Patent ID: 6842018

Claim:
A capacitive transducer comprising: a. a planar capacitor with at least two cooperating electrodes formed on a first surface of a dielectric baselayer with an opposing second surface; b. a thin dielectric coverlayer formed over said electrodes and an exposed surface of said coverlayer comprising a principal surface of said transducer; c. a material of said coverlayer having values of moisture absorption, surface free energy, permittivity, dielectric dissipation, and electrical conductance selected to maximize electric field coupling over said principal surface and within a region external to the surface; d. a time varying voltage from electronic measurement means connected across said cooperating electrodes, whereby capabilities are provided to rapidly measure capacitance, permittivity, dielectric dissipation, and a state of polarization of material adsorbed on and residing within said region external to said principal surface.