Gas pressure measurement using micro-corona-discharging effect in surface acoustic wave resonators

Baofa Hu; Zhiwei Li; Yuanjie Wan; Mingpo Li; Haisheng San

Results in Physics (Jun 2021)

Gas pressure measurement using micro-corona-discharging effect in surface acoustic wave resonators

Baofa Hu,
Zhiwei Li,
Yuanjie Wan,
Mingpo Li,
Haisheng San

Affiliations

Baofa Hu: Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
Zhiwei Li: Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
Yuanjie Wan: Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
Mingpo Li: Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Haisheng San: Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518000, China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 25
p. 104221

Abstract

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This paper reports a gas pressure sensor using surface acoustic wave resonator (SAWR) based on both the field-induced electron emission and the micro-corona-discharging (MCD) phenomena. With the micron-scale finger-gap of electrodes covered with SiO2 passivation layer, the enhanced field-effect emission (FEE) at electrodes result in the micro-corona-discharging and thus the change in the dynamic resistance of SAWR. A high Q-factor SAWR was fabricated on ST-cut quartz substrate using microelectronics processing technology, and the gas-pressure-dependent return-loss was tested, and the MCD theory and the equivalent circuit model of SAWR were used to analyze the test results. Under argon pressure range from 0 to 601 kPa, the dynamic resistance of the SAWR varies from 24.569 to 41.589 Ω at 25 °C. The resistance rate reaches 69.3%, which is far higher than that of traditional piezoresistive pressure sensors. At the same time, the oxygen pressure was also tested by the SAWR as a comparison. The SAW-based gas pressure sensors have the potential for measurement of the super-high pressure.

Published in Results in Physics

ISSN: 2211-3797 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science: Physics
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/results-in-physics/

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