MEM electric field sensor using force deflection with capacitance interrogation

Author

Tao Chen

Author_Institution

Dept. Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

fYear

2013

fDate

21-25 July 2013

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

4

Abstract

A MEM based electrostatic field sensor is presented which uses capacitive interrogation of an electrostatic force deflected microstructure. Experimental measurements showed successful detection of a switched DC electric field. A sensitivity of 16 kV/m was demonstrated with the capacitive interrogating electrode located 27 μm away. Performance analysis of a this sensor structure showed low field measurement of better than 400 V/m possible for a new design under construction with a capacitive interrogating electrode spaced 2 μm, with upper field measurement over 1 MV/m.

Keywords

electric field measurement; electric sensing devices; electrodes; micromechanical devices; MEM based electrostatic field sensor; MEM electric field sensor; capacitance interrogation; capacitive interrogating electrode; capacitive interrogation; electrostatic force deflected microstructure; force deflection; interrogating electrode; low field measurement; performance analysis; switched DC electric field; upper field measurement; Capacitance; Electric fields; Electric variables measurement; Electrodes; Electrostatics; Force; Silicon; Electric field measurement; electric field sensor; field mill; micro-electromechanical systems; micromachining;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Power and Energy Society General Meeting (PES), 2013 IEEE

Conference_Location

Vancouver, BC

ISSN

1944-9925

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PESMG.2013.6672919

Filename

6672919