High Sensitivity Semiconductor Sensor Skins for Multi-Axis Surface Pressure Characterization

This NASA Phase I SBIR program would fabricate high sensitivity semiconductor nanomembrane 'sensor skins' capable of multi-axis surface pressure characterization on flight test vehicles, wind tunnel models as well as operational aerospace vehicles, using SOI (Silicon on Insulator) NM techniques in combination with our pioneering HybridSil® ceramic nanocomposite materials. Such low-modulus, conformal nanomembrane sensor skins with integrated interconnect elements and electronic devices can be applied to new or existing wind tunnel models for multi-axis surface pressure analysis, or to lightweight UAVs as part of active flutter control systems. NanoSonic has demonstrated the feasibility of NM transducer materials in such sensor skins for the measurement of dynamic shear stress and normal pressure. Semiconductor NM sensor skins are thin, mechanically and chemically robust materials that may be patterned in two dimensions to create multi-sensor element arrays that can be embedded into small probe tips or conformally attached onto vehicle and model surfaces. Sensors may be connected to external support instrumentation either through thin film and ribbon cable interconnects, or potentially wirelessly using RF communication directly from electronic networks incorporated into the sensor skin material.