Arcetri Technical Reports 14/1994

Performance evaluation of the capacitive sensor electronics

G. R. Aiello and V. Biliotti

Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri

Abstract

Purpose of this note is to describe the measurements realized on the Capacitive Sensor Electronic circuit, designed and built by V. Biliotti. This circuit is intended to be used for position reading of the secondary mirror and of the hardpoint for the Large Binocular Telescope. The performance of the circuit are here analyzed and compared with the best understanding of the actual electronic requirement specifications.

All the measurements are realized without the use of any mechanical device, the capacitor sensor being a fixed value capacitor, in order to fully characterize the electronic circuit. This was made under the assumption that no additional information can be learned on the electronic circuit by connecting a mechanical variable capacitor to the circuit. It will be important, on the other hand, to test the circuit with the mechanical device that complete the system, in order to characterize the whole system.