PicoCap Capacitance Measurement

The PCap Series

PCap01 has been the first chip of the PICOCAP ® product line and was introduced to the market in early 2010. Now, in early 2013 mass production samples of the successor PCap02 have been released (full mass production planned in Q2/2013) with a particular focus on humidity applications. Also in early 2013 engineering samples of PCap03 for highest performance applications will be available.

PicoCap: Capacitance Measurement

Additional Information

Documentation & Downloads

Datasheet

Description

Development Support PCap04:
Evaluation System for PCap04

Version

V1.0

Size

4MB

Download

PCAP04EVAL- DS.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap04:
General Data

Version

V1.0

Size

3.2MB

Download

PCAP04.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap02, Vol. 1:
General Data and Front-End

Version

V1.6

Size

2.6MB

Download

DB_PCap02A_Vol1_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap02, Vol. 2:
Digital Signal Processor

Version

V0.2

Size

1.6MB

Download

DB_PCap02A_Vol2_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap02 Eval System:
Evaluation System for PCap02

Version

V0.0

Size

990KB

Download

DB_PCap02-EVA-Kit_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap02 Eval System:
Evaluation Software for PICOCAP Devices

Version

V0.0

Size

2MB

Download

DB_PCap02plus_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PicoCap Devices:
Assembler Software PICOCAP Devices

Version

V0.0

Size

750KB

Download

DB_PCap-Assembler_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap02, Linearize:
Description of Linearization Firmware

Version

V0.2

Size

1.2MB

Download

DB_PCap02_Linearize_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap01:
Single-chip solution with standard firmware

Version

V0.6

Size

5MB

Download

DB_PCap01Ax_0301_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap01:
Single-chip solution for humidity measurement

Version

V0.3

Size

4MB

Download

DB_PCap01AK-0101xx_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap01:
Description of PCap01 DSP and Assembler

Version

V0.2

Size

3MB

Download

DB_PCap01_DSP_e.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap01:
General evaluation kit for PCap01

Version

V0.3

Size

2.6MB

Download

DB_PCap01-EVA-KIT_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap01:
Description of humidity measurement demonstrator

Version

V0.1

Size

3MB

Download

DB_PCap01_HUM_DEMO_en.pdf

Description

Datasheet PCap01-Touch:
Very-Low-Power IC for Capacitive Touch Sensor Solutions

Version

V0.1

Size

1.3MB

Download

DB_PCap01_Touch_en.pdf

Screencasts

Description

Screencasts PCap01:
2:44 min. webcast introduction into PCap01 Evaluation Kit

Version

Size

7MB

Download

PCap01_Evaluation-Software_en.zip

Description

Screencasts PCap02plus:
9:37 min. webcast introducing a Sensor Scaling + PDM / PWM output with PCap02

Version

Size

26MB

Download

PCap02plus-Scaling-PDM-PWM_en.zip

Software

Description

Software PCap04:
Evaluation software for PICOCAP Devices
Full installer package incl. drivers

Version

1.2.7

Size

297MB

Download

PCap04-EVA-SW_W7.zip

Description

Software PCap04 (32-bit):
Using our DLL combing with your own software.
ZIP package incl. e.g. header file

Version

2.0

Size

384KB

Download

PCap04-DLL-Library-32bit.zip

Description

Software PCap04 (64-bit):
Using our DLL combing with your own software.
ZIP package incl. e.g. header file, example c-code

Version

2.0

Size

767B

Download

PCap04-DLL-Library-64bit.zip

Description

Software PCap02:
Evaluation software for PICOCAP Devices
Full installer package incl. drivers

Version

1.3.1

Size

168MB

Download

PCap02plus.zip

Description

Software PCap01:
Evaluation software for PCap01-EVA-KIT and PCap01-HUM-EVA
Full installer package incl. drivers

Version

0.80

Size

150MB

Download

PCap01-EVA-SW_W7_XP.zip

Description

Software PCap01:
Assembler software for PCap01, installer package

Version

V20.4

Size

160MB

Download

PCap01_Assembler.zip

Description

Software PCap01:
Standard firmware for PCap01A

Version

03.01.02

Size

25K

Download

PCap01_standard.hex

Description

Software PCap01:
Firmware for humidity+temperature measurement

Version

01.01.04

Size

25K

Download

PCap01_humidity.hex

Description

Software PICOPROG V3 (V2.0):
Driver Installer Stand-Alone

Version

R11

Size

3.1MB

Download

PicoProg_v2_Driver_Installer_Stand-Alone.zip

PicoCap Measurement Principle

he PICOCAP measuring principle shows a new approach to capacitance measurement. For this purpose the sense capacitor and a reference capacitor are connected to a resistor, forming a low-pass filter. Sense and reference capacitor should be in the same range to minimize gain drift. Practically there is no limit for the capacitor value. Sensors from nearly 0 fF up to tens of nF can be measured. The PICOCAP devices also support differential sensors with inside linearization.

The capacitors are charged to the supply voltage and then discharged through the resistor. The discharge time down to an arbitrary trigger level is measured with ultra-high precision using a TDC (Time-to-Digital Converter).

This measuring process is repeated in time-multiplex with both Capacitors, using the same resistor and the same comparator. Calculating the ratio of the results will turn out the absolute values and temperature dependencies of the resistor and the comparator.

The Compensated Mode offers the solution for highest resolution applications with low offset and extremely low gain drift. The capacitors are connected floating, not referenced to ground. They are switched alternately to the resistor by an integrated analog switch. Additional patented circuits and algorithms compensate for parasitic capacities. Parasitic capacities would have a negative effect on the gain drift over temperature. The compensation results in a very low gain drift over temperature down to 0.5 ppm / K. It is much better than the intrinsic gain drift of most sensors.

precision measurement ps021 measuring method

General Circuit

precision-measurement-gp2-package

Cycle Time

precision-measurement-ps021-measuring-method-cycle-time

Ordering Numbers

PCap02:
Type

PCap02A

Part number

Package

Dice

RoHS compl

Yes

Shipping package

Type

PCap02AE

Part number

Package

QFN32

RoHS compl

Yes

Shipping package

Type

PCap02-EVA-KIT

Part number

Package

System

RoHS compl

Yes

Shipping package

Box

PCap01:
Type

PCap01A

Part number

MNR 1613

Package

Dice

RoHS compl

Yes

Shipping package

Type

PCap01AD

Part number

MNR 1793

Package

QFN32

RoHS compl

Yes

Shipping package

Type

PCap01AK

Part number

MNR 1795

Package

QFN24

RoHS compl

Yes

Shipping package

Type

PCap01-EVA-KIT

Part number

MNR 1912-01

Package

System

RoHS compl

Yes

Shipping package

Box

Type

PCap01-HUM-EVA

Part number

MNR 1796

Package

System

RoHS compl

Yes

Shipping package

Box

Type

PCap01-HUM-DEMO

Part number

MNR 1792

Package

System

RoHS compl

Yes

Shipping package

Box