Note: a high-sensitivity current sensor based on piezoelectric ceramic Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 and ferromagnetic materials.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Physics

Background:

• Traditional current sensors face limitations in sensitivity and linearity.
• Piezoelectric materials offer potential for novel sensing applications.
• Magnetic field augmentation can enhance sensor performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a new electric current sensor.
• To investigate the use of piezoelectric ceramic Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) for current sensing.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance under varying current and frequency conditions.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a sensor integrating PZT between high permeability cuboids and NdFeB magnets.
• Augmentation of magnetic fields from electric wires using high permeability materials.
• Measurement of voltage output from the PZT element under controlled current and frequency.

Main Results:

• The sensor demonstrated a flat sensitivity of approximately 5.7 mV/A from 30 Hz to 80 Hz at a distance of 5.0 mm.
• A highly linear response was observed in the 1 A to 10 A current range at 50 Hz.
• The average sensitivity was measured to be 5.6 mV/A.

Conclusions:

• The developed PZT-based sensor effectively measures electric current.
• The sensor exhibits promising sensitivity and linearity for practical applications.
• Magnetic field augmentation significantly enhances the piezoelectric response for current sensing.