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Innovation & Technologie Angebot

An established Slovak research institute has developed a pressure sensor for extreme conditions and is looking for licensees or investors

Country of Origin: Slovakia
Reference Number: TOSK20190312001
Publication Date: 12 March 2019

Summary

An established Slovak scientific and research institute has developed a piezoelectric pressure sensor based on GaN material substrate, intended to operate in extreme conditions of high temperature and chemically aggressive environment, with high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) as sensing element.

The preferred cooperation types are license agreement or financial agreement.

Description

Extreme operating conditions are frequent in the aerospace and automotive industries as well as in other industries and the quality of production and operation depends on the accurate measurement of pressure. Measuring high pressures at high temperatures and in chemically aggressive environments entails problems with the stability of the measuring system, transmission and evaluation of the signal.



The solution to these problems is afforded by the pressure sensor that has been developed by a team of inventors from an established Slovak scientific and research institute. The unique pressure sensor uses the concept of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) for measuring external pressure on the basis of a piezoelectric, semiconductor AlGaN/GaN material system, which is capable of functioning under extreme conditions involving high temperatures (up to 700 ° C) and chemically aggressive environment. Solution of the MEMS pressure sensor according to this invention consists in arranging of the C-HEMT sensing element as a circularly symmetrical HEMT functioning as piezoelectric pressure sensor directly onto thin circularly symmetrical or asymmetrical AlGaN/GaN membrane, on which the pressure change will be applied and subsequently the amount of generated charge will be measured on at least two Schottky gate sensing electrodes.



The sensor makes possible the miniaturization of dimensions, the increase in sensing quality and resistance. The monolithic integration of the sensoric part (diaphragm) and control electronics into a single chip in combination with high temperature and chemical resistance means that the sensor can operate directly in the harsh environment. The sensor requires no electrical power and, with its greater durability and the financial savings related to it, its exceptional mechanical properties and extreme sensitivity, surpasses the commonly used sensor (up to 2000-fold increase in sensitivity over conductivity types of sensors).

The pressure sensors have a wide range of uses. Applications can be found, in particular, in the automotive and aerospace industries, in medicine, in consumer electronics and in the high-pressure treatment of materials.



Furthermore, for manufacturers of common pressure sensors with a well-developed technological infrastructure, the requirements associated with the switch to the production of the pressure sensor are almost zero.



The institute is looking for partners to cooperate with via license agreement or financial agreement.

Advantages and Innovations

Competitive advantages:

• Maximization of piezoelectric induced charge

• Relatively temperature independent piezoelectric coefficients 

• Maximal operating temperature of up to 700 °C

• Three operating regimes: combination of dynamic/static mode and active/passive mode

• Monolithic integration of sensoric part (diaphragm) and control electronics into single chip which can operate in harsh environment

• No need for any additional power for the piezoelectric pressure sensor supply – smart sensor enabling wireless signal transfer

• No need for additional investments in technology facility

Stage Of Development

Prototype available for demonstration

Requested partner

Type: The institute is seeking an industrial partner for licensing or financing the technology. 



Activity of partner: Invention applicable in the field of sensors operated in harsh environment for detecting and measuring dynamic pressure phenomena. Wide range of application areas: • engine and/or cylinder combustion, • gas-borne high intensity sound pressure level measurement, • industrial turbine pressure monitoring, • turbine combustor dynamics, • far-field blast dynamics, • measuring fast rise time pressure events, • rocket motors. 



Role of partner: - financial agreement - the financing for the further development of this technology is sought, - license agreement - an industrial partner for licensing of this technology is sought