Thermo-sensitive Quartz Resonator Based on Tuning Fork Technology

A novel high-performance sensor technology for measuring and monitoring temperature is described. This type of temperature sensor using a quartz tuning fork resonator is inherently insensitive to noise because the output is a frequency shift cause by an external temperature. The output can easily be converted into a digital signal and directly connected to a microcontroller without an A-D converter. Fabrication process for quartz tuning forks is realized by employing photolithography and selective etching a method. The operation of a thermo-sensitive quartz tuning-fork resonator and the frequency shift caused by an external temperature has been explained. The temperature sensor is designed with a doubly rotated cut show nearly a linear response with sensitivity about 70ppm/degree within temperature range from -50 degree to 200 degree, the numerical and experimental samples all indicated accuracies of 0.05 degree and a reasonable response time