SBIR Phase I: Isolator with MEMS piezoelectric transformer

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将利用超声波传输原理为电力电子和通信系统开发一种新的隔离技术。光耦合器和磁变压器被广泛用于实现电路不同部分之间的电流隔离。然而，低传输速率、窄带宽和体积庞大的问题促使人们研究实现隔离的替代方法。该项目的目标是开发一种结合压电变压器技术和薄膜工艺的微型隔离器。新器件将在1毫米的紧凑尺寸下实现20kHz ~ 20MHz的宽传输带宽范围。将通过提出的研究来研究和解决设备在运行过程中的共振模式、超调和振铃控制，以提供稳定的输出和最小的噪声。该项目的最终目标是开发一种片上隔离器，用于网络系统和电源应用中的反馈信号控制。开发的技术将作为下一代设备提供给现有的隔离器行业。这个项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为电子设备行业提供一个MEMS规模的隔离器，与现有的光耦合器和磁隔离器相比，它更紧凑，更高效。根据市场研究报告，光耦合器市场已经达到5亿美元的水平，并在2008年增长超过7亿美元。光耦合器市场可以分为各个细分市场，但工业细分市场是主要市场，60%的需求是电机控制和相关电源需求。通信是一个广阔的市场，以太网供电是一个新的市场。最近，等离子面板显示器取得了一些有趣的成功-由于高电压要求，每个面板内部都有许多光耦合器。在数据处理和计算机中，通常需要在接口外设（如打印机等）上使用光耦合器。这些不同的需求将促进拟议产品的商业化。此外，所建议的元件的MEMS规模可以为移动设备的小型化和消费类产品的小型化设计提供突破，例如包括笔记本电脑和通信设备在内的无线设备。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will result in a novel isolator technology for power electronics and communications systems using the principle of ultrasonic transmission. Optocouplers and magnetic transformers are widely used to fulfill galvanic isolation between different parts of electrical circuits. However, issues with low transmission rates, narrow bandwidths and bulky sizes have motivated the investigation of alternative means to achieve isolation. The goal of the project is to develop a micro size isolator combining piezoelectric transformer technology with thin film processes. The new device will allow a wide transmission bandwidth range of 20kHz ~ 20MHz in a compact size of 1 mm3. Resonance modes, overshoots, and ringing control of the device during operation will be investigated and resolved through the proposed research to provide stable output with minimized noise. The final goal of the project is the development of an on-chip isolator for feedback signal control in network system and power supply applications. The developed technology will be provided to the existing isolator industry as a next generation device. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to provide a MEMS scale isolator to the electronic device industry which is more compact and efficient compared to existing optocoupler and magnetic isolators. According to market research reports, the optocoupler market has already reached the half-billion dollar level and grew over US $700 million in 2008. The optocoupler market can be divided up into various segments but the industrial segment is the main market with 60% of the demand being for motor control and related power needs. Communications is a broad market and power over Ethernet is a new market. Recently there were some interesting successes with plasma panel displays - each panel has many optocoupler inside due to the high voltage requirements. In data processing and computers there is a general need for optocouplers at the interface peripherals such as printers etc. These various demands will facilitate commercialization of the proposed product. Furthermore, MEMS scale of the suggested component can provide a breakthrough for miniaturization of mobile devices and slim designs for consumer products, such as wireless devices including laptop computers and communication devices.