Abstract
The primary objective of this work was the fabrication and testing of a wireless LC resonator based on micro-patterned electroceramic materials for the monitoring of high-temperature systems. The two-dimensional planar LC resonator sensors were designed and simulated using ANSYS Maxwell software, and these sensors were then fabricated from electrically conductive La 2 NiO 4 /Al 2 O 3 particulate inks. The patterning and deposition of the ink were completed using a novel micro-casting process onto Al 2 O 3 ceramic substrates, and the final pattern was bonded onto the substrate at 1200 o C for 2 h. The final patterned materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and four-point conductivity to characterize the phase and microstructure development, and the resultant electrical conductivity (at 500-1200 o C), respectively. The frequency shift with respect to temperature was measured, which is directly related to changes in the sensor’s dielectric permittivity and pattern dimensions. The sensors were characterized at 500 – 1000 o C in an ambient atmosphere with an RF signal ranging from 10 – 80 MHz at 175 kHz·s -1 sweep rate. A new robust and adaptive signal processing approach was introduced to increase the degree of freedom for analyzing the wireless sensors.