Design and Characterization of a Fringing Field Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor.

This paper addresses the optimization and implementation of a fringing field capacitive soil moisture sensor using the printed circuit board technology. It includes the analysis of a novel configuration of an interdigital sensor for measuring soil moisture with two existing configurations. The optimized designs were simulated by using a 3-D finite-element method and fabricated by using a copper clad board. The performance of the fabricated sensors was evaluated using four soil samples collected from different locations. The observations were compared with the standard gravimetric method to evaluate the soil water content of the samples. The characterization method and the results of the whole sensing system are discussed in terms of calibration, dynamic test, and repeatability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]