Development of 2V sensitivity static electricity sensor with vertically mounted large electrode

This paper reports a very high sensitivity static electricity sensor assembled with a vertically mounted large area electrode. The electrode is fabricated by perforation of single crystalline silicon, and automatically aligned on an electrostatic actuator stage. The sensor measures a charged voltage of measuring object surface using a 4×4 mm² electrode driven at the resonant frequency in vertical direction to the object surface. The charged voltage of surface is in proportion to the alternative current caused by change of capacitance existing between the electrode and surface. Realized resolution of static electricity was 1.96V, and it is about 100 times higher performance than the previously reported MEMS static electricity sensor.