Analysis of a method for measuring deposit impedance parameters using charge amplifier and lock-in voltmeter

Parameters such as capacitance and conductivity are measured to describe the properties of a medium, including its moisture content. These methods do not deliver highly accurate results in materials that are characterized by low homogeneity, varied porosity, high conductivity and high water content. This study proposes a more accurate method for estimating the parameters of any medium. In the experimental setup, a charge amplifier and a phase-sensitive voltmeter were applied to determine resistance and capacitance parameters of a medium based on the signals received by the measuring system. The proposed method can be applied to non-homogeneous media containing both dielectric and conductive materials. The described measuring system is composed of two flat electrodes whose size can be adapted to the dimensions of the analyzed medium. A method for processing the sensing signal to determine the impedance characteristics of a medium with the use of a phase-sensitive voltmeter was described. The measuring system was modeled in Matlab/Simulink, and the results were discussed.

Reverse Electrowetting-on-Dielectric Energy Harvesting Integrated With Charge Amplifier and Rectifier for Self-Powered Motion Sensors

This paper presents a reverse electrowetting-on-dielectric (REWOD) energy harvester integrated with rectifier, boost converter, and charge amplifier that is, without bias voltage, capable of powering wearable sensors for monitoring human health in real-time. REWOD has been demonstrated to effectively generate electrical current at a low frequency range (< 3 Hz), which is the frequency range for various human activities such as walking, running, etc. However, the current generated from the REWOD without external bias source is insufficient to power such motion sensors. In this work, to eventually implement a fully self-powered motion sensor, we demonstrate a novel bias-free REWOD AC generation and then rectify, boost, and amplify the signal using commercial components. The unconditioned REWOD output of 95–240 mV AC is generated using a 50 μL droplet of 0.5M NaCl electrolyte and 2.5 mm of electrode displacement from an oscillation frequency range of 1–3 Hz. A seven-stage rectifier using Schottky diodes having a forward voltage drop of 135–240 mV and a forward current of 1 mA converts the generated AC signal to DC voltage. ∼3 V DC is measured at the boost converter output, proving the system could function as a self-powered motion sensor. Additionally, a linear relationship of output DC voltage with respect to frequency and displacement demonstrates the potential of this REWOD energy harvester to function as a self-powered wearable motion sensor.

Fully Differential Touch Screen Controller with Wide Input Dynamic Range for Thin Displays

As today’s smartphone displays become thinner, the coupling capacitance between the display electrodes and touch screen panel (TSP) electrodes is increasing significantly. The increased capacitance easily introduces time-varying display signals into the TSP, deteriorating the touch performance. In this research, we demonstrate that the maximum peak display noise in the time domain is approximately 30% of the maximum voltage difference of the display grayscale through analysis of the structure and operation of displays. Then, to mitigate display noise, we propose a circuit solution that uses a fully differential charge amplifier with an input dynamic range wider than the maximum peak of the display noise. A test chip was fabricated using a 0.35 μm CMOS process and achieved a signal-to-noise ratio of 41 dB for a 6-mm-diameter metal pillar touch when display pulses with 5-V swing were driven at 100 kHz.

Application of DMA 242 C for Quasi-Static Measurements of Piezoelectric Properties of Solids

An experimental device for quasi-static measurements of piezoelectric moduli dijk, based on the possibilities of precision variations in mechanical stresses with the device DMA 242 C in the frequency range 0-100 Hz has been developed. A special sample holder and a charge amplifier are used in the measuring scheme. The measurements of piezoelectric moduli values of trigonal piezoelectric single crystalls La3Ga5SiO14 (P321) and YAl3(BO3)4 (R32), as well as hexagonal ZnO (P63mc) have been carried out