High sensitivity integrated micromechanical electrostatic potent

Details High sensitivity integrated micromechanical electrostatic potent High sensitivity integrated micromechanical electrostatic potent

1994-08-26

1996-05-14

Wieder, Kenneth A.

Electricity: measuring and testing

Electrostatic field

Using modulation-type electrometer

324457, 324109, G01R 2912

Patent

active

055171230

ABSTRACT:
The invention is a method and apparatus for electrostatic potential sensing by using electromechanical microstructures. The mechanical microstructure may be fabricated by either surface micromachining or bulk-micromachining. The sensor comprises a movable plate which is movable in the lateral dimension and which is suspended from and above a substrate bearing an isolated electrically conductive layer. The layer acts as the sensor electrode and is brought in contact with or near the object the electrostatic potential of which is to be sensed. The movable plate is suspended between two fixed, suspended and cantilevered plates. The three suspended plates collectively form two capacitors with the two fixed plates comprising the first plate of first and second capacitors and the movable plate comprising the second plate of both capacitors. A potential differential between the movable plate and the conductive layer causes lateral movement of the movable plate, resulting in a change in the capacitance of the two capacitors. Resolving circuitry converts the change in capacitance into an output signal indicative of the electrostatic difference between the movable plate and the conductive layer.

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High-Sensitivity Micromechanical Electrostatic Voltmeter, Loconto et al., The 7th Int. Conf. on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators, pp. 878-881, undated.
Micromechanical Electrostatic Voltmeter, Hsu et al., 1991 IEEE 91CH2817-5/910000-0659$01.00, month unavailable.

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