SBIRPhase II: Nanotube-Based Electronic Pressure Sensor

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II program focuses on developing carbon nanotube-based electromechanical pressure sensors. To translate the change in pressure into an electrical signal, current solutions (MEMS devices) use membranes with sensors made out of doped silicon. Silicon, however, is prone to effects of temperature changes and as a result, such devices require additional electronics for temperature compensation and more stringent packaging. They also have sensitivity limitations. The device in this work will use carbon nanotubes as strain gauges. Because nanotubes have higher sensitivity (higher gauge factor) and better temperature stability, this will result in development of devices that are easier to manufacture (fewer manufacturing steps), have superior precision, and require less stringent packaging, leading to less expensive end-product. This work will combine chemistry for synthesis of materials and microfabrication to explore important properties of a novel nano-material carbon nanotubes. Key technical innovations will include precise placement of nanotubes on thin membranes, novel approaches to avoiding membrane damage during nanotube integration, forming nanotube circuits on membranes for electromechanical pressure sensors and other integration issues. If successful, the project will lead to the first application of carbon nanotubes in high-end electronic devices, enabling the development of nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS), which convert mechanical effects into electrical signal. Such devices, which would include pressure sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes and acoustic sensors, could address the unmet needs in a wide range of applications, such as in automobiles, safety, medical, military and process control. Specifically, in the automobile market, a nanotube-based pressure sensor could serve as a tire pressure measuring device and could result in over $180million in annual savings for such end users as the automotive industry.