This paper proposes a high sensitivity electric field microsensor (EFM) based on torsional resonance. The proposed microsensor adopts torsional shutter, which is composed of shielding electrodes and torsional beams. The movable shielding electrodes and the fixed sensing electrodes are fabricated on the same plane and interdigitally arranged. Push–pull electrostatic actuation method is employed to excite the torsional shutter. Simulation results proved that the torsional shutter has higher efficiency of charge induction. The optimization of structure parameters was conducted to improve its efficiency of charge induction further. A micromachining fabrication process was developed to fabricate the EFM. Experiments were conducted to characterize the EFM. A good linearity of 0.15% was achieved within an electrostatic field range of 0–50 kV/m, and the uncertainty was below 0.38% in the three roundtrip measurements. A high sensitivity of 4.82 mV/(kV/m) was achieved with the trans-resistance of 100 MΩ, which is improved by at least one order of magnitude compared with previously reported EFMs. The efficiency of charge induction for this microsensor reached 48.19 pA/(kV/m).

To improve the sensitivity and stability, a novel mode-localization resonant MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) electric field sensor based on closed-loop feedback is presented in this paper. The sensor is based on the principle that the mode localization effect can dramatically increase the sensitivity of a resonant system. Moreover, in order to detect the electric field in real-time and improve the resolution and stability of the sensor, closed-loop feedback is introduced. One of the output signals of the sensor is fed back to the input port, where the output signal has been processed by a phase-locked loop part and automatic gain control part. This paper analyzes amplitude-frequency characteristics, phase-frequency characteristics, sensitivity, and output characteristics by modeling, theoretical calculation, and finite element simulation. The device prototype is fabricated based on SOI process. Tested in vacuum conditions, the minimum detectable electrostatic field of the sensor is better than 10V/m, the accuracy of the sensor is 5.3%, and the repeatability is 0.56%.

One of the major concerns in the development of three-dimensional (3D) electric field sensors (EFSs) is their susceptibility to cross-axis coupling interference. The output signal for each sensing axis of a 3D EFS is often coupled by electric field components from the two other orthogonal sensing axes. In this paper, a one-dimensional (1D) electric field sensor chip (EFSC) with low cross-axis coupling interference is presented. It is designed to be symmetrical, forming a pair of in-plane symmetrically-located sensing structures. Using a difference circuit, the 1D EFSC is capable of sensing parallel electric fields along symmetrical structures and eliminating cross-axis coupling interference, which is contrast to previously reported 1D EFSCs designed for perpendicular electric field component measurement. Thus, a 3D EFS with low cross-axis coupling interference can be realized using three proposed 1D EFSCs. This 3D EFS has the advantages of low cross-axis coupling interference, small size, and high integration. The testing and calibration systems of the proposed 3D EFS were developed. Experimental results show that in the range of 0–120 kV/m, cross-axis sensitivities are within 5.48%, and the total measurement errors of this 3D EFS are within 6.16%.

High-altitude electric fields are a critical parameter of electricity in the atmosphere. Due to such drawbacks as their bulk and high cost, traditional electric field mills are not available for daily atmospheric sounding purposes. This paper introduces a highly sensitive and robust electric field sounding sensor based on an existent micro-electro-mechanical systems chip and a new protective package that augments sensor sensitivity. To gain high sensitivity, an innovative external metal electrode connects to the electric field microchip's package cap, hangs down out of the guardian foam, and effectively enhances the local electric field near the microchip due to the distortion effect. This distortion regularity was studied during a series of finite element simulations, calibrations, and comparison experiments. With a 1.5-meter-long external electrode, the sensitivity of the sensor reached 465 mV/kV/m with a resolution that was better than 10 V/m in an actual long-term ground comparison test. Furthermore, the microsensor chip and its circuit are protected inside a foam while the metal electrode is exposed outside, therefore gaining a robust stability during harsh environments such as low temperature, rainfall, etc. To examine the performances, we built an electric field sounding system, including the electric field sensor, a radiosonde, and a receiving antenna, and measured high-altitude electric fields in various weather conditions. Intended for atmospheric electricity research, our innovative electric field sounding sensor would be especially propitious if integrated with a radiosonde and applicable to daily sounding services.

This paper proposes an electric field microsensor (EFM) with mutual shielding electrodes. Based on the charge-induction principle, the EFM consists of fixed electrodes and piezoelectric-driving vertically-movable electrodes. All the fixed electrodes and movable electrodes work as both sensing electrodes and shielding electrodes. In other words, all the fixed and movable electrodes are sensing electrodes, and they are mutually shielding electrodes simultaneously. The movable electrodes are driven to periodically modulate the electric field distribution at themselves and the fixed electrodes, and the induced currents from both movable and fixed electrodes are generated simultaneously. The electrode structure adopts an interdigital structure, and the EFM has been simulated by finite element methods. Simulation results show that, since the sensing area of this EFM is doubled, the variation of induced charge is twice, and therefore the output signal of the sensor is increased. The piezoelectric material, lead zirconate titanate (PZT), is prepared by the sol–gel method, and the microsensor chip is fabricated.

The paper presents a novel non-contact microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) voltage sensor based on the piezoresistive effect of single-crystal silicon. The novelty of the proposed sensor design lies in the implementation of unique single-crystal silicon piezoresistive beams for voltage measurement. The sensitive structure of the sensor produces electrostatic force deformation due to the measured voltage, resulting in the resistance change of single-crystal silicon piezoresistive beams which support a vibrating diaphragm. The voltage can be measured by sensing the resistance change. Moreover, the sensor does not need an additional driving signal and has lower power consumption. The prototype of the sensor was fabricated using an SOI micromachining process. The piezoresistive characteristics of the sensor and the corresponding output response relationship were analyzed through theoretical analysis and finite element simulation. The voltage response characteristics of the sensor were achieved at power frequencies from 50 Hz to 1000 Hz in the paper. The experimental results showed that they were in good agreement with simulations results with the theoretical model and obtained good response characteristics. The sensor has demonstrated that the minimum detectable voltages were 1 V for AC voltages at frequencies from 50 Hz to 300 Hz and 0.5 V for AC voltages at frequencies from 400 Hz to 1000 Hz, respectively. Moreover, the linearities of the sensor were 3.4% and 0.93% in the voltage measurement range of 900–1200 V at the power frequency of 50 Hz and in the voltage measurement range of 400–1200 V at the frequency of 200 Hz, respectively.