Aluminum Oxide is a sensing technology that provides dew point and parts-per-million measurements of moisture, with results that are free of drift and insensitive to temperature changes. Used in a range of industrial and UHP gas applications, it is at the heart of our AquaXact 1688 moisture transmitter.
Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) sensors work by measuring the capacitance between the aluminum core and a gold film deposited on the oxide layer. The capacitance varies according to the water vapor content in the pores of the oxide layer.
The ultra-thin Al2O3 sensors have three innovative structural improvements that offer better performance than traditional Al2O3 sensors, with advantages for sensitivity and stability.
1. A much thinner oxide layer: This results in higher capacitance, since this is inversely proportional to the distance of the capacitor’s plates from each other. Higher capacitance results in a more sensitive measurement. The thinner layer also allows water molecules to travel in and out of the pores more quickly, ensuring a faster response.
2. A better-defined barrier layer: The sharply defined barrier means that the sensor’s wet to dry capacitance ratio is very high, reducing the effects of any drift due to undesirable factors. It also reduces metal migration, one of the major causes of drift in conventional Al2O3 sensors.
3. Unique pore geometry: Holding more water than conventional sensors, the ordered pore geometry increases the change in capacitance for a given change in dew point. This means greater accuracy and a quicker response. It is also more stable, so only annual calibration checks are needed when the sensor is used in clean, non-corrosive gases.
In some analyzers, Aluminum Oxide sensors work alongside Paramagnetic and Coulometric sensors to provide a dual measurement for oxygen and moisture. However, Aluminum Oxide sensing does not reach the ultra-trace levels of detection required for all UHP gases. Laser Moisture technology is often a better fit for this application.
Air separation units
Medical gases
Semiconductors
Fast response
Highly accurate
Free of drift
Dew point and parts per million moisture measurements in a wide range of industrial gas applications.
Learn more about all our gas analyzer solutions that use this sensor technology.
A rugged ultra-thin film Aluminum Oxide moisture sensor which measures moisture in a wide variety of gas phase process applications.
Built specifically to work in harmony with the AquaXact 1688 ultra-thin film Aluminum Oxide moisture transmitter.
Designed specifically for accurate measurements of oxygen in industrial gas (IG) applications.
A high-performance multi-gas analyzer designed to provide up to four simultaneous gas stream measurements.
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