Micromachined Silicon Temperature Extreme Sensor Requiring No Power Source

The objective of this research is to design a micromechanical temperature sensor capable of recording temperature extremes experienced beyond a preset value without the use of electrical power. The temperature sensor's memory will be mechanically induced. The sensor will be either in an electronically resettable form, or, less expensively, in a disposable form. The proposed device will be microfabricated using integrated circuit(IC) and silicon micromachining techniques. As a result, the sensor will be electronically readable, inexpensive, and small. Anticipated Benefits: The sensor can be used in applications in which power source usage is impractical (e.g., in mobile personnell) and where expense must be limited (e.g., in shipping containers). In DoD applications, the proposed microsensor can be used for monitoring temperature exposure of personnel, food, and medical supplies in the field. Since the sensor will be small, it is well suited for such applications in which weight and size of added instrumentation is critical. Additionally, the sensor has many private sector applications; for example in shipping and tire industries.