Sensors and Signal Conditioning: 1 - Hardcover

Pallás-Areny, Ramón; Webster, John G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471332321 ISBN 13: 9780471332329

Publisher: Wiley-Interscience, 2000

Synopsis

Praise for the First Edition . . .

"A unique piece of work, a book for electronics engineering, in general, but well suited and excellently applicable also to biomedical engineering . . . I recommend it with no reservation, congratulating the authors for the job performed." -IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology

"Describes a broad range of sensors in practical use and some circuit designs; copious information about electronic components is supplied, a matter of great value to electronic engineers. A large number of applications are supplied for each type of sensor described . . . This volume is of considerable importance."-Robotica

In this new edition of their successful book, renowned authorities Ramon Pallàs-Areny and John Webster bring you up to speed on the latest advances in sensor technology, addressing both the explosive growth in the use of microsensors and improvements made in classical macrosensors. They continue to offer the only combined treatment for both sensors and the signal-conditioning circuits associated with them, following the discussion of a given sensor and its applications with signal-conditioning methods for this type of sensor. New and expanded coverage includes:
* New sections on sensor materials and microsensor technology
* Basic measurement methods and primary sensors for common physical quantities
* A wide range of new sensors, from magnetoresistive sensors and SQUIDs to biosensors
* The widely used velocity sensors, fiber-optic sensors, and chemical sensors
* Variable CMOS oscillators and other digital and intelligent sensors
* 68 worked-out examples and 103 end-of-chapter problems with annotated solutions

About this title

About the Author

RAMON PALLÀS-ARENY, PhD, is a professor at the Technical University of Catalonia (Spain).

JOHN G. WEBSTER, PhD, is a professor at the University of Wisconsin.

From the Back Cover

Praise for the First Edition . . .

"A unique piece of work, a book for electronics engineering, in general, but well suited and excellently applicable also to biomedical engineering . . . I recommend it with no reservation, congratulating the authors for the job performed."
―IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology

"Describes a broad range of sensors in practical use and some circuit designs; copious information about electronic components is supplied, a matter of great value to electronic engineers. A large number of applications are supplied for each type of sensor described . . . This volume is of considerable importance."
―Robotica

In this new edition of their successful book, renowned authorities Ramon Pallàs-Areny and John Webster bring you up to speed on the latest advances in sensor technology, addressing both the explosive growth in the use of microsensors and improvements made in classical macrosensors. They continue to offer the only combined treatment for both sensors and the signal-conditioning circuits associated with them, following the discussion of a given sensor and its applications with signal-conditioning methods for this type of sensor. New and expanded coverage includes:

• New sections on sensor materials and microsensor technology
• Basic measurement methods and primary sensors for common physical quantities
• A wide range of new sensors, from magnetoresistive sensors and SQUIDs to biosensors
• The widely used velocity sensors, fiber-optic sensors, and chemical sensors
• Variable CMOS oscillators and other digital and intelligent sensors
• 68 worked-out examples and 103 end-of-chapter problems with annotated solutions

From the Inside Flap

Praise for the First Edition . . .

"A unique piece of work, a book for electronics engineering, in general, but well suited and excellently applicable also to biomedical engineering . . . I recommend it with no reservation, congratulating the authors for the job performed."
—IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology

"Describes a broad range of sensors in practical use and some circuit designs; copious information about electronic components is supplied, a matter of great value to electronic engineers. A large number of applications are supplied for each type of sensor described . . . This volume is of considerable importance."
—Robotica

In this new edition of their successful book, renowned authorities Ramon Pallàs-Areny and John Webster bring you up to speed on the latest advances in sensor technology, addressing both the explosive growth in the use of microsensors and improvements made in classical macrosensors. They continue to offer the only combined treatment for both sensors and the signal-conditioning circuits associated with them, following the discussion of a given sensor and its applications with signal-conditioning methods for this type of sensor. New and expanded coverage includes:

• New sections on sensor materials and microsensor technology
• Basic measurement methods and primary sensors for common physical quantities
• A wide range of new sensors, from magnetoresistive sensors and SQUIDs to biosensors
• The widely used velocity sensors, fiber-optic sensors, and chemical sensors
• Variable CMOS oscillators and other digital and intelligent sensors
• 68 worked-out examples and 103 end-of-chapter problems with annotated solutions

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Sensors and Signal Conditioning

By Ramon Pallas-Areny John G. Webster

John Wiley & Sons

Copyright © 2000 Ramon Pallas-Areny
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-471-33232-9

Contents

Preface........................................................................xi1 Introduction to Sensor-Based Measurement Systems.............................11.1 General Concepts and Terminology...........................................11.2 Sensor Classification......................................................61.3 General Input-Output Configuration.........................................71.4 Static Characteristics of Measurement Systems..............................121.5 Dynamic Characteristics....................................................211.6 Other Sensor Characteristics...............................................311.7 Primary Sensors............................................................361.8 Materials for Sensors......................................................541.9 Microsensor Technology.....................................................621.10 Problems..................................................................682 Resistive Sensors............................................................732.1 Potentiometers.............................................................732.2 Strain Gages...............................................................802.3 Resistive Temperature Detectors (RTDs).....................................882.4 Thermistors................................................................942.5 Magnetoresistors...........................................................1092.6 Light-Dependent Resistors (LDRs)...........................................1142.7 Resistive Hygrometers......................................................1192.8 Resistive Gas Sensors......................................................1212.9 Liquid Conductivity Sensors................................................1262.10 Problems..................................................................1293 Signal Conditioning for Resistive Sensors....................................1333.1 Measurement of Resistance..................................................1333.2 Voltage Dividers...........................................................1393.3 Wheatstone Bridge: Balance Measurements....................................1523.4 Wheatstone Bridge: Deflection Measurements.................................1543.5 Differential and Instrumentation Amplifiers................................1703.6 Interference...............................................................1843.7 Problems...................................................................1984 Reactance Variation and Electromagnetic Sensors..............................2074.1 Capacitive Sensors.........................................................2074.2 Inductive Sensors..........................................................2204.3 Electromagnetic Sensors....................................................2604.4 Problems...................................................................2725 Signal Conditioning for Reactance Variation Sensors..........................2775.1 Problems and Alternatives..................................................2775.2 ac Bridges.................................................................2815.3 Carrier Amplifiers and Coherent Detection..................................2995.4 Specific Signal Conditioners for Capacitive Sensors........................3135.5 Resolver-to-Digital and Digital-to-Resolver Converters.....................3165.6 Problems...................................................................3226 Self-Generating Sensors......................................................3296.1 Thermoelectric Sensors: Thermocouples......................................3296.2 Piezoelectric Sensors......................................................3456.3 Pyroelectric Sensors.......................................................3576.4 Photovoltaic Sensors.......................................................3636.5 Electrochemical Sensors....................................................3666.6 Problems...................................................................3697 Signal Conditioning for Self-Generating Sensors..............................3757.1 Chopper and Low-Drift Amplifiers...........................................3767.2 Electrometer and Transimpedance Amplifiers.................................3887.3 Charge Amplifiers..........................................................3977.4 Noise in Amplifiers........................................................4037.5 Noise and Drift in Resistors...............................................4217.6 Problems...................................................................4278 Digital and Intelligent Sensors..............................................4338.1 Position Encoders..........................................................4338.2 Resonant Sensors...........................................................4458.3 Variable Oscillators.......................................................4588.4 Conversion to Frequency, Period, or Time Duration..........................4678.5 Direct Sensor-Microcontroller Interfacing..................................4768.6 Communication Systems for Sensors..........................................4868.7 Intelligent Sensors........................................................4928.8 Problems...................................................................4949 Other Sensing Methods........................................................5019.1 Sensors Based on Semiconductor Junctions...................................5019.2 Sensors Based on MOSFET Transistors........................................5229.3 Charge-Coupled and CMOS Image Sensors......................................5259.4 Fiber-Optic Sensors........................................................5339.5 Ultrasonic-Based Sensors...................................................5389.6 Biosensors.................................................................5449.7 Problems...................................................................546Appendix: Solutions to the Problems............................................553Index..........................................................................571

Preface

Sensors have been traditionally used for industrial process control, measurement, and automation, often involving temperature, pressure, flow, and level measurement. Nowadays, sensors enable a myriad of applications fostered by developments in digital electronics and involving the measurement of several physical and chemical quantities in automobiles, aircraft, medical products, office machines, personal computers, consumer electronics, home appliances, and pollution control.

Many of the new application areas for sensors do not pose any severe working conditions and are high-volume consumers. This makes those applications a target for semiconductor-based sensors, particularly sensors built by microfabrication techniques (microsensors), which can be manufactured in large scale. Annual sales of accelerometers and pressure sensors in the automotive industry, along with the annual sales of blood pressure sensors in the medical industry, amount to tens of millions units. Gas sensors, rate sensors, CMOS image sensors, and biosensors can similarly boom.

Classical sensors (or macrosensors) have not been superseded by the new microsensors. Many conventional sensors are still required for specialized applications, so there is no replacement for them in the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, the performance of several integrated circuits commonly used in signal conditioning has improved and allows the design of simpler circuits. Also, there are specific integrated circuits intended for conditioning the signals of common sensors such as thermocouples, RTDs, capacitive sensors, and LVDTs, and microcontrollers have become an inexpensive resource for low-cost, low-resolution analog-to-digital interfacing. Furthermore, the low cost of digital computing has moved part of the calculations and compensations closer to the sensor. The communication with a central controller is increasingly digital, and intelligent (or smart) sensors are being installed in new factories.

This second edition responds to this new scenario from the same point of view of the first edition: that of electronic engineering students or professionals interested in designing measurement systems using available sensors and integrated circuits. For each sensor we describe the working principle, advantages, limitations, types, equivalent circuit, and relevant applications. To clarify sensor types and materials, there is a new section on sensor materials and another on microsensor technology. Microsensors available for different applications are mentioned in the corresponding sections. Sensors are grouped depending on whether (a) they are variable resistors, inductors, capacitors, (b) they generate voltage, charge, or current, or (c) they are digital, semiconductor-junction based, or use some form of radiation. This approach simplifies the study of signal conditioners, which are instrumental in embedding sensors in any electronic system. Basic measurement methods and primary sensors for common physical quantities are described in an expanded section. Further information can be found in J. G. Webster (ed.), The Measurement, Instrumentation, and Sensors Handbook, CRC Press, 1999.

Some new sensors covered are giant magnetoresistive sensors, resistive gas sensors, liquid conductivity sensors, magnetostrictive sensors, SQUIDs, fluxgate magnetometers, Wiegand and pulse-wire sensors, position-sensitive detectors (PSDs), semiconductor-junction nuclear radiation detectors, CMOS image sensors, and biosensors. Several of these have moved from the research stage to the commercialization stage since the publication of the first edition. Velocity sensors, fiber-optic sensors, and chemical sensors, in general, receive expanded coverage because of their wider use.

Signal conditioners use new ICs with improved parameters, which often enable novel approaches to circuit design. Some new topics are error analysis of single-ended amplifiers, current feedback amplifiers, composite amplifiers, and IC current integrators. The section on noise now includes noise fundamentals, noise analysis of transimpedance and charge amplifiers, and noise and drift in resistors. Chapter 8, on digital and intelligent sensors, has been expanded by adding sections on variable oscillators including a sensor, direct microcomputer interfacing, sensor communications, and intelligent sensors.

Because the selection of the sensor influences the sensitivity, accuracy, and stability of the measurement system, we describe a broad range of sensors and list the actual specifications of several commercial sensors in tables elsewhere in the book. We have summarized several relevant specifications of common integrated circuits for signal conditioning in tables. New sections deal with basic statistical analysis of measurement results, and reliability. We give 68 worked-out examples and include a total of 103 end-of-chapter problems, many from actual design cases. The annotated solution to the problems is in an appendix at the end of the book. End-of-chapter references have been updated. For ease of reference, figures for examples or problems are respectively preceded by an E or a P. Line crossings in figures are not a connection, unless indicated by a dot.

In the study of any field, the knowledge of important dates adds perspective. Hence, this book names the discoverer and approximate date of the discovery of different physical laws applied in sensors. This may also help in preventing professionals from thinking that sensors are subsequent to the transistor (1947), the operational amplifier (1963), or the microprocessor (1971). Some sensors existed long before all of them. It is the work of electronic engineers to apply all the capabilities of integrated circuits in order that the information provided by sensors results in more economical, reliable, and efficient systems for the benefit of the humans, who certainly have limited perception but who have unmatched intelligence and creativity.

Ramon Palls-Areny elerpa@eel.upc.es

John G. Webster webster@engr.wisc.edu

Barcelona, Spain Madison, Wisconsin August, 2000

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Sensors and Signal Conditioningby Ramon Pallas-Areny John G. Webster Copyright © 2000 by Ramon Pallas-Areny. Excerpted by permission.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley-Interscience
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0471332321
• ISBN 13: 9780471332329
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 608