High-Performance Laser Etching System for Multi-Layer Soft Electronics
Abstract
Conventional technologies for oceanographic measurements, including in-situ ocean sensors, usually require high-pressure chambers and seals to operate under the large hydrostatic pressure environment of the ocean, leading to increased size and power consumption. The emerging soft matter technologies like soft electronics and robotics are very promising for oceanographic measurements, because they are made of incompressible materials that can withstand large hydrostatic pressures and potentially eliminate the need for pressure chambers and seals. Such soft matter devices can significantly reduce the power consumption and the size of ocean sensors, and are suitable for integration with many techniques, including animal tags, profiling floats, diving equipment, and physiological monitoring, for ocean sensing and exploration. Currently, the PI is leading a three-year ONR project entitled Development of Lightweight, Power-Efficient, Soft Electronic Sensor Systems for Next-Generation Oceanographic Measurements, (Award Number: N00014-19-1-2688) sponsored by Dr. Reginald Beach. The proposed Protolaser etching system, which is capable of selective, precise, reproducible, and nearly damage-free patterning of multi-layer, soft materials and electronics, can greatly enhance the quality of this DoD-funded research by improving processes including: Design and fabrication of soft conductivity, temperature, and pressure (CTD) sensors; development of flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs) for system integration; large-scale manufacturing of soft sensor systems for iterative lab and field testing. In addition, the proposed laser system will also enhance our other ongoing research in areas of interest to the DoD, with thrusts focused on: distributed artificial intelligence (AI)-driven smart wing for unmanned aerial vehicles; soft, actively reconfigurable 3D structures for autonomous systems; and pressure-sensor-integrated smart bandage for accelerated wound healing. In addition to enhancing our research activities, the procurement of the laser system will have substantial impact on research-related education, through training postdocs, graduate and undergraduate researchers including women and those from underrepresented groups with hands on experience in fabricating soft, lightweight electronic sensors and functional structures. Such soft electronic devices will enable oceanographic measurements with significantly reduced power consumption and will potentially revolutionize Navys ocean sensing and exploration approaches.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 15, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112223
Entities
People
- Xueju Wang
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Connecticut