Micro-Cantilever Capacitive Sensor for High-Resolution Measurement of Electric Fields

Abstract

Electric-field (EF) microsensors with high resolution are crucial for the realization of real-time dynamic status monitoring of Ubiquitous Power Internet of Things (UPIoT), which is of great significance for the safe operation of power system and early-stage diagnostics of power equipment. Distortion-free and high-resolution measurement of electric fields is also important in applications such as meteorological monitoring and aerospace launch. Existing electric-field measurement methods are always costly, bulky, and low in resolution. We presented a capacitive EF sensor with small size and high resolution. The presented sensor is based on piezoelectric effect, and a micro cantilever structure is realized using microfabrication. Simulation and experimental results indicate that the presented sensor has a resolution of about 45 V/m and a measurable magnitude of over 1.5 MV/m. Owing to the characteristics of small size, low cost and low power consumption, the EF sensor is suitable for applications of large-scale sensing arrays.