Enhanced Sensitivity of SAW-Based Pirani Vacuum Pressure Sensor

Author

Singh, Kanwar J. ; Elmazria, Omar ; Sarry, Frederic ; Nicolay, Pascal ; Ghoumid, Kamal ; Belgacem, Brahim ; Mercier, Denis ; Bounouar, Julien

Author_Institution

Inst. Jean Lamour, Nancy Univ., Nancy, France

Volume

11

Issue

6

fYear

2011

fDate

6/1/2011 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1458

Lastpage

1464

Abstract

The authors have already presented a novel surface acoustic wave device for vacuum pressure measurement by employing a piezoelectric substrate that has a high value of temperature coefficient of frequency. Frequency-shift measurements as a function of vacuum pressure can be used to extract information about the pressure sensitivity of the device. In this paper, we report that the deposition of an aluminum thin-film layer and rise in the sensor´s operating temperature significantly improve the sensitivity of the device. The results are crucial for improving the lower limit of the vacuum pressure measurement, which currently stands around 10^-3 Pa.

Keywords

pressure sensors; surface acoustic wave sensors; SAW-based Pirani vacuum pressure sensor; frequency shift measurement; piezoelectric substrate; vacuum pressure measurement; Lithium niobate; Sensitivity; Substrates; Surface acoustic wave devices; Surface acoustic waves; Temperature measurement; Temperature sensors; Acoustic devices; frequency response; pressure measurements; sensitivity;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Sensors Journal, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1530-437X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JSEN.2010.2086055

Filename

5598508