Integrated circuit piezoelectric sensor

The abbreviation stands for IEPE Integrated Electronics Piezo Electric. It denotes an industry standard for piezoelectric sensors with built-in impedance conversion electronics. It may be acceleration, force and pressure sensors. Also for measurement microphones of the IEPE standard will be applied.

The constant current electronic sensor, typically constructed as a charge amplifier which converts the high impedance signal from the piezoelectric material into a voltage signal with a low impedance of about 100 Ω. A low impedance sensor signal is advantageous because it can be transferred loss over long cables. In addition, to dispense with the special low noise cable otherwise required in piezoelectric sensors.

The sensor electronics is supplied with a constant current, which is usually 2 to 20 mA. The specificity of IEPE principle is that the supply current and the sensor signal may be transmitted together via a simple coaxial cable. About the sensor is formed when supplied with constant current, a positive bias voltage, which typically is from 8 to 12 volts. The actual measurement signal of the sensor is superimposed as an AC voltage with this bias voltage.

From the Meter, the input bias voltage is kept to a coupling capacitor, and only the signal voltage of the sensor is processed. The IEPE constant current supply is integrated into the inputs of many instruments that work with piezoelectric sensors or measuring microphones.

Piezolelektrische sensors without electronics, ie with charge output, while applications remain reserved, where high operating temperatures, an extremely wide dynamic range, a very energy -saving operation or an extremely small size are required.