A radio-frequency moving-boundary detector

A new type of moving-boundary detector is described in which boundaries are detected at platinum ring electrodes situated on the outside of a moving-boundary tube. These rings are part of a bridge circuit operating at radio frequencies. Impedance changes in the region of the rings are converted by a phase-sensitive detector to a voltage output which, when operating in the differential mode, takes the form of a sharp peak as a boundary passes through the rings. Boundary displacements of less then 20 m can be detected, and a precision of better than 0.02% is obtained in the measurement of boundary velocities in typical transference measurements. The fact that only three electrical leads are required in the detecting circuit gives this detector a decided advantage for high-pressure work. Equally important is the elimination of electrode polarization problems associated with other types of electrical detectors.Taken, in part, from a Ph.D. thesis, Carnegie-Mellon University, 1971.