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Pressure
Sensor Electronics for High Temperature Drilling--SVT
Associates, 7620 Executive Drive,
Eden Prairie, MN
55344-3677; 952-934-2100
Dr.
Amir Dbiran, Principal Investigator, dabiran@svta.com
Ms.
Jane Marks, Business Official, marks@svta.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-02ER83549
Amount:
$99,836
Achieving
0.5 psi accuracy at pressures up to 10,000 psi in geothermal drilling
applications will require precision pressure transducing technology.
Capacitive pressure transducers would be ideal for both the high accuracy
and high temperature stability requirements, but supporting electronics that can
also operate a 300oC or higher are lacking.
This project will utilize wide band gap aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN)
semiconductor materials to develop a new class of high accuracy, high
temperature, capacitive pressure transducers. In
Phase I, the aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) family will be used to fabricate a
prototype integrated circuit for capacitive pressure sensing that is ideally
suited for operation at 300ºC and higher.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits
as described by the awardee: High
temperature electronics from AlGaN should have application not only in
geothermal drilling but also in military and commercial aerospace, nuclear
power, the automotive industry, and other process and control industries.