Novel piezoelectric thin film impact sensor: application in non-destructive material discrimination

Joshi, Sudeep and Hegde, GM and Nayak, MM and Rajanna, K (2013) Novel piezoelectric thin film impact sensor: application in non-destructive material discrimination. In: Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 199 . pp. 272-282.

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Abstract

We report on the design, development, and performance study of a packaged piezoelectric thin film impact sensor, and its potential application in non-destructive material discrimination. The impact sensing element employed was a thin circular diaphragm of flexible Phynox alloy. Piezoelectric ZnO thin film as an impact sensing layer was deposited on to the Phynox alloy diaphragm by RF reactive magnetron sputtering. Deposited ZnO thin film was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. The d(31) piezoelectric coefficient value of ZnO thin film was 4.7 pm V-1, as measured by 4-point bending method. ZnO film deposited diaphragm based sensing element was properly packaged in a suitable housing made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) material. Packaged impact sensor was used in an experimental set-up, which was designed and developed in-house for non-destructive material discrimination studies. Materials of different densities (iron, glass, wood, and plastic) were used as test specimens for material discrimination studies. The analysis of output voltage waveforms obtained reveals lots of valuable information about the impacted material. Impact sensor was able to discriminate the test materials on the basis of the difference in their densities. The output response of packaged impact sensor shows high linearity and repeatability. The packaged impact sensor discussed in this paper is highly sensitive, reliable, and cost-effective.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Sensors and Actuators A: Physical
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science.
Keywords:	Impact Sensor; Flexible Substrate; Piezoelectricity; RF Sputtering; ZnO Thin Film
Department/Centre:	Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Nano Science and Engineering Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Instrumentation Appiled Physics
Date Deposited:	23 Sep 2013 09:54
Last Modified:	23 Sep 2013 09:54
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/47392

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