A Glass-Ceramic Optical Thermal History Sensor for Extreme Environments

This Phase I SBIR proposal outlines a plan to evaluate the feasibility of several innovative aspects of a wireless thermal history sensor based on thermally activated crystallization of glass-ceramics. In particular, this proposal is concerned with the analysis and optimization of accuracy, reliability and manufacturability of the sensor array and readout system. The work plan consists of: (1) developing a prototype design for a scanning laser system for interrogation of thermal history sensors; (2) performing an experimental demonstration of several optical sensor interrogation approaches; (3) selection and testing of a promising glass-ceramic; (4) developing a forward devitrification model based on known parameters in order to simulate the sensor performance as a function of time and temperature; (5) developing a model that reconstructs average thermal exposure from a given sensor reading, in order to estimate the optimum accuracy and temperature resolution under typical operating conditions; (6) the outline a Phase II strategy.