A NEW THICK-FILM TILT SENSOR BASED ON THE HEAT TRANSFER PRINCIPLE

Among the various sensor technologies, thick-film technology (TFT) on ceramic substrates offers several appreciable capabilities, e.g., flexibility in choice of material and design, high shock resistance, ease of integration into electronic circuits and packaging. In this application a thick-film tilt sensor has been developed based on heat transfer by natural convection. The device measures internal changes in heat transfer caused by the inclination using the force of gravity as an input. The device is functionally equivalent to traditional proof-mass accelerometer. The proof mass in the new thick-film sensor is a gas. The gaseous proof-mass provides great advantages over the use of the traditional solid proof mass. Preliminary tests on the first prototypes show an accuracy of about 2% full scale output, repeatability of about 0.2° and thermal stability less than 0.2%/° C over a ± 50° range.