The present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor, and more particularly, to a SAW sensor which senses a change of pressure, temperature, etc., by using a SAW resonator that generates a SAW due to a radio frequency (RF) signal applied to the SAW resonator.
Generally, a resonator, which generates a surface acoustic wave (SAW), may be constituted by disposing a plurality of inter-digital transducer (IDT) metal electrodes on a piezoelectric plate formed of material, such as LiNbO3, having piezoelectricity at regular intervals.
Three SAW resonators 4, 5, and 6 are disposed in parallel on a piezoelectric plate 3. The piezoelectric plate 3 is installed in a case 2 so that both ends of the piezoelectric plate 3 are supported by the case 2. A diaphragm 1, to which an external pressure can be directly applied, is disposed above the piezoelectric plate 3. As illustrated in
When the external pressure is transferred to the piezoelectric plate 3 through the diaphragm 1, the piezoelectric plate 3 is bent. Due to the deformation of the piezoelectric plate 3, SAW characteristics of the SAW resonators 4, 5, and 6 are changed. Thus, a resonant frequency of each of the SAW resonators 4, 5, and 6 is changed. Since the amount of deformation of the piezoelectric plate 3 is changed according to the position in which each of the SAW resonators 4, 5, and 6 is disposed, the amount of change of the resonant frequency of each of the SAW resonators 4, 5, and 6 is changed.
Accordingly, the amount of change of an external pressure can be calculated by analyzing the amount of change of the resonant frequency of each of the SAW resonators 4, 5, and 6, which vibrate due to an RF signal applied to each of the resonators 4, 5, and 6, due to the pressure.
However, in the conventional SAW sensor illustrated in
Furthermore, in the conventional SAW sensor, an external pressure is not directly applied to the piezoelectric plate 3 but is instead indirectly applied thereto through the diaphragm 1. Also, a very fine and delicate manufacturing technology is needed to manufacture the conventional SAW sensor that has sufficient sensitivity and accuracy to sense pressure, thereby increasing manufacturing costs of the conventional SAW sensor.
The present invention provides a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor having an improved structure in which an external pressure is directly applied to a piezoelectric plate so that he sensitivity and accuracy for sensing pressure can be improved and in which an additional resonator, having a resonant frequency that is not changed even though an external pressure is changed, is disposed so that a performance in sensing pressure can be improved.
In the SAW sensor according to the present invention, pressure is directly applied to a piezoelectric plate in which a plurality of resonators are installed, so that the amount of change of a resonant frequency of each of the resonators according to pressure has linearity and thus the accuracy and sensitivity for sensing pressure can be improved.
Furthermore, in the SAW sensor according to the present invention, an additional resonator, having a resonant frequency that is not changed even though an external pressure is changed, is disposed so that pressure can be more accurately and easily sensed.
Furthermore, the resonant frequency of each of the resonators is changed according to the thickness, size, and material of a piezoelectric plate in which the resonator are installed. In the case of the SAW sensor according to the present invention, both a reference resonator and a pressure resonator are installed on one piezoelectric plate so that a resonant frequency error of the pressure resonator can be very easily compensated for based on the reference resonator and high manufacturing yield can be achieved.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor sensing pressure, temperature, etc., by using a SAW, the SAW sensor including: a substrate having one of its surfaces formed with a cavity having a predetermined depth; a piezoelectric plate which has piezoelectricity, so as to make a SAW, and which is adhered to the surface in which the cavity is formed, so as to cover the cavity of the substrate; a pressure resonator which is installed to a portion of the piezoelectric plate that corresponds to the cavity groove, and which generates a SAW due to a radio frequency (RF) signal applied thereto; and a reference resonator which is installed to the piezoelectric plate to be outside the portion corresponding to the cavity and be parallel to the pressure resonator, and which generates a SAW due to the RF signal applied thereto.
The reference resonator and the pressure resonator may be installed on the surface of the piezoelectric plate which faces the substrate, and a reference resonator groove in which the reference resonator is accommodated may be formed in the substrate.
The reference resonator and the pressure resonator may be installed on the surface of the piezoelectric plate which faces the substrate, and a portion of the substrate corresponding to the reference resonator may be perforated.
The reference resonator and the pressure resonator each may include an oscillation inter-digital transducer (IDT) which generates a SAW due to an externally applied RF signal, and a plurality of reflective IDTs, one or more of which is disposed respectively at sides of the oscillation IDT and which reflect the SAW generated in the oscillation IDT.
The SAW sensor may further include a temperature resonator which is installed on the piezoelectric plate, is disposed inclined with respect to the reference resonator, and which generates a SAW due to an RF signal applied thereto.
The reference resonator, the pressure resonator, and the temperature resonator may be installed on a surface of the piezoelectric plate which faces the substrate, and a reference resonator groove, in which the reference resonator is accommodated, and a temperature resonator groove, in which the temperature resonator is accommodated, may be formed in the substrate.
The reference resonator, the pressure resonator, and the temperature resonator may be installed on the surface of the piezoelectric plate which faces the substrate, and each of portions of the substrate corresponding to the reference resonator and the temperature resonator may be perforated.
The reference resonator, the pressure resonator, and the temperature resonator each may include an oscillation inter-digital transducer (IDT) which generates a SAW due to an externally applied RF signal, and a plurality of reflective IDTs, one or more of which is disposed respectively at sides of the oscillation IDT and which reflect the SAW generated in the oscillation IDT.
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
Referring to
A cavity 111 having a predetermined depth is formed in the substrate 110. The substrate 110 may be formed of various materials. In the current embodiment, the substrate 110 is formed of silicon (Si), which facilitates processing, such as etching, etc., to be performed by using a semiconductor process or a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) process.
The piezoelectric plate 120 is formed of material having piezoelectricity. LiNbO3, etc., may be used as material for the piezoelectric plate 120. In the current embodiment, the piezoelectric plate 120 is formed of quartz.
All of the reference resonator 140, the pressure resonator 130, and the temperature resonator 150 are SAW resonators that generate a SAW by using a radio frequency (RF) signal applied thereto. The reference resonator 140, the pressure resonator 130, and the temperature resonator 150 comprise an oscillation inter-digital transducer (IDT) 131, 141 and 151, and two reflective IDTs 132 and 133, 142 and 143, and 152 and 153, respectively. Each of the reference resonator 140, the pressure resonator 130, and the temperature resonator 150 is formed by printing a metal IDT electrode on the piezoelectric plate 120. The oscillation IDT 131, 141 or 151 generates a SAW due to an externally applied RF signal. The two reflective IDTs 132 and 133, 142 and 143, and 152 and 153 are disposed at sides of the oscillation IDT 131, 141 and 151, respectively, along a propagation direction of the SAW that is generated in the oscillation IDT 131, 141 and 151.
The pressure resonator 130 is disposed parallel to the reference resonator 140; however, the temperature resonator 150 is disposed not parallel to the reference resonator 140. An angle θ1 formed between the reference resonator 140 and the temperature resonator 150 may be determined according to properties of matter of the piezoelectric plate 120.
The piezoelectric plate 120, on which the reference resonator 140, the pressure resonator 130, and the temperature resonator 150 are printed, is adhered to the substrate 110. In this case, a bottom surface of the piezoelectric plate 120, on which the reference resonator 140, the pressure resonator 130, and the temperature resonator 150 are printed, faces the substrate 110, so that the piezoelectric plate 126 and the substrate 110 can be adhered to each other. As such, the cavity 111 of the substrate 110 is covered by the piezoelectric plate 120. A portion of the piezoelectric plate 120, which corresponds to the cavity 111, is referred to as a membrane 121.
When the reference resonator 140, the pressure resonator 130, and the temperature resonator 150 are disposed on the piezoelectric plate 120, the pressure resonator 130 is disposed in a portion to correspond to the membrane 121, i.e., in a portion in which the piezoelectric plate 120 will face the cavity 111 of the substrate 110. The reference resonator 140 and the temperature resonator 150 are disposed outside the membrane 121.
When the substrate 110 and the piezoelectric plate 120 are adhered to each other, the pressure resonator 130 is accommodated in the cavity 111, and the pressure resonator 130 does not contact the substrate 110. And a space between the substrate 110 and the piezoelectric plate 120 is formed in the membrane 121.
In addition, a reference resonator groove 112 and a temperature resonator groove 113 are formed in the substrate 110 so that the reference resonator 140 and the temperature resonator 150 do not contact the substrate 110. Thus, when the piezoelectric plate 120 and the substrate 110 are adhered to each other, the reference resonator 140 and the temperature resonator 150 are accommodated in the reference resonator groove 112 and the temperature resonator 113, respectively.
The function of the SAW sensor 100 of
When an RF signal is applied to the oscillation IDT 141 of the reference resonator 140, the oscillation IDT 141 vibrates at a resonant frequency and generates a SAW. Then, the generated SAW proceeds toward the reflective IDTs 142 and 143 that are respectively disposed at sides of the oscillation IDT 141 and is reflected and restored to the oscillation IDT 141. The restored SAW is then converted into an RF signal by the oscillation IDT 141.
The pressure resonator 130 and the temperature resonator 150 operate in the same mode as the reference resonator 140.
An antenna (not shown) is connected to each electrode 134 and 135, 144 and 145, and 154 and 155 of the reference resonator 140, the pressure resonator 130, and the temperature resonator 150, respectively, thereby applying an RF signal to each of the electrodes 134 and 135, 144 and 145, and 154 and 155 in a wireless manner and analyzing a resonant frequency of each of the reference resonator 140, the pressure resonator 130, and the temperature resonator 150 in which the SAW is restored. As such, each of the changes of an external pressure and temperature can be sensed.
First, a method of sensing a pressure change will now be described in detail.
As illustrated in
When the external pressure is increased, the membrane 121 is deformed, as illustrated in
In this way, in the SAW sensor 100, according to the current embodiment of the present invention, unlike the conventional SAW sensor of
Next, a method of sensing a temperature change will be described.
As described above, the temperature resonator 150 is inclined with respect to the reference resonator 140 at a predetermined angle θ1 (see
The reference and temperature resonators 140 and 150 are printed on one of both surfaces of the piezoelectric plate 120 that faces the substrate 110, and the pressure resonator 130 is accommodated in the cavity 111 of the substrate 110, and the reference resonator 140 and the temperature resonator 150 are accommodated in the reference resonator groove 112 and the temperature resonator groove 113, respectively. Since each of the reference resonator 140 and the temperature resonator 150 is not exposed to the outside of the SAW sensor 100, the SAW sensor 100 can be used for a long time since the SAW sensor 100 is less likely to be contaminated or damaged due to external dust, chemical materials, etc.
As described above, the SAW sensor 100, according to the current embodiment of the present invention, can sense pressure and temperature simultaneously by using the temperature, reference, and pressure resonators 130, 140, and 150 that are printed on the piezoelectric plate 120. Since the reference resonator 140 and the temperature resonator 150 are disposed outside the membrane 121, the reference resonator 140 and the temperature resonator 150 are not affected by a change of an external pressure and thus can sense temperature accurately.
Referring to
The SAW sensor 200 of
Also, a cavity 211 having a predetermined depth is formed in the substrate 210.
The piezoelectric plate 220 has piezoelectricity, and the reference resonator 240, the pressure resonator 230, and the temperature resonator 250 are printed on the piezoelectric plate 220.
The pressure, reference, and temperature resonators 230, 240, and 250 comprise an oscillation IDT 231, 241 and 251, and two reflective IDTs 232 and 233, 242 and 243, or 252 and 253, respectively, like the pressure, reference, and temperature resonators 130, 140, and 150 of
The pressure resonator 230 is disposed parallel to the reference resonator 240, and the temperature resonator 250 is disposed inclined with respect to the reference resonator 240 at a predetermined angle θ2.
Surface of the piezoelectric plate 220, on which the pressure resonator 230, the reference resonator 240, and the temperature resonator 250 are disposed, faces the substrate 210 so that the piezoelectric plate 220 and the substrate 210 can be adhered to each other. As such, the cavity 211 of the substrate 210 is covered by the piezoelectric plate 220. A portion of the piezoelectric plate 220 that corresponds to the cavity 311 is referred to as a membrane 221.
Like
Unlike that the reference resonator groove 112 and the temperature resonator groove 113 are formed in the substrate 110 of
As a result, the pressure resonator 230 is accommodated in the cavity 211 and does not contact the substrate 210, and the reference resonator 240 and the temperature resonator 250 are accommodated in the reference resonator hole 212 and the temperature resonator hole 213, respectively, and do not contact the substrate 210.
In the SAW sensor 200 of
The function of the SAW sensor 200 of
As described above, exemplary embodiments of a SAW sensor according to the present invention have been described. However, the SAW sensor according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various types of SAW sensors may be specified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention by modification or combination of the embodiments.
For example, as described previously, the pressure, reference, and temperature resonators 130, 140, and 150 or 230, 240, and 250 are installed on one of the surfaces of the piezoelectric plate 120 or 220 that faces the substrate 110 or 210, respectively. However, the pressure, reference, and temperature resonators 130, 140, and 150 or 230, 240, and 250 may be installed on surface opposite to the surfaces that face the substrate 110 or 210.
In addition, as described previously, the SAW sensor 100 of
Furthermore, as described previously, the reference resonator 140 or 240, the pressure resonator 130 or 230, and the temperature resonator 150 or 250 comprise the oscillation IDT 131, 141, and 151 or 231, 241, and 251, and the reflective IDTs 132 and 133, 142 and 143, 152 and 153, 232 and 233, 242 and 243, or 252 and 253, respectively. However, a SAW sensor using SAW resonators having a different structure than those of the SAW sensor 100 and 200 may be constituted.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2007-0080322 | Aug 2007 | KR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/KR08/04646 | 8/8/2008 | WO | 00 | 9/29/2010 |