BAW and SAW sensors for in-situ analysis
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Surface acoustic-wave piezoelectric crystal aerosol mass microbalance
The development of a particulate mass-sensing instrument based on a quartz-crystal microbalance and enhanced with the new surface acoustic-wave (SAW) technology is reported. Mass sensitivity comparisons of a 158-MHz SAW piezoelectric microbalance and a conventional 10-MHz quartz-crystal microbalance show that the SAW crystal is 266 times more sensitive, in good agreement with the theoretical value of 250. The frequency stability of a single SAW resonator is 6 parts in 10 to the 8th over 1 min. The response to temperature changes is found to be very linear over the range +30 to -30 C. A strong response to 15 ppm SO2 has been demonstrated on a chemically coated SAW crystal.
Bowers, W. D.↗
Improved Multiple-DOF SAW Piezoelectric Motors
Surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) piezoelectric motors of a proposed type would be capable of operating in multiple degrees of freedom (DOFs) simultaneously and would be amenable to integration into diverse structures and mechanisms. These motors would be compact and structurally simple and would not contain bearings or lead screws. One example of a particularly useful motor of this type would be a two-dimensional- translation stage. Another such example would be a self-actuated spherical joint that could be made to undergo controlled, simultaneous rotations about two orthogonal axes: Such a motor could serve as a mechanism for aiming an "eyeball" camera or as a compact transducer in, and an integral part of, a joint in a robot arm. The multiple-DOF SAW piezoelectric motors as now proposed would be successors to the ones reported in "Multiple-DOF Surface-Acoustic-Wave Piezoelectric Motors" (NPO-20735), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 24, No. 12 (December 2000), page 5b. The basic principle of operation of a multiple-DOF SAW piezoelectric motor is a straightforward extension of that of single-DOF SAW piezoelectric motors, which have been reported in several previous NASA Tech Briefs articles: For example, in the case of a linear SAW piezoelectric motor, piezoelectric transducers at opposite ends of a stator excite surface acoustic waves that travel along the surface of the stator. An object (denoted the slider) is pressed against the stator with sufficient pressure (in practice .300 MPa) that it remains in frictional contact with the stator at all times. The slider rides the crests of the waves and is thereby made to move along the surface of the stator. The direction of motion (forward or backward) is controlled by selecting the relative phase of waves generated by the two piezoelectric transducers. The speed increases with the amplitude of the waves and thus with the magnitude of the voltage applied to the transducers.
Bar-Cohen, Yoseph↗
A monolithic SAW-charge transfer device
Surface acoustic waves excited in a Si-SiO2-ZnO layered structure can produce a traveling electric field in the silicon substrate. Charges stored in the traveling potential wells can be transferred at high speed and density and with less complexity. The monolithic structure under investigation for the SAW-charge transfer device consists of a silicon substrate, a thin silicon dioxide insulating layer on top of which a ZnO piezoelectric film is deposited by sputtering. The surface acoustic waves are excited by interdigital transducers. The signal charge is injected into traveling potential wells that travel with the velocity of sound. Conditions for the transfer of the charges by the traveling wells are analyzed. A surface acoustic wave program was used to determine the optimum structure dimensions and transducer configuration which will produce the highest coupling in the excitation of the piezoelectric waves.
Papanicolaou, N. A.↗
Frequency coded sensors incorporating tapers
A surface acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate on which is formed a transducer that generates acoustic waves on the surface of the substrate from electrical waves received by the transducer. The waves are carried along an acoustic track to either a second transducer or a reflector. The transducers or transducer and reflector are formed of subsections that are constructed to operate at mutually different frequencies. The subsections of at least one of the transducers or transducer and reflector are out of alignment with respect to one another relative to the transverse of the propagation direction. The out of aligned subsections provide not only a frequency component but also a time to the signal output signal. Frequency response characteristics are improved. An alternative embodiment provides that the transducers and/or reflectors are continuously tapered instead of having discrete frequency subsections.
Hines, Jacqueline H.↗
Air-ground interface: Surface waves, surface impedance and acoustic-to-seismic coupling coefficient
In atmospheric acoustics, the subject of surface waves has been an area of discussion for many years. The existence of an acoustic surface wave is now well established theoretically. The mathematical solution for spherical wave propagation above an impedance boundary includes the possibility of a contribution that possesses all the standard properties for a surface wave. Surface waves exist when the surface is sufficiently porous, relative to its acoustical resistance, that it can influence the airborne particle velocity near the surface and reduce the phase velocity of sound waves in air at the surface. This traps some of the sound energy in the air to remain near the surface as it propagates. Above porous grounds, the existence of surface waves has eluded direct experimental confirmation (pulse experiments have failed to show a separate arrival expected from the reduced phase speed) and indirect evidence for its existence has appeared contradictory. The experimental evidence for the existence of an acoustical surface wave above porous boundaries is reviewed. Recent measurements including pulse experiments are also described. A few years ago the acoustic impedance of a grass-covered surface was measured in the frequency range 30 to 300 Hz. Here, further measurements on the same site are discussed. These measurements include core samples, a shallow refractive survey to determine the seismic velocities, and measurements of the acoustic-to-seismic coupling coefficient.
Daigle, Gilles↗
A Real-Time Nonvolatile Residue (NVR) Monitor
New development and application of device described in "Surface-Acoustic-Wave Piezoelectric Microbalance," (LAR-14476). Active sensing element of Real-Time NVR Monitor comprises pair of piezoelectric surface-acoustic-wave resonators resonating at frequency of 200 MHz. Bare, uncoated resonator exposed to atmosphere and directly in contact with airborne volatile and nonvolatile materials leaving residues on surface. Resonant frequency of exposed resonator decreases with increasing mass of adsorbed residue; resulting beat frequency between two resonators increases with mass and serves as sensitive real-time indication of airborne contaminants or non-volatile residue.
Bowers, William D.↗
SAW-Modulated Image Device
Imaging device uses surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) charge transfer for image readout. Spatial resolution of image changed electronically by changing frequency of applied signal. Surface acoustic waves create traveling longitudinal electric fields. These fields create potential wells that carry along stored charges. Charges injected into wells by photoelectric conversion when light strikes device.
Benz, H. F.↗
A theoretical study of the propagation and attenuation of acoustic waves in the lunar surface Interim report
Acoustic wave propagation and attenuation in lunar space environment
ACOUSTIC RADIATION↗
Surface acoustic wave/silicon monolithic sensor/processor
A new technique for sputter deposition of piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO) is described. An argon-ion milling system was converted to sputter zinc oxide films in an oxygen atmosphere using a pure zinc oxide target. Piezoelectric films were grown on silicon dioxide and silicon dioxide overlayed with gold. The sputtered films were evaluated using surface acoustic wave measurements, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and resistivity measurements. The effect of the sputtering conditions on the film quality and the result of post-deposition annealing are discussed. The application of these films to the generation of surface acoustic waves is also discussed.
Kowel, S. T.↗
Extended-Range Passive RFID and Sensor Tags
Extended-range passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags and related sensor tags are undergoing development. A tag of this type incorporates a retroreflective antenna array, so that it reflects significantly more signal power back toward an interrogating radio transceiver than does a comparable passive RFID tag of prior design, which does not incorporate a retroreflective antenna array. Therefore, for a given amount of power radiated by the transmitter in the interrogating transceiver, a tag of this type can be interrogated at a distance greater than that of the comparable passive RFID or sensor tag of prior design. The retroreflective antenna array is, more specifically, a Van Atta array, named after its inventor and first published in a patent issued in 1959. In its simplest form, a Van Atta array comprises two antenna elements connected by a transmission line so that the signal received by each antenna element is reradiated by the other antenna element (see Figure 1). The phase relationships among the received and reradiated signals are such as to produce constructive interference of the reradiated signals; that is, to concentrate the reradiated signal power in a direction back toward the source. Hence, an RFID tag equipped with a Van Atta antenna array automatically tracks the interrogating transceiver. The effective gain of a Van Atta array is the same as that of a traditional phased antenna array having the same number of antenna elements. Additional pairs of antenna elements connected by equal-length transmission lines can be incorporated into a Van Atta array to increase its directionality. Like some RFID tags here-to-fore commercially available, an RFID or sensor tag of the present developmental type includes one-port surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) devices. In simplified terms, the mode of operation of a basic one-port SAW device as used heretofore in an RFID device is the following: An interrogating radio signal is converted, at an input end, from an electrical signal to an acoustic wave that propagates along a surface and encounters multiple reflectors suitably positioned along the surface. Upon returning to the input end, the reflected acoustic wave is re-converted to an electrical signal, which, in turn, is reradiated from an antenna. The distances between the reflectors in the SAW device and the corresponding times between reflections encode the identifying or sensory information onto the reradiated signal. The fundamental problem in the present development is how to combine a Van Atta antenna array (which is inherently a multiple-port device) and one or more one-port SAW device(s) into a single, compact, passive unit that can function as a retroreflective RFID tag. The solution is to use one or more hybrid, half-power 90 couplers. A basic unit of this type, shown in Figure 2, includes a half-power 90 hybrid coupler; two identical SAW devices (SAW1 and SAW2) connected to ports 3 and 4 of the coupler, respectively; and antenna elements connected to ports 1 and 2 of the coupler. Necessarily omitting details for the sake of brevity, it must suffice to report that the phase relationships among the coupler inputs and outputs are such as to couple the incident signal from the antenna elements to the SAW devices and couple the reflected signals from the SAW devices back to the antenna elements in the phase relationships required for a Van Atta array. Hence, the reradiated signal is automatically directed back toward the interrogating transceiver and contains identifying and/or sensory information encoded in time intervals between reflections.
Fink, Patrick W.↗
Investigation of optical/infrared sensor techniques for application satellites
A method of scanning an optical sensor array by acoustic surface waves is discussed. Data cover detailed computer based analysis of the operation of a multielement acoustic surface-wave-scanned optical sensor, the development of design and operation techniques that were used to show the feasibility of an integrated array to design several such arrays, and experimental verification of a number of the calculations with discrete sensor devices.
Kaufman, I.↗
Advanced high temperature static strain sensor development
An examination was made into various techniques to be used to measure static strain in gas turbine liners at temperatures up to 1150 K (1600 F). The methods evaluated included thin film and wire resistive devices, optical fibers, surface acoustic waves, the laser speckle technique with a heterodyne readout, optical surface image and reflective approaches and capacitive devices. A preliminary experimental program to develop a thin film capacitive device was dropped because calculations showed that it would be too sensitive to thermal gradients. In a final evaluation program, the laser speckle technique appeared to work well up to 1150 K when it was used through a relatively stagnant air path. The surface guided acoustic wave approach appeared to be interesting but to require too much development effort for the funds available. Efforts to develop a FeCrAl resistive strain gage system were only partially successful and this part of the effort was finally reduced to a characterization study of the properties of the 25 micron diameter FeCrAl (Kanthal A-1) wire. It was concluded that this particular alloy was not suitable for use as the resistive element in a strain gage above about 1000 K.
Hulse, C. O.↗
Growth of Homoepitaxial ZnO Semiconducting Films
As a high temperature wide-band-gap (3.3 eV at room temperature) semiconductor, ZnO has been used for many applications such as wave-guides, solar cells, and surface acoustic wave devices, Since ZnO has a 60 meV excitonic binding energy that makes it possible to produce excitonic lasing at room temperature, a recent surge of interest is to synthesize ZnO films for UV/blue/green laser diodes. These applications require films with a smooth surface, good crystal quality, and low defect density. Thus, homoepitaxial film growth is the best choice. Homoepitaxial films have been studied in terms of morphology, crystal structure, and electrical and optical properties. ZnO single crystal substrates grown by the hydrothermal method are mechanically polished and annealed in air for four hours before the films are deposited. The annealing temperature-dependence on ZnO substrate morphology and electrical properties is investigated. Films are synthesized by off-axis reactive sputtering deposition. This produces films that have very smooth surfaces with roughness less than or equal to 5 nm on a 5 microns x 5 microns area. The full width at half maximum of film theta rocking curves measured by the x-ray diffraction is slightly larger than that of the crystal substrate. Films are also characterized by measuring resistivity, optical transmittance, and photoluminescence. The properties of ZnO films grown on (0001) ZnO and (0001) sapphire substrates will also be compared and discussed.
Zhu, Shen↗
Growth of Homoepitaxial ZnO Semiconducting Films
As a high temperature semiconductor, ZnO has been used for many applications such as wave-guide, solar cells, and surface acoustic wave devices. Since the ZnO material has an energy gap of 3.3 eV at room temperature and an excitonic binding energy (60 meV) that is possible to make excitonic lasering at room temperature a recent surge of interest is to synthesize ZnO films for electro-optical devices. These applications require films with a smooth surface, good crystal quality, and low defect density. Homoepitaxial films have been studied in terms of morphology, crystal structure, and electrical and optical properties. ZnO single crystals are grown by the hydrothermal method. Substrates are mechanically polished and annealed in air for four hours before deposited films. The annealing temperature-dependence of ZnO substrates is studied. Films are synthesized by the off-axis reactive sputtering deposition. The films have very smooth surface with a roughness </= 5 nm on a 5 micrometers x 5 micrometers area. The full width at half maximum of film theta rocking curves measured by the x-ray diffraction is slightly larger than the crystal substrate. The film quality is determined by measuring the film resistivity, the Hall mobility, carrier densities and the energy band gap. The properties of ZnO films grown of (0001) ZnO and (0001) sapphire substrates will be also compared and discussed in the presentation.
Zhu, Shen↗
Omnidirectional scattering of acoustic waves from rough surfaces of known statistics.
Omnidirectional characteristics of scattering of acoustic waves from statistically rough surfaces, measuring scattering cross section as function of incidence and observation angles
SCATTERING CROSS SECTION↗
Detection of in-plane displacements of acoustic wave fields using extrinsic Fizeau fiber interferometric sensors
Quantitative measurements of the in-plane particle displacement components of ultrasonic surface acoustic wave fields using extrinsic Fizeau fiber interferometric (EFFI) sensors are reported. Wave propagation in materials and the fiber sensor elements are briefly discussed. Calibrated experimental results obtained for simulated acoustic emission events on homogeneous metal test specimens are reported and compared to previous results obtained using piezoelectric transducers.
Dhawan, R.↗
In Situ Guided Wave Structural Health Monitoring System
Aircraft engine rotating equipment operates at high temperatures and stresses. Noninvasive inspection of microcracks in those components poses a challenge for nondestructive evaluation. A low-cost, low-profile, high-temperature ultrasonic guided wave sensor was developed that detects cracks in situ. The transducer design provides nondestructive evaluation of structures and materials. A key feature of the sensor is that it withstands high temperatures and excites strong surface wave energy to inspect surface and subsurface cracks. The sol-gel bismuth titanate-based surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor can generate efficient SAWs for crack inspection. The sensor is very thin (submillimeter) and can generate surface waves up to 540 C. Finite element analysis of the SAW transducer design was performed to predict the sensor behavior, and experimental studies confirmed the results. The sensor can be implemented on structures of various shapes. With a spray-coating process, the sensor can be applied to the surface of large curvatures. It has minimal effect on airflow or rotating equipment imbalance, and provides good sensitivity.
Zhao, George↗