SBIR Phase I: Isolator with MEMS piezoelectric transformer

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将产生一种使用超声波传输原理的电力电子和通信系统的新型隔离器技术。光耦合器和磁互感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、窄带宽和大小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将压电变压器技术与薄膜工艺相结合的微型隔离器。新设备将允许以1mm3的紧凑尺寸提供20 kHz~20 MHz的宽传输带宽范围。通过拟议的研究，将调查和解决设备在运行期间的谐振模式、过冲和振铃控制，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用于网络系统和电源应用中反馈信号控制的片上隔离器。开发的技术将作为下一代设备提供给现有的隔离器行业。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为电子设备行业提供一种MEMS规模隔离器，与现有的光耦合器和磁隔离器相比，该隔离器更紧凑、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不同的细分市场，但工业细分市场是主要市场，60%的需求是电机控制和相关的电力需求。通信是一个广阔的市场，而以太网供电是一个新的市场。最近，等离子平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，在诸如打印机等的接口外围设备上普遍需要光耦合器。这些不同的需求将促进所提议的产品的商业化。此外，所建议组件的MEMS规模可以为移动设备的小型化和消费产品的超薄设计提供突破，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.