SBIR Phase I: Resonant Tunneling Strain Sensor

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9560083 Sokolov This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will explore a newly discovered characteristic of resonant tunneling diodes. The University of Minnesota has been found a novel and strong stress dependence in the current-voltage characteristics of III-V semiconductor double barrier resonant tunneling devices. The effects are attributed to piezoelectric properties of the materials, and the stress dependence is magnified by a strongly nonlinear dependence of the resonant tunneling current on the applied bias. Preliminary estimates of the gauge factor, which is a strain gauge figure of merit, approach 1000, which is roughly five times the sensitivity of silicon-based piezoelectric sensors in common industrial use. Phase I will assess a novel resonant tunneling strain sensor relative to current strain sensor technology. With consulting support from the University of Minnesota, the company will model the current-voltage characteristics, model possible modes of operation, and study potential packaging approaches and their effects on performance. Commercial applications of resonant tunneling strain sensor technology are expected to be large and numerous in miniaturized, highly sensiive sensors for both industrial and military purposes. Applications include strain sensors, acoustic sensors, pressure sensors, accelerometers, seismic sensors, and various varioussensors capable of remote operation.