Design and Development of a Novel Passive Wireless Ultrasensitive RF Temperature Transducer for Remote Sensing

Abstract

A wireless, passive, and ultrasensitive temperature transducer is presented in this paper. The transducer consists of split ring resonators loaded with micro-bimorph cantilevers, which can potentially operate up to millimeter-wave frequencies (above 30 GHz). As the temperature changes, the bimorph cantilevers deflect and result in a shift of the resonant frequency of the split rings. A design is proposed, that has a maximum sensitivity of 2.62 GHz/μm, in terms of frequency shift per deflection unit, corresponding to a sensitivity of 498 MHz/°C for an operating frequency around 30 GHz, i.e., a frequency shift of 1.6% per °C. Theoretically, it's about two orders of magnitude higher than the existing sensors observed in the same class. This sensor design also offers a high Q factor and is ultra-compact, enabling easy fabrication and integration in micro-electromechanical systems technology. Depending on the choice of materials, the proposed designs can also be utilized in harsh environments. As a proof of concept, a prototype is implemented around 4.7 GHz which exhibits a frequency shift of 0.05%/°C, i.e., 17 times more sensitive than the existing sensors.