary drawback of intricate and costly processing. Here, we report the design, fabrication, and characterization of the first 3D-printable microhemispherical shell resonator for a Coriolis vibrating gyroscope. We remarkably achieve fabrication in just two steps bypassing the dozen or so steps required in traditional micromachining. By utilizing the intricate shaping capability and ultrahigh precision offered by projection microstereolithography, we fabricate 3D high-aspect-ratio resonant structures and controllable capacitive air gaps, both of which are extremely difficult to obtain via MEMS technology. In addition, the resonance frequency of the fabricated resonators can be tuned by electrostatic forces, and the fabricated resonators exhibit a higher quality factor in air than do typical MEMS microhemispherical resonators. This work demonstrates the feasibility of rapidly batch-manufacturing microhemispherical shell resonators, paving the way for the development of microhemispherical resonator gyroscopes for portable inertial navigation. Moreover, this particular design concept could be further applied to increase uptake of resonator tools in the MEMS community.