Design, Fabrication and Characterization of a MEMS-Based Three-Dimensional Electric Field Sensor with Low Cross-Axis Coupling Interference

Ling, Biyun; Peng, Chunrong; Ren, Ren; Chu, Zhaozhi; Zhang, Zhouwei; Lei, Hucheng; Xia, Shanhong

doi:10.3390/s18030870

Cited by 19 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 23 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Electric field sensors are widely used in many fields such as meteorology, electric power, aerospace, and petrochemicals [1][2][3][4][5][6], which play an important role in scientific research and production. The microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based electric field microsensor (EFM) has become one of the hotspots in the research field of electric field sensors [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Reports on the EFM began in the 1990s, to our knowledge [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This paper proposes a novel wafer-level vacuum-packaged EFM featuring a higher quality factor, lower driving voltage, lower noise, and lower consumption compared with previously reported EFMs [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. The silicon-on-insulator (SOI) conductive handle layer was innovatively used as the sensing channel, which can transmit the external electric field to the surface of the sensitive structure without interference.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Wafer-Level Vacuum-Packaged Electric Field Microsensor: Structure Design, Theoretical Model, Microfabrication, and Characterization

Xia

Peng

et al. 2022

Micromachines

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper proposes a novel wafer-level vacuum packaged electric field microsensor (EFM) featuring a high quality factor, low driving voltage, low noise, and low power consumption. The silicon-on-insulator (SOI) conductive handle layer was innovatively used as the sensing channel to transmit the external electric field to the surface of the sensitive structure, and the vacuum packaging was realized through anodic bonding between the SOI and glass-on-silicon (GOS). The fabrication process was designed and successfully realized, featured with a simplified process and highly efficient batch manufacturing, and the final chip size was only 5 × 5 mm. A theoretical model for the packaged device was set up. The influence of key parameters in the packaging structure on the output characteristics of the microsensor was analyzed on the basis of the proposed model. Experiments were conducted on the wafer-level vacuum-packaged EFM to characterize its performance. Experimental results show that, under the condition of applying 5 V DC driving voltage, the required AC driving voltage of the sensor was only 0.05 VP, and the feedthrough was only 4.2 mV. The quality factor was higher than 5000 and was maintained with no drop in the 50-day test. The vacuum in the chamber of the sensor was about 10 Pa. A sensitivity of 0.16 mV/(kV/m) was achieved within the electrostatic field range of 0–50 kV/m. The linearity of the microsensor was 1.62%, and the uncertainty was 4.42%.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wafer-Level Vacuum-Packaged Electric Field Microsensor: Structure Design, Theoretical Model, Microfabrication, and Characterization

Xia

Peng

et al. 2022

Micromachines

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The study on the resonant electric field microsensor began in the 1990s, to our knowledge. Since then, the electric field resolution is being improved, from 630 V/m to 20.4 V/m, by various innovative micro sense structures [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ], under the parallel plate calibration. The electric field microchips were mostly exposed to the external environment for test, historically.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolution-Enhancing Structure for the Electric Field Microsensor Chip

Yang

Zhang

et al. 2021

Micromachines

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Electrostatic voltage is a vital parameter in industrial production lines, for reducing electrostatic discharge harms and improving yields. Due to such drawbacks as package shielding and low resolution, previously reported electric field microsensors are still not applicable for industrial static monitoring uses. In this paper, we introduce a newly designed microsensor package structure, which enhances the field strength inside the package cavity remarkably. This magnification effect was studied and optimized by both theoretical calculation and ANSYS simulation. By means of the digital synthesizer and digital coherent demodulation method, the compact signal processing circuit for the packaged microsensor was also developed. The meter prototype was calibrated above a charged metal plate, and the electric field resolution was 5 V/m, while the measuring error was less than 3 V, from −1 kV to 1 kV in a 2 cm distance. The meter was also installed into a production line and showed good consistency with, and better resolution than, a traditional vibratory capacitance sensor.

show abstract

“…In recent years, the electric field measurement technology has gradually become smaller. The miniaturized sensor probe has the characteristics of portability, high measurement accuracy, and low cost [7][8][9][10]. The emergence of miniaturized electric field measurement devices has greatly promoted the development of electric power safety distance warning technology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Method for Localization Aerial Target in AC Electric Field Based on Sensor Circular Array

Zhang

Zhou

Suo

et al. 2020

Sensors

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The traditional method of using electric field sensors to realize early warning of electric power safety distance cannot measure the distance of dangerous sources. Therefore, aiming at the electric field with a frequency of 50 to 60 Hz (AC electric field), a new method for localization of aerial AC target by the capacitive one-dimensional spherical electric field sensor circular array is studied. This method can directly calculate the distance, elevation, and azimuth of the detector from the dangerous source. By combining the measurement principle of the spherical electric field sensor and the plane circular array theory, a mathematical model for the localization of aerial targets in an AC electric field is established. An error model was established using Gaussian noise and the effects of different layout parameters on the localization error were simulated. Based on mutual interference between sensors, minimum induced charge, and localization error, an optimal model for sensor layout was established, and it was solved by using genetic algorithms. The optimization results show that when the number of sensors is 4, the array radius is 20 cm, and the sensor radius is 1.5 cm, the ranging error is 8.4%. The detector was developed based on the layout parameters obtained from the optimization results, and the localization method was experimentally verified at 10 and 35 kV alarm distances. The experimental results show that when the detector is located at 10 kV alarm distance, the distance error is 0.18 m, the elevation error is 6.8°, and the azimuth error is 4.57°, and when it is located at 35 kV alarm distance, the distance error is 0.2 m, the elevation error is 4.8°, and the azimuth error is 5.14°, which meets the safety distance warning requirements of 10 and 35 kV voltage levels.

show abstract

Design, Fabrication and Characterization of a MEMS-Based Three-Dimensional Electric Field Sensor with Low Cross-Axis Coupling Interference

Cited by 19 publications

References 23 publications

Wafer-Level Vacuum-Packaged Electric Field Microsensor: Structure Design, Theoretical Model, Microfabrication, and Characterization

Wafer-Level Vacuum-Packaged Electric Field Microsensor: Structure Design, Theoretical Model, Microfabrication, and Characterization

Resolution-Enhancing Structure for the Electric Field Microsensor Chip

Method for Localization Aerial Target in AC Electric Field Based on Sensor Circular Array

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About