ELEC-E5710 - Sensors and Measurement Methods Sensors, Uncertainty

Exercise Session 1, 8.3.2022 10:15 – 12:00

Model solutions

1. Let us study temperature sensor AD590. This is a semiconductor-based temperature sensor that
provides current that is proportional to temperature.
https://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/ad590.pdf
See through the specifications and answer the following questions.
a) How would you characterize the sensor in terms of
active vs passive,
direct vs complex,
and absolute vs relative?
b) How does the detector output correspond to measured temperature, i.e., what is the
measurement equation i = f(T)? Are we talking about linear, logarithmic, or some other
kind of sensor?
i = 1 A/K · T[K]
Note that the temperature in the equation is in Kelvin. If you want to use degrees Celcius,
you need to take into account, that the detector gives out a signal of 298.2 A at the
temperature of 25 °C, so you need an offset. In the slope term, it is of course possible to
use K or °C, since they are the same. Just the zero is shifted.
c) Find / derive the following characteristics for the sensor. Please note that the sensor has
variants with different specifications.
a. Sensitivity
Sensitivity = 1 A/K
b. Span
Range = -55 - +150 C
=> Span = 205 C
c. Dynamic range
In this case, the dynamic range can be defined as the smallest detectable change divided by
the span of the sensor. Span was determined to be 205 C. The lowest detectable
temperature change is limited by the repeatability that is specified as ±0.1 C. This value
has 100% confidence level, thus we assume uniform distribution for it. Assuming uniform
distribution, we derive the standard uncertainty due to resolution as ur = 0.1 C / 3 =
0.0577 C. Dynamic range thus becomes 20 * lg(205 / 0.0577) = 71.0 dB
d. Linearity
Linearity depends on the version of the sensor. With the cheapest version AD590J the
(non)linearity is ±1.5 C. With the most accurate (and most expensive) version AD590M
the (non)linearity is ±0.3 C. It is worth noting that you get what you pay for. The cheapest
ELEC-E5710 - Sensors and Measurement Methods Sensors, Uncertainty

AD590JF (2 pins, flat-pack) costs 24.45 € for one piece. The same sensor with the best
tolerances AD590MF costs 86.53 € for one piece. (Prices from Farnell).
e. Accuracy
The accuracy depends on the version. There are also accuracies for various scenarios
defined. If you use the sensor “as is” and do not make any corrections, the accuracy
throughout the operational range -55 - +150 C is specified as ±10 K – ±1.7 K (ranging
from AD590J to AD590M).
If you make a calibration at 25 °C, i.e., you note the difference and correct for it by
trimming (with electronics or calculation) the gain so that the difference disappears, the
accuracy is specified to be ±3.0 – ±1.0 K throughout the operational range.
Finally, if you make a two-point calibration e.g. at 0 °C and 100 °C temperatures, you are
limited with nonlinearity, which is specified to be ±1.5 C – ±0.3 C
f. Repeatability and noise
Repeatability = ±0.1 K
Noise is characterized as noise density 40 pA/Hz. You need to integrate this over your
measurement bandwidth to see how much noise your measurement contains. Measurement
bandwidth is typically limited with the bandwidth of measurement devices, or integration
times. A good amplifier may have a bandwidth of e.g. 1 MHz. Using integration time of
1 s in your measurement reduces this to 1 Hz.
d) Present / design a simple electrical circuit to convert the signal of AD590 to voltage. What
aspects do you have to pay attention to when selecting components?
Data sheets typically give useful sample circuits, and this is the case with AD590 as well.
Figure 10 gives a simple circuit with which one can compensate for the gain error by using
calibration at one known temperature, and by adjusting a trimmer resistor (potentiometer
R). Figure 13 shows a circuit, where one can do two point calibration e.g. at at 0 °C and
100 °C temperatures by adjusting two trimmers R1 and R2.

In all connections, you have to keep in mind that the voltage across AD590 needs to be
within 4 – 30 V. Higher voltages may damage the sensor, and if the voltage drops below
4 V, the sensor becomes nonlinear as indicated in Figure 8.
ELEC-E5710 - Sensors and Measurement Methods Sensors, Uncertainty

2. Resistive displacement sensor. Potentiometer R2 is used as a displacement sensor by measuring the

voltage as shown in Figure 1. The length of the slide of the potentiometer is 10 cm.
a) Determine the non-linearity caused by the input impedance R1 of the voltmeter as a function of
displacement or show a formula for ΔU, which is the deviation of the voltage reading from the ideal
case (R1 = ∞).
b) Find the maximum error caused by the non-linearity in the measured voltage [mV] and the
corresponding displacement [m].

Figure 1. Potentiometer as a displacement sensor.

EXAMPLE SOLUTION

Figure 2. Equivalent circuit. Input resistance R1 = 1 M, the total resistance of the potentiometer R2 =
1 k and the source voltage US = 5 V.

d
a) In Figure 2, let’s mark x = . Let’s mark the input voltage as US and the output voltage as Uout.
d0
ELEC-E5710 - Sensors and Measurement Methods Sensors, Uncertainty

𝑈𝑜𝑢𝑡 (𝑥) 𝑅1 ‖𝑥𝑅2

=
𝑈𝑆 𝑅1 ‖𝑥𝑅2 + (1 − 𝑥)𝑅2

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑥
⁄(𝑅 +𝑅 𝑥)
1 2
=
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑥
⁄(𝑅 +𝑅 𝑥) + (1 − 𝑥)𝑅2
1 2

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑥
=
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑥 + (𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑥)(1 − 𝑥)𝑅2

1
=
(𝑅 + 𝑅2 𝑥)(1 − 𝑥)𝑅2
1+ 1 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑥

1
=
1 𝑅2
+ (1 − 𝑥)
𝑥 𝑅1
For the ideal case, R1 = ∞(infinite). Nonlinearity is the deviation of our derived equation from this
ideal case. To keep equations simpler, let’s keep the values relative, and study the relative difference.
1
𝑁𝐿𝑟𝑒𝑙 (𝑥) = −𝑥
1 𝑅2
+ (1 − 𝑥)
𝑥 𝑅1

𝑅2
1−1+ (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 )
𝑅1
=
1 𝑅2
(1
𝑥 + 𝑅1 − 𝑥)

𝑅2 2
(𝑥 − 𝑥 3 )
𝑅1
=
𝑅
1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 )
1

Let’s find the maximum for this equation by studying the derivative. Using quotient rule
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotient_rule) yields:

𝑅2 𝑅 𝑅 𝑅
(2𝑥 − 3𝑥 2 ) ∙ (1 + 2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 )) − 2 (1 − 2𝑥) ∙ 2 (𝑥 2 − 𝑥 3 )
𝑅1 𝑅1 𝑅1 𝑅1
𝑁𝐿𝑟𝑒𝑙 ′ (𝑥) = 2
𝑅
(1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 ))
1
ELEC-E5710 - Sensors and Measurement Methods Sensors, Uncertainty

𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅
2) (𝑥
𝑅1 ((2𝑥 − 3𝑥 ∙ (1 + 𝑅1 − 𝑥
2 ))
− 𝑅2 (1 − 2𝑥) ∙ (𝑥 2 − 𝑥 3 ))
1
= 2
𝑅
(1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 ))
1

𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅
2) (𝑥
𝑅1 ((2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 𝑅1 − 𝑥
2 )(2𝑥
− 3𝑥 2 ) − 𝑅2 (1 − 2𝑥) ∙ (𝑥 2 − 𝑥 3 ))
1
2
𝑅
(1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 ))
1

𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅
2) (2𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 3 − 2𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 4 ) − 2 (𝑥 2 − 𝑥 3 − 2𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 4 ))
𝑅1 ((2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 𝑅1 𝑅1
2
𝑅
(1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 ))
1

𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅
2) (−3𝑥 3 − 2𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 3 + 𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 4 ) − 2 (−2𝑥 2 + 𝑥 2 ))
𝑅1 ((2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 𝑅1 𝑅1
2
𝑅
(1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 ))
1

𝑅2 𝑅 𝑅
− 3𝑥 2 ) + 2 (−2𝑥 3 + 𝑥 4 ) − 2 (−𝑥 2 ))
𝑅1 ((2𝑥 𝑅1 𝑅1
2
𝑅
(1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 ))
1

𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅
(−2𝑥 2 + 𝑥 3 ) − 2 (−𝑥))
𝑅1 𝑥 ((2 − 3𝑥) + 𝑅1 𝑅1
2
𝑅
(1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 ))
1

𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅2 2 𝑅2 3
𝑅1 𝑥 (2 − (3 + 𝑅1 ) 𝑥 − 2 𝑅1 𝑥 + 𝑅1 𝑥 )
2
𝑅
(1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 ))
1

This derivative has a zero value (other than x = 0 which is not acceptable) when
𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅2
2 − (3 + ) 𝑥 − 2 𝑥2 + 𝑥3 = 0
𝑅1 𝑅1 𝑅1
This function is zero when x = 0.6663. (Numerical solution with Excel, R2/R1 = 1 kΩ/1 MΩ = 0.001).

Taking into account the length of the slide, l = 10 cm, we note that maximum error takes place at d =
6.667 cm. The maximum error can be calculated with the earlier derived function
𝑅2 2
(𝑥 − 𝑥 3 )
𝑅1
𝑁𝐿𝑟𝑒𝑙 (𝑥) =
𝑅
1 + 𝑅2 (𝑥 − 𝑥 2 )
1

= 0.000148 ∙ 10 cm = 14.8 𝜇m.

ELEC-E5710 - Sensors and Measurement Methods Sensors, Uncertainty

A much simpler solution can be obtained by just plotting the nonlinearity curve with x = 0 – 1. Figure
3 shows the shape of the error curve. The figure has been plotted as the error in the voltage and as a
function of the slide position in [cm]. We can confirm that the previously determined maximum non-
linearity in the measured voltage is 0.74 mV at the position d = 6.7.

0.8

0.7

Siirtymävirhe Uout - Ulin [mV]

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Siirtymä d [cm]

Figure 3. The non-linearity error as a function of d.