Solid-liquid-gas state transducer: A study of an electro-mechanical system

We describe a transducer that is sensitive to the state of its environment (gas, liquid, or solid). It consists of a piezoelectric bimorph immersed in a medium. A phase change of the medium affects the freedom of motion of the sensor, and thus changes its electrical properties. The observed behavior...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of physics 2007-03, Vol.75 (3), p.197-202
Main Author: Meyer, H. O.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Microelectromechanical systems
Phase transitions
Physics
Sensors
Studies
Transducers
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Description
Summary:We describe a transducer that is sensitive to the state of its environment (gas, liquid, or solid). It consists of a piezoelectric bimorph immersed in a medium. A phase change of the medium affects the freedom of motion of the sensor, and thus changes its electrical properties. The observed behavior of the device is explained by a simple model. The device is easy to realize, can be analyzed theoretically, illustrates several important physics principles, and is well suited for an experiment in an intermediate-level teaching lab.
ISSN:0002-9505
1943-2909
DOI:10.1119/1.2431184