D. W. Schindel
Dept. of Phys., Queen's Univ., Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
D. A. Hutchins
S. Smith
Warwick Univ., Coventry, England
Miniaturized tuning forks, whose resonant frequencies are temperature dependent, have been manufactured from various materials using a precision milling machine under computer control. Two noncontact measurement systems that rely upon capacitive transducers as well as a pulsed ruby laser have allowed the generation and detection of fork vibrations at temperatures up to 900 (degrees)C. The usefulness of such a system for materials characterization will be demonstrated through the successful detection of the precipitation and dissociation of hydride platelets in a fork consisting of a Zr--Nb alloy. Also to be discussed are studies of single-crystal silicon tuning forks and the resultant program currently underway for the development of micromachined thermometers for corrosive and high-temperature environments.