Electric field detectors in a coupled ring configuration: preliminary results
Bruno Andò, Salvatore Baglio, F. Di Grande, F. Passaniti, Nicolo Savalli, Visarath In, Adi R. Bulsara · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2006
This paper deals with a novel strategy for the detection of weak static electric fields. The approach proposed here is based on the exploitation of the nonlinear behaviors shown by a circuit made up by the ring connection of an odd number of elements containing a ferroelectric capacitor. The presence of a weak external dc perturbation interacting with the system state can be detected and quantified via its effect on the oscillation frequency and on the asymmetry of the system output signals. The dynamic behavior of the ferroelectric ring can be described by using the equations of the "quartic double well" potential that model the ferroelectric capacitors where the target electric field is considered as a perturbation in the polarization status of each ferroelectric element. Simulation results have been obtained where it can be observed, for a coupling factor greater than the critical one, as related to the external field amplitude, the change in the harmonic content of the permanent oscillation that the coupled system generates. A detailed spice model of the ferroelectric capacitor and of the ring circuit will be described in this paper together with some results regarding the experimental characterization and modeling of ferroelectric capacitors to be included in the actual circuit. Several experimental confirmation have been already obtained. Work is currently in progress toward the realization of a novel ring circuit that will include the ferroelectric capacitors presented here.