Development of a new generation of diamond-coated thermometers to extend small-scale oceanic measurements of temperature

pi正在提议开发一种金刚石涂层多晶硅热敏电阻，其空间分辨率为0.1 mm，时间分辨率为0.1 ms，强度要求在整个海洋深度部署。该传感器将采用半导体制造工艺，使用0.5微米的多晶硅层作为传感器，并使用一层薄薄的金刚石涂层将多晶硅与海水隔离。测量海洋温度到非常小的空间和时间尺度是必要的，以确定混合率，并了解湍流和海气交换过程。然而，目前的温度计技术既不具备空间分辨率，也不具备时间分辨率，无法从现有平台上进行必要的测量，而且也不够稳健。这些特性的结合将提供一个具有前所未有分辨率的坚固温度计，并将允许在迄今为止无法实现的尺度上进行海洋研究。两个应用领域提供了动力：对海气界面边界层的研究，以及海洋内部湍流和混合的研究。海洋混合的量化是通过直接测量温度波动的扩散平滑率来实现的。该传感器在海气相互作用廓线仪和高分辨率廓线仪上的应用将分别实现对界面边界层的常规探测，并增强对各深度海洋耗散的测量能力。此外，pi预计在高速拖曳和自主仪器中的其他应用，将为各种混合和海气交换研究提供扩展的测量能力。更广泛的影响如果获得成功，一种快速、坚固、稳定且相对便宜的传感器将是目前可用传感器的重大进步，并可能在海洋混合、海气相互作用和气候的研究中得到广泛应用。许多研究人员想要测量和了解海面附近的海洋温度分布。PI表示将致力于寻找一家公司，使该传感器在社区中商业化。

The PIs are proposing the development of a diamond-coated polysilicon thermistor with a spatial resolution of 0.1 mm, temporal resolution of 0.1 ms, and the strength required for deployment at full ocean depths. The sensor will be constructed using a semiconductor fabrication process, using a 0.5 micrometer layer of polysilicon as the sensor, and a thin layer of diamond coating to insulate the polysilicon from seawater. Measurement of ocean temperature to very small space and time scales is necessary to determine mixing rates, and to understand turbulence and air-sea exchange processes. However, current thermometer technology possesses neither the spatial nor the temporal resolution to make the necessary measurements from existing platforms, nor is it sufficiently robust. The combination of these properties will provide a robust thermometer that has unprecedented resolution and will allow ocean studies at scales that have been heretofore unachievable. Two areas of application provide motivation: studies of the boundary layer at the air-sea interface, and studies of turbulence and mixing in the ocean interior. Quantification of ocean mixing is carried out by direct measurements of, the rate of diffusive smoothing of temperature fluctuations. Implementation of the proposed sensor on the Air-Sea Interaction Profiler and the High Resolution Profiler will respectively allow routine detection of the interfacial boundary layer, and enhance measurement abilities for oceanic dissipation at all depths. In addition, the PIs anticipate other applications in higher speed towed and autonomous instruments that will enable expanded measurement capabilities for a variety of mixing and air-sea exchange studies. Broader ImpactsIf successful, a fast, robust, quite and relatively inexpensive sensor would be a significant advancement over currently-available sensors, and could see broad usage in studies of ocean mixing, air-sea interaction, climate. Many investigators want to measure and understand the ocean temperature profile near the sea surface. The PI's express a commitment to finding a company that will make the sensor commercially available to the community.