Micromachined Infrared Sensors on Flexible Substrates

University Of Texas At Arlington, Arlington TX

Investigators

Abstract

The increasing sophistication of automated systems has allowed more complex unmanned tasks to be performed. However, robotic instruments lack the ability to perceive and interact with their environment in the same way humans can. Simultaneously, humans operating remote instruments are limited by the "lack of feel" they are accustomed to in their own activity. Robotic instruments currently use localized-sensors to measure their environment. This has been necessitated by the inflexibility of microelectronic devices. Recently innovations in flexible substrates, polymer semiconductors, and thin film transistors have occurred. The PIs propose to investigate the development of a flexible skin that incorporates distributed monolithic sensor arrays to provide a greater measurement of the environment. Micromachined sensors are capable of measuring pressure, flow, temperature, and radiant energy. This investigation will focus on the development of micromachined sensors over the surface of a polymer substrate or "artificial skin". The Pls will utilize micromachined infrared microbolometers and thermal emitters as a test bed towards the development of micromachining techniques on flexible polymer substrates that are relevant to a broad base of applications. Integrating distributed, staring microbolometer arrays over the surface of a flexible skin can allow a robot to remotely measure temperature and avoid hot objects that can cause damage. The distributed arrays of detectors spaced with a millimeter pitch will provide "insect-like" vision. The motion of hot objects such as people can be tracked. Microlensed optical detectors will measure the optical radiation flux; thin film reference thermometers will measure the substrate (skin) temperature, while the thermal emitters will be used for display purposes or may be combined with detector arrays and gratings to produce a micro-spectrometer. The ability to flex would allow the devices to be incorporated and distributed over compliant surfaces such as the fabric of gloves for humans and machines to provide operators a remote sense of touch and feel of temperature both in-contact and in-proximity to the skin. In addition, chemical analysis is possible using these micro-spectrometers. Wearable infrared spectrometers using flexible substrates would allow people to monitor physiological parameters such as glucose and insulin levels, scan for bacteriological agents and toxic gases.