摘要：This paper describes the concept of a dust monitor using lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics with a large detection area.Its potential as a dust detector is experimentally demonstrated.The dust monitor has a small volume compared to an impact ionization detector with the same detection area, due to the PZT sensor.The PZT sensor, as a traditional device for the in-situ observation of hypervelocity dust particles, has been used for momentum measurement.The hypervelocity impact signals of PZT sensors are typically read by charge-sensitive amplifiers.Instead, we suggest a new method that a current-to-voltage converting amplifier is useful for interpreting the impact signal of a PZT sensor arising from dust particles down to 0.5 μ m in radius.We propose that datasets of dust impacts can be obtained with a higher statistical accuracy, if the new method is applied to instruments on forthcoming interplanetary-space-cruising spacecrafts. Key words Dust monitor piezoelectric sensor PZT current-to-voltage converting amplifier.
