Multimodal Wireless Piezoelectric Microsensors For Harsh Environments

A passive wireless miniaturized sensor patch will be developed using piezoelectric MEMS for operation in harsh environment. The proposed system provides temperature and pressure readings from hard to access locations via wirelessly communicating with a nearby (>20 ft. away) transceiver module at ISM 2.4 GHz band. The combination of the stress-free low-loss substrate and excellent energy confinement in the MEMS device enables reliable and accurate readings in cryogenic to high temperatures. Technology Purpose: This technology enables competitively long-distance measurement of physical parameters (temperature and pressure in this effort) in sub-GHz to few GHz range, which represents an optimal balance between antenna size and communication distance. The change in the frequency of the MEMS resonator responsive to the physical parameter provides a simple, battery-less digital readout. Intended Use of Funding: Experimental evaluation of lifetime and robustness of the proposed sensor in extreme conditions is the main objective of the proposed effort. This funding would allow for design and fabrication of testbeds and the sensor system (chip containing resonant sensors coupled with a small antenna) for comprehensive performance characterization in temperature, pressure, vibration, … extremes that mimic real world application scenarios. Target Markets: Battery-less and wireless sensor solutions enjoy a vast market opportunity and are needed across many industries. While the compact, resilient, and modular nature of the proposed sensor technology makes it application range broad, the proposed effort aim to support NASA’s rocket propulsion testing applications.