A Quartz Resonator Pressure Transducer

A digital pressure transducer has been developed utilizing a precision 5 MHz piezoelectric quartz resonator. The circular resonator exhibits linear changes in frequency when subjected to radial compressive stresses. A cylindrical quartz tube, integral with the circular resonator, acts as a diaphragm and transfers and concentrates the stress from the applied pressure onto the periphery of the resonator. Since the tube and resonator are fabricated from a single quartz crystal, nonelastic effects are minimized. The transducer has a dynamic range of 10
⁷
and a pressure range of 0 to 10
⁴
psia.