Application of micromachined quartz tuning fork resonator for temperature sensing

This article describes a micromachined quartz tuning fork resonator, 6 mm in height by 2 mm in diamter, holding a two-terminal electronic component with a nomial frequency of 36 kHz (at zero degree) and 15 pF typical capacitance packed in a 90 Pa He gas sealed metal container, which has been used as a sensor for temperature measurement with good sensitivity, repeatability and reliability. The temperature sensor is ZYtw-cut-quartz crystal bulk acoustic wave resonator vibrating in a flexural mode. Finite element method is used to analyze the vibratory modes and optimize the structure of the sensor. Design and performance analysis of the quartz tuning fork temperature sensor has been conducted. The sensor prototype was successfully fabricated and calibrated in operation from 0°C to 100°C with sensitivity of 80 ppm/°C.