PPCP3-M1: capacitive MEMS pressure sensor with 0.5% FS

With the PPCP3 series, Pewatron is launching a new generation of pressure sensors based on the capacitive measuring principle.

With the PPCP3 series, Pewatron is launching a new generation of pressure sensors based on the capacitive measuring principle.

The capacitive MEMS pressure sensor features an incredibly high resolution (<15 μbar). The PPCP3-M1 is a differential pressure sensor with an SPI or TWI interface. The inside is fitted with a capacitive sensor chip and signal conditioning electronics with a high-resolution ΣΔ ADC for digitalisation.

The capacitive measurement system enjoys advantages in precision, resolution and power consumption (<50 μA @ 1 Hz output rate) compared to common resistive systems . Its positioning flexibility is a further benefit over conventional piezo-resistive sensors where positioning can be a problem, particularly in the low-pressure range. Until now, ceramic pressure sensors based on the capacitive measuring principle have primarily been realised in the field of highly precise filling level measurement. Due to the rapid and extraordinary technological progress made in capacitive measurement in recent years – driven by touchscreens – the time is ripe for a capacitive MEMS pressure sensor.

The PPCP3 series starts with the standard measurement ranges of 100, 350, 500 and 1,000 mbar. Smaller, customized ranges of up to 10 mbar are also possible at the customer's request. The sensor features precision of better than 0.5% FS across a temperature range of 0...60°C. The pressure and temperature values are read digitally. The sensor is housed in a widely used THT casing with pressure connections on the sides. The feed voltage is 3.3 V.

The best technology depends greatly on the measurement task and application. Pewatron will be happy to advise you on choosing the right sensor solution.