Development of Planar Inductive Sensor for Proximity Sensing Based on

LTCC

Samuel Zuk1), Alena Pietrikova1) and Igor Vehec1)

1)
Department of Technologies in Electronics, Technical University of Kosice, Slovak Republic
samuel.zuk@tuke.sk

Abstract: This paper is focused on design and realization of the planar inductive sensor system used
for proximity sensing based on Low Temperature Co-fire Ceramics (LTCC). Planar coil consisting of
six layers was designed, produced and measured. Electronic system for driving coil and processing
measured values was developed and realized. Proximity measurement of various metal materials was
realized and results were processed and evaluated.

1. INTRODUCTION Design of a compact, multilayer proximity

Harsh environment, low available space and the
need of inductive proximity sensing are the main
reasons to choose an alternative to standard inductive
sensors. Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC)
system offers very good alternative for producing
planar inductive proximity sensor. Resistance against
high temperatures and negative impact of given
environment [1, 2], ability to produce planar
conductors in tenth of micro-meter resolution, stacking
single ceramic sheets to reduce needed length of coil
winding and dimension of the coil itself [3], and an
ability to operate in high frequency area predetermines
using LTCC as a basic substrate for planar inductor
coil. Reducing total size of sensing device and
increasing reliability of sensing module can be
achieved by integrating sensors driving electronic
system together with planar coil into multilayer LTCC
module.
Inductive sensing system is based on penetration of
electromagnetic field generated by sensors coil into
target. Own electromagnetic fields that react with the
sensors coil field are generated by currents induced in
target material, so minimum considerations on target
size and thickness are required [4, 5]. With raising
driven frequency sensed targets minimum thickness
goes down. Reducing planar coils dimensions and
working at higher frequencies (MHz range) sensing
even small and thin conductive targets can be achieved
[6].
inductive sensor element with small dimensions, but
long range sensing distance, and universal electronic
module for driving inductive sensors and processing
measured values is presented in this paper.
2. DESIGN OF THE INDUCTIVE SENSING
ELEMENT
Accepting advantages and disadvantages of
different coil shapes and also of technological
possibilities of LTCC technology for given coils shape
[7, 8], geometrical parameters of the developed planar
inductive sensor were determined. To minimize loses
and to obtain the best performance of inductive sensor
for our application, coil with circle shape shows as the
ideal option.
2.1. Coils parameters calculation
To calculate inductance L of single-layer planar coil
of different shapes, Eq. (1) [9] is used:
n 2 d AVG c1 c2
L K1 0 ln c3 c4 2 (1)
1 K 2
Where 0 is the permeability of free space, n is the
number of turns of the planar coil, K1, K2 and c1 to c4
are constants geometry dependent on the shape of the
inductor (for circle, c1=1, c2=2.46, c3=0, c4=0.2), is
the coil fill ratio and is equal to Eq. (2):

978-1-5090-1389-0/16/$31.00 2016 IEEE 413 2016 39th International Spring Seminar on Electronics Technology (ISSE)
 d OUT d IN (VNA) N5231A by Keysight Technologies (Fig. 2).
(2) Fluctuations in Fig. 2 are caused by measurement step
d OUT d IN of used VNA. At the frequencies higher than 14 MHz
Where dIN and dOUT is the inner and outer diameter a parasitic effect of capacitance given by planar
of the coil, respectively, and dAVG is the average structure of coil appears. Developed coil reaches the
diameter of the turns equal to Eq. (3): quality factor of 3.

d IN d OUT
d AVG . (3)
2
Complete calculated parameters of developed coil
are listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Complete calculated parameters of developed coil.
Fig. 1. Six layers coil for use in inductive proximity sensor.
Parameter Value
Outer diameter of coil 16.82 mm
Inner diameter of coil 7.82 mm
Geometric mean diameter 0.338
Number of layers 6
Turns per layer 8
Trace width 0.25 mm
Spacing between traces 0.25 mm
Conductor paste thickness 0.02 mm
Self-inductance per layer 0.954 H
Fig. 2. Planar coils inductance vs. frequency dependence.
Total inductance 22.556 H
AC resistance 8.807
3. DESIGN OF THE DRIVING ELECTRONIC
DC resistance 6.107 MODULE FOR INDUCTIVE SENSING ELEMENT
Coil length per layer 297.069 mm
Spacing between layers 0.2 mm There are several possibilities to drive an inductive
Coil fill ratio 0.494 proximity sensor, every with its advantages and
Skin depth 0.026 disadvantages [10]:
Self-resonant frequency 14.593 MHz fixed crystal or oscillator. Using fixed crystal or
Resonance impedance 25611.29 oscillator brings advantages of simple circuit
design and frequency and temperature stability. To
2.2. Coils realization reach defined oscillation frequency, an inductor or
Sample prototype coil with parameters listed in the capacitor tuning is required. When another
Table 1. was fabricated using DuPont 6145 silver oscillator frequency is needed, new driving
cofireable conductor paste printed on DuPont electronic circuit must be build. Another electronic
GreenTape 951PX ceramic sheets with 254 m system (e.g. microcontroller) is needed for
thickness. Sensors coil has circle shape with 15.82 mm processing measured values.
diameter, conductor width and spacing between Collpits, Clapp or Hartley oscillators. These types
conductors of 250 m/250 m and consist of six layers. of oscillators are known for wide frequency range
Printing coils conductor with even small dimensions and frequency stability.
was not affected by moir pattern. Top sides demodulation circuits, such as frequency
topology of the developed planar coil as one part of 6 modulation (FM), amplitude modulation, phase
layers structure design is presented in the Fig. 1. detection and balanced bridge. High resolution,
Inductance of coil in the frequency range from 300 kHz linearity, high frequency response and low noise
to 15 MHz was measured by Vector Network Analyzer are the main advantages of using FM.

978-1-5090-1389-0/16/$31.00 2016 IEEE 414 2016 39th International Spring Seminar on Electronics Technology (ISSE)
 inductance to digital converters (LDCs.).
Inductance to digital converter was considered as an
ideal option for purpose of driving a developed coil.
3.1. LDC based driving electronic module
Inductance to digital converters are the devices that
simultaneously measures resonant frequency and an
impedance of connected parallel LC resonant circuit.
The oscillation amplitude of resonant circuit is
regulated to a constant level in a closed-loop
configuration, and by monitoring the power injected
into resonant circuit, parallel resistance Rp of the coil is
determined. By measuring the oscillation frequency of
resonant circuit, the inductance of resonant circuit is
determined. LDCs are available in a wide range of
configurations [11]:
solution. For our proximity sensing application, Texas
Instruments LDC1000 inductance to digital converter
was chosen. Detail specifications of this device are
listed in Table 2. Functional block diagram and typical
application of LDC1000 inductance to digital converter
are presented in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, respectively.
ATmega328 microcontroller circuit is used for
processing of measured values and communication
with computer. To drive a wide range of different coils,
simple program for calibration before the start of
sensing was written.

1/2/4 input channels,

3,3V/5V operation voltage (analog + digital),
I2C/SPI interface,
12/24/28 bits inductance resolution,
8/16 bits parallel resonance impedance resolution,
Fig. 3. Functional block diagram of LDC1000 [12].
1.8V up to 4V oscillation amplitude,
1 kHz to 10 MHz / 5 kHz to 5 MHz sensor
frequency,
parallel resistance range from 798 to 3.93 M,
catalog or automotive rating.

Table 2. Texas Instruments LDC1000 Inductance to Digital

converter specifications [12].

Parameter Value
Number of channels 1
Supply voltage (analog, digital) 5V
Interface SPI
Inductance resolutions 24 bits
Fig. 4. LDC1000s typical application [12].
Oscillation amplitude 1V4V
Sensor frequency 5 kHz 5 MHz 3.2. LDC1000 inductance calculations
Parallel LC circuit resonance 798 - 3.93 M There are two values that can be read from
range LDC1000 using SPI communication proximity data
Parallel resonance impedance 16 bits (PD) and frequency data (FD). To calculate inductance
resolution L of the coil, Eq. (4) [12] is being used:
Rating automotive
1
L (4)
C 2 f sensor
2
With minimum external components required,
LDCs provides a reasonable solution for inductive Where C is the parallel capacitance of the resonator
sensing from the view of reliability and all-in-one chip and fsensor is the sensor frequency equal to Eq. (5):

978-1-5090-1389-0/16/$31.00 2016 IEEE 415 2016 39th International Spring Seminar on Electronics Technology (ISSE)
 1 f Measured values of PD and FD depending on
f sensor ext t res (5) distance from target are presented at the Fig. 7 and the
3 f count
Fig. 8, respectively. Calculated values of parallel
Where fext is the external clocks frequency, fcount is resistance RP and inductance L of developed coil are
obtained FD and tres is the programmed response time. presented at the Fig. 9 and the Fig. 10, respectively.
These measurements were done with three different
Eq. (6) [12] is used to calculate resonance target materials aluminum, solder material and
impedance Rp of parallel resonant circuit from obtained copper.
PD:
At the Fig. 7 to the Fig. 10 it can be seen, that for
RP _ MAX RP _ MIN distances from 4 mm to about 10 mm developed
Rp (6)
PD PD inductive proximity sensing system is able to recognize
RP _ MIN 1 15 R p _ MAX 15 targets from different materials. After the distance of
2 2
10 mm is overreached, inductive sensing system is only
Where RP_MAX and RP_MIN are programmed able recognize presence of metal based target.
maximum and minimum RP that LDC1000 must
measure, respectively. These parameters configures the
input dynamic range of this device.

4. RESULTS

Complete developed LTCC inductive proximity

sensor is presented in the Fig. 5. Sensing coil and
electronic module are connected using SMA cable.

Fig. 7. Measured PD in dependence of distance from target

for three different targets.

Fig. 5. Complete developed LTCC based inductive

proximity sensor.

To characterize developed inductive proximity system,

measurements of axial proximity according to Fig. 6 was
done. To obtain comparable results according of inductive Fig. 8. Measured FD in dependence of distance from target
proximity sensing requirements [9], this measurements were for three different targets.
done with three targets of different material but thickness of
every material was at least 3 mm and the area of used targets
was at least twice in compare of sensing coils area.

Fig. 6. Principle of inductive proximity sensing Fig. 9. Calculated parallel resistance RP of developed coil in
measurement [11] dependence of distance from the target for different targets.

978-1-5090-1389-0/16/$31.00 2016 IEEE 416 2016 39th International Spring Seminar on Electronics Technology (ISSE)

Fig. 10. Calculated inductance L of developed coil in
dependence of distance from target for different targets.
The best sensitivity of planar inductivity sensor is in
the distance range from 4 mm to 7 mm. For the
measuring distances under 3 mm, sensor must be
recalibrated. According to datasheet of LDC1000
inductance to digital converter, minimum proximity
range that this device can measure is about 0.8 mm.
5. CONCLUSION
In this paper, compact inductive system based on
LTCC was introduced and characterized. Planar coil
consisting of six layers was calculated, designed and its
parameters were measured. Compact electronic module
for driving and processing of inductive proximity
sensor was designed. Developed inductive proximity
sensor system was characterized and proximity
measurements for the targets of three various metal
material in the distance range of 4 mm to 20 mm were
made. This inductive proximity sensing system will be
used for education purposes in sensors field. Because
of able to drive a coil in a wide frequency range, driving
electronic system will be the base for our future work.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
"Paper is the result of the Project
implementation: University Science Park
TECHNICOM for Innovation
Applications Supported by Knowledge
Technology, ITMS: 26220220182,
supported by the Research &
Development Operational Programme
funded by the ERDF." We support
research activities in Slovakia. This
project is being co-financed by the EU.
This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development
Agency under the contract No. APVV-14-0085: Development of New
Generation Joints of Power Electronics Using Nonstandard Sn-Based
Alloys.
978-1-5090-1389-0/16/$31.00 2016 IEEE 417
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2016 39th International Spring Seminar on Electronics Technology (ISSE)