This paper demonstrates improvements on semiconductor nanomembrane based high frequency pressure sensors that utilize silicon on insulator techniques in combination with nanocomposite materials. The low-modulus, conformal nanomembrane sensor skins with integrated interconnect elements and electronic devices could be applied to vehicles or wind tunnel models for full spectrum pressure analysis. Experimental data demonstrates that: 1) silicon nanomembrane may be used as single pressure sensor transducers and elements in sensor arrays, 2) the arrays may be instrumented to map pressure over the surfaces of test articles over a range of Reynolds numbers, temperature and other environmental conditions, 3) in the high frequency range, the sensor is comparable to the commercial high frequency sensor, and 4) in the low frequency range, the sensor is much better than the commercial sensor. This supports the claim that nanomembrane pressure sensors may be used for wide bandwidth flow analysis.

Date Published: 12 April 2017
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 10168, Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2017, 101680H (12 April 2017); doi: 10.1117/12.2258708

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10168:
Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2017
Jerome P. Lynch, Editor(s)