Common Acoustic Communication Module for UUVs

MSI has developed a cost-effective method for producing PMN-PT single crystal materials by Solid State Conversion (SSC) of the precursor ceramic. MSI’s SSC single crystals have five times greater piezoelectric performance than the conventional hard PZT ceramics used in legacy sonar transmitters. Although PMN-PT melt-grown single crystals are limited by their high cost, MSI expects that SSC single crystals will have similar cost to that of PZT ceramics in quantity. This translates to an enabling capability for Navy sonar transmitter applications. MSI now has the capability, established through recent high performance torpedo homing array programs, to design, build and test broadband sonar transducers made from advanced piezoelectric materials. MSI proposes to bring together these capabilities in SSC single crystal synthesis and broadband sonar transducer design to establish a new, cost-effective, compact and broadband acoustic communications (ACOMMS) capability for Navy Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) applications. In Phase I, MSI will collaborate with WHOI to design and show a proof-of-concept SSC single crystal ACOMMS transmitter for Navy UUV applications. In Phase II, MSI will refine and demonstrate a Common Acoustic Communications Module (CACM) that can be affordably integrated into a variety of UUV and other underwater platforms.