This letter describes an implementation of micromachined seismometer based on molecular electronic transducer (MET) technology. As opposed to a solid inertial mass, MET seismometer senses the movement of liquid electrolyte relative to fixed electrodes. The employment of micro-electro-mechanical systems techniques reduces the internal size of the sensing cell to $1\mu \mathrm{m}$ and improves the reproducibility of the device. For operating bias of 600 mV, a sensitivity of 809 $V/(\mathrm{m}/{\mathrm{s}}^2)$ was measured under acceleration of $400\mu \mathrm{g}(g\equiv 9.81\mathrm{m}/{\mathrm{s}}^2)$ at 0.32 Hz. A −115 dB (relative to $(\mathrm{m}/{\mathrm{s}}^2)/\sqrt{\mathit{H}\mathit{z}}$ ) noise level at 1 Hz was achieved. This work develops an alternative paradigm of seismic sensing device with small size, high sensitivity, low noise floor, high shock tolerance, and independence of installation angle, which is promising for next generation seismometers for planetary exploration.

Modern molecular electronic transfer (MET) angular motion sensors combine high technical characteristics with low cost. Self-noise is one of the key characteristics which determine applications for MET sensors. However, until the present there has not been a model describing the sensor noise in the complete operating frequency range. The present work reports the results of an experimental study of the self-noise level of such sensors in the frequency range of 0.01–200 Hz. Based on the experimental data, a theoretical model is developed. According to the model, self-noise is conditioned by thermal hydrodynamic fluctuations of the operating fluid flow in the frequency range of 0.01–2 Hz. At the frequency range of 2–100 Hz, the noise power spectral density has a specific inversely proportional dependence of the power spectral density on the frequency that could be attributed to convective processes. In the high frequency range of 100–200 Hz, the noise is conditioned by the voltage noise of the electronics module input stage operational amplifiers and is heavily reliant to the sensor electrical impedance. The presented results allow a deeper understanding of the molecular electronic sensor noise nature to suggest the ways to reduce it.

This paper describes the use of MET-based low-noise angular motion sensors to precisely determine azimuth direction in a dynamic-scheme method of measuring the Earth’s rotational velocity vector. The scheme includes sensor installation on a rotating platform so that it could scan the space and seek for the position of the highest Earth’s rotation vector projection on its axis. This method is very efficient provided a low-noise sensor is used. A low-cost angular sensor based on MET (molecular electronic transduction) technology has been used. The sensors of this kind were originally developed for seismic activity monitoring and are well known for very good noise performance and high sensitivity. This approach, combined with the use of special signal processing algorithms, allowed reaching the accuracy of 0.2°, while the measurement time was less than 100 seconds.

Noise in molecular electronic transducers is experimentally studied in the absence of a working fluid integral flow in the channel. It is concluded that noise in these systems is of a convective nature at low frequencies. It is found that the noise reduced to the input noise signal is independent of differences in the design of the electrode unit of the transducer.

The paper focuses on the accuracy characteristics of linear motion meters based on molecular electronic technology. Zero bias stability in terms of Allan variance and power spectral density is experimentally determined for the linear accelerometers. Harmonic distortions depending on the input amplitude are measured.

The paper considers the development and experimental study of the characteristics of a high-temperature motion parameter sensor based on molecular-electronic technology (MET) operating at elevated pressures. Studies were conducted in an extended temperature range (25–125 °C) with a static external pressure of up to 10 atm. A pilot plant based on a high-pressure chamber with the ability to output an electrical signal was specially designed and commissioned. A family of amplitude-frequency characteristics of a ME sensor in an extended temperature range was obtained for the first time. A theoretical model was constructed and verified to describe the transfer function of the sensor at high temperatures and pressures. The activation energies of active carriers were calculated, and a prediction was made about the possibility of using the developed devices for the needs of the oil and gas mining industries.