Pressure Sensor Eletronics for High Temperature Drilling

70291 Achieving 0.5 psi accuracy at pressures up to 10,000 psi in geothermal drilling applications will require precision pressure transducing technology. Capacitive pressure transducers would be ideal for both the high accuracy and high temperature stability requirements, but supporting electronics that can also operate a 300oC or higher are lacking. This project will utilize wide band gap aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) semiconductor materials to develop a new class of high accuracy, high temperature, capacitive pressure transducers. In Phase I, the aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) family will be used to fabricate a prototype integrated circuit for capacitive pressure sensing that is ideally suited for operation at 300¿C and higher. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: High temperature electronics from AlGaN should have application not only in geothermal drilling but also in military and commercial aerospace, nuclear power, the automotive industry, and other process and control industries.