Multiple Quartz Crystals Connected in Parallel for High-Resolution Sensing of Capacitance Changes

We present a new highly sensitive, low-value capacitance sensor method that uses multiple quartz crystals connected in parallel inside the oscillator. In the experimental setup, the measured (sensible) reactance (capacitance) is connected in parallel to the total shunt capacitance of the quartz crystals, oscillating in the oscillator. Because AT-cut crystals have a certain nonlinear frequency−temperature dependence, we use the switching mode method, by which we achieve a temperature compensation of the AT-cut crystals’ frequency−temperature characteristics in the temperature range between 0−50 °C. The oscillator switching method also compensates for any other influences on the frequency of the oscillator, such as ageing of the crystals and oscillator elements, supply voltage fluctuations, and other parasitic impedances in the oscillating circuit. Subsequently using two 50-ms-delayed switches between the measuring and reference capacitors, the experimental error in measuring the capacitance is lowered for measurements under a dynamic temperature variation in the range of 0−50 °C. The experimental results show that the switching method, which includes a multiple quartz connection and high-temperature compensation improvement of the quartz crystals’ characteristics, enables a sub-aF resolution. It converts capacitance changes in the range 10 zF−200 fF to frequencies in the range 4 kHz−100 kHz.