A dual-mode thickness-shear quartz pressure sensor

Abstract

The development of a dual-mode thickness-shear quartz pressure sensor to meet the demanding performance requirements of oil-field applications is discussed. The objective was to develop a sensor with an operating pressure range of 0-103.42 MPa (0.15 000 lb/in(2)), a temperature range of -10 to +175 degrees C, a pressure calibration accuracy of 6894.8 Pa (1 lb/in(2)), and resolution of 68.95 Pa (0.01 lb/in(2)) with 1-s counter gate time. Doubly rotated cuts with piezoelectric coupling to both the C-modes of vibration were investigated. A theoretical study and general design considerations in the development of such sensors are described. Experimental results were obtained for two sensor designs: one uses a cylindrical design with the SBTC-cut, and the other, called SPA, is a special resonator design vibrating around 5 MHz without any activity dips. Pressure sensitivity of approximately 145 Hz/MPa (1 Hz/lb/in(2)) at 175 degrees C is obtained. Laboratory evaluation of the static and dynamic performances is discussed for the prototypes based on the SPA design.

A Harsh Environment Wireless Pressure Sensing Solution Utilizing High Temperature Electronics

“…Due to the continuous progress of micromachining technology in last decades, micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sensors started playing a major role in pressure measurement [9]. Nowadays there are many types of pressure sensing technologies for different applications, such as capacitive pressure sensors that utilize a diaphragm and a pressure cavity to create a variable capacitance [10–13]; piezoelectric pressure sensors that utilize the piezoelectric effect in some materials to measure the strain caused by pressure [14–18]; surface acoustic wave (SAW) pressure sensors that utilize the phase velocity variation of surface acoustic wave on piezoelectric substrate when pressure is applied [19–23]; optical pressure sensors in which the characteristics of optical signal such as intensity, polarization, phase or spectrum are modulated by the pressure stimulus [24–29]; and the most commonly used piezoresistive pressure sensors, for which the resistance of the piezoresistive material can be altered by the pressure applied on it [30–34]. …”

Review of thickness-shear mode quartz resonator sensors for temperature and pressure

“…Using theoretical models by Sinha [34], Besson et al [35] developed two dual-mode pressure sensor designs: the SBTC and one which became the Schlumberger CQG. They recommended these quartz TSMR sensors for downhole use due to strength, long-term stability, and freedom from hysteresis.…”

Dual-Mode AlN-on-Silicon Micromechanical Resonators for Temperature Sensing

“…Although the finite TCF of a single resonance mode can be used to track temperature, measuring a linear combination of two modes with different TCF values in a single device provides greater sensitivity. Therefore, dual-mode (DM) excitation, which has been widely employed in quartz resonators to simultaneously monitor stress, mass, pressure, and temperature [7]- [9], is of particular interest for measurement and compensation of temperature-induced oscillator frequency shift. DM excitation provides local temperature measurement without external thermometers, which significantly reduces system footprint when integrated with CMOS electronics.…”