Surface skimming bulk acoustic wave accelerometer

Claim 1

A surface skimming bulk wave (SSBW) accelerometer, for use in a system having one or more oscillator circuits with an output for providing output radio frequency (RF) excitation signals, and an input for receiving input RF excitation signals, comprising: chassis means, having a fluid filled cavity with a mounting surface therein; piezoelectric cantilever, fixed at one end to said mounting surface and having a proof mass at an opposite end thereof, said cantilever having first and second major surfaces, wherein acceleration of said proof mass induces a strain in said major surface, said strain being proportional to said acceleration; coplanar feed transducers, including an input transducer and an output transducer disposed in spaced relationship on said first major surface to provide a SSBW delay line, said input transducer converting output RF signals from an oscillator circuit output to a launched SSBW for propagation in said first major surface of said cantilever, said output transducer converting said launched SSBW in said first major surface to first surface input RF signals for presentation to the oscillator circuit input, said first surface input RF signals being delayed from the output RF signals by a time dependent on said strain induced in said first major surface, whereby the oscillator circuit provides the first surface input RF signals at a first surface signal frequency indicative of said strain and said acceleration.