Piezoelectric (PE or IEPE) pressure sensors, miniature pressure transducers for dynamic measurements up to 250 bar (3625 psi) / 601C

Due to their high natural frequencies, piezoelectric pressure sensors can be used for a variety of applications where dynamic pressures need to be measured. Another unique characteristic of piezoelectric pressure sensors is their ability to measure small pressure fluctuations that are superimposed on top of high static pressures with exceptional resolution. By contrast, piezoresistive pressure sensors are the right choice when measuring static pressure curves. At the core of the all-welded, hermetically sealed 601C series there is a high performance PiezoStar crystal grown by Kistler. This PiezoStar crystal gives the sensor a far higher sensitivity than an equivalently sized pressure sensor based on synthetic quartz, which results in a lower noise level and so enables lower pressure to be measured more accurately. The pressure to be measured acts on the sensor’s diaphragm and compresses the PiezoStar crystal. The compressed crystal produces a charge which is proportional to the pressure. Finally, the charge signal needs to be converted by a charge amplifier to a voltage which can then be read.