Acoustic wave etch rate sensor system
First Claim
1. An acoustic wave sensor system for monitoring the etchability of a material exposed to an etchant, the sensor system comprising:
- an acoustic wave sensing device having a piezoelectric substrate, and at least one electrode, coupled to said substrate, said at least one electrode being adapted and arranged to generate an acoustic wave propagating in the device upon application of a voltage potential and to transform the propagating wave into an output response, and a a selective material disposed on said substrate, said material being chemically reactive with said etchant such that said material is etchable by said etchant, whereby, said sensing device can provide an output response in which changes in frequency, phase or other propagation characteristics of said wave caused by etching of said selective material can be analyzed to evaluate the etching rate or etchability of said selective material.
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Abstract
An acoustic wave sensor system for monitoring the etch rate or etchability of a selective material has an acoustic wave sensing device having a piezoelectric substrate and at least one electrode coupled to the substrate for generating a propagating acoustic wave and for detecting changes in frequency or other propagation characteristics of the acoustic wave. A selective material is disposed on the substrate. Changes in propagation characteristics of the wave caused by etching of the selective material by an etchant can be analyzed to evaluate the etching rate or etchability of the selective material. The sensing system can have a wireless sensing device which device is mountable in an oil filter system for monitoring the corrosion of the engine. The sensing device can be configured as BAW, SH-SAW, SH-APM, FPM devices or other acoustic wave devices.
36 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An acoustic wave sensor system for monitoring the etchability of a material exposed to an etchant, the sensor system comprising:
an acoustic wave sensing device having a piezoelectric substrate, and at least one electrode, coupled to said substrate, said at least one electrode being adapted and arranged to generate an acoustic wave propagating in the device upon application of a voltage potential and to transform the propagating wave into an output response, and a a selective material disposed on said substrate, said material being chemically reactive with said etchant such that said material is etchable by said etchant, whereby, said sensing device can provide an output response in which changes in frequency, phase or other propagation characteristics of said wave caused by etching of said selective material can be analyzed to evaluate the etching rate or etchability of said selective material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An acoustic wave sensor system for monitoring engine corrosion, the sensor system comprising:
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an acoustic wave sensing device having a piezoelectric substrate, and at least one electrode, coupled to said substrate, said at least one electrode being adapted and arranged to generate an acoustic wave propagating in the device upon application of a voltage potential and to transform the propagating wave into an output response, a selective layer of material disposed on said substrate and having a chemical reactivity such that the selective layer is etchable by degraded engine oil, and wherein said sensing device is adapted and arranged to be mountable in an oil filter system for filtering engine oil, whereby, said sensing device can provide an output response in which changes in frequency, phase or other propagation characteristics of said wave caused by etching of said selective layer can be analyzed to evaluate the etching rate of the selective layer and thereby monitor the degree of engine corrosion caused by said degraded oil. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of sensing the etch rate of a selective material comprising:
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generating an acoustic wave propagating said acoustic wave in a piezoelectric substrate etching a selective material disposed on said substrate transforming said propagating wave into an output response, and analyzing said output response to measure changes in the frequency, phase or other propagation characteristics of said wave caused by said etching. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification