Colpitts Oscillator for a Mechanical Quantity Sensor

This paper presents the development of a low-power Colpitts oscillator for use in stand-alone sensors measuring mechanical quantities, such as force. The Colpitts oscillator, known for its ease of tuning, was designed to function as a fundamental component of a force measurement system utilizing capacitance-to-frequency conversion. By utilizing a parallel LC resonant circuit with variable capacitance, the oscillator efficiently converts mechanical deformations into frequency shifts, enabling accurate force detection. The number of circuit components was minimized to 7, significantly reducing the power consumption to less than 0.5 mA without compromising stability. Experimental results confirm that the designed oscillator provides a tunable frequency source, making it a strong candidate for further miniaturization and integration into wireless sensor applications.