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Microstructure-based Direct Digital Capacitive Pressure Sensor
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- Author / Creator
- Dick, Carson R.
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Pressure sensors are important in many applications, from medical hyperbaric oxygen chambers to
precision pressure monitoring in vacuum setups of semiconductor manufacturing. With their simple
design and high precision, capacitive pressure sensors are one of the best designs of pressure sensors. In
this thesis, we proposed a new class of microstructure-based direct digital capacitive pressure sensor,
including the microstructured pressure-to-capacitance transducer and its capacitance-to-frequency
digital conversion circuitry. The microstructured transducer design provides ease of fabrication and longterm durability. The novel sensor circuit using digital phase-locked-loop (PLL) enables highly sensitive
detection of capacitance. For proof of concept, we fabricated the microstructured transducer and
constructed the digital PLL using discrete parts. The experimental results and analysis show the viability
of implementing such sensors in the future. -
- Graduation date
- Fall 2020
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Master of Science
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- License
- Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.