Electrochemical vibration sensor for low frequency detection: model, design and manufacture

Vibration sensors play a crucial role in resource exploration, structural health monitoring, and seismic activity detection. Conventional vibration sensors, primarily including electromagnetic, capacitive, piezoelectric, and fiber optic types, have been predominantly utilized in past vibration detection applications. However, with the development of deep-sea resources, vibration detection in such extreme environments demands sensors with low-frequency response, low noise, and high environmental resilience, requirements which are challenging for conventional sensors to meet. Due to their high sensitivity and low noise in the low-frequency domain, electrochemical vibration sensors have garnered increasing attention in recent years. Concurrently, advances in MEMS technology have driven the development of electrochemical vibration sensors towards cost-effectiveness, miniaturization, and low power consumption. This review summarizes the sensing mechanism models and noise models of electrochemical vibration sensors. It highlights the trends in the development of sensing electrodes, including miniaturization and integration facilitated by MEMS technology, while also outlining representative fabrication processes. Furthermore, the review summarizes key application domains encompassing geophones, hydrophones, and angular acceleration sensing. Finally, it concludes with a discussion of current major challenges and an outlook on future research directions.