Patent ID: 6867411

Claim:
An optical accelerometer, comprising: (a) a proof mass positioned along a sensing axis; (b) a source of optical radiation configured to generate a pair of beams of output radiation, wherein the pair of beams of output radiation is adapted to exert radiation pressure on said proof mass so as to maintain said proof mass in an equilibrium position along the sensing axis; (c) a position detecting system configured to detect a displacement of said proof mass along the sensing axis from the equilibrium position in response to an acceleration force acting on said proof mass; and (d) an intensity adjustor configured to adjust, in response to the detected displacement, the intensity of each beam in the pair of beams so as to restore said proof mass to the equilibrium position, and to measure a difference in the adjusted intensities of each beam in the pair of beams; wherein the difference in the adjusted intensities of each beam is representative of the acceleration of said proof mass along the sensing axis in response to the acceleration force.