Overview of MEMS Programs at DARPA and Applications

Overview of MEMS Programs at DARPA and Applications in Space William C. Tang, Ph. D. MEMS Program Manager Microsystems Technology Office Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (703) 696 -2254 wtang@darpa. mil http: //www. darpa. mil/MTO/MEMS MTO DARPA First Canadian Workshop on MEMS technology for aerospace applications, the National Research Council Canada, April 12, 2001 Microsystems Technology Office Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited

DARPA Mission Information Systems Information Technology Microsystems Technology Radical Innovation in Support of National Security Special Projects Tactical Technology Defense Science Advanced Technology MTO DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 2

MEMS Application Domains MEMS Exploder for Torpedoes Shear-Stress Sensor for Jet Fighter (Caltech) DARPA Pico Satellites MEMS Sensors for Munitions MTO DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 3

Pico Satellite Potential Applications Cooperative constellations F Sparse aperture antennas F Inspect and service missions F Extremely agile launch-on-demand, short-term, survivable and robust communications and surveillance space systems F MTO DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 4

Pico. SAT Aboard Stanford OPAL Satellite F First ä ä ä demonstration: Launched by first flight of Minotaur 26 Jan 2000 (sponsored by Air Force and Missile System Center) Two PICOSAT linked by 30 -m-long tether jettisoned from a mother ship, OPAL (Stanford), 7 Feb 2000 Operate MEMS RF switches in space 30 -m-long tether for tracking & communication demonstration MTO DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 5

MEMS in Pico Satellites Pico Satellite Data Hopping Demo Picosat 1 Picosat 2 Picosat 3 MEMS RF switch (Rockwell) 2. 5 x 7. 5 x 10 cm 250 gm MTO Pico Satellite (Aerospace Corp) DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 6

MEMS-Replaceable Transceiver Components Ant 1 Ant 2 Image Reject Filter (Ceramic) IF Filter (Ceramic) Receiver IF Mixer IF LNA RF LNA Antenna Switch T/R Switch Bandpass Filter (Ceramic) I ADC Q DAC I DAC Q 90° Mixer VCO Xstal Tank ADC AGC Channel Select PLL IF PLL Off-chip passive elements 90° Power Amplifier Modulator Transmitter VCO Transmit PLL Xstal Tank Current Cell Phone Board Off-chip C & L = 80% of area MTO DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Current research: 4 Replace all off-chip passive elements with MEMS resonators & filters Þ chip-scale integration & improved performance Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 7

92 MHz Free-Free Beam µ-Resonator F Free-free beam µ-mechanical resonator with non-intrusive supports reduce anchor dissipation higher Q MTO DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 8

MEMS Actuators for Data Storage Parallel atomic force imaging with MEMS to exceed densities of conventional magnetic and optical storage Areal density: 1 -100 Gb/cm 2 Transfer Rates: 0. 1 -10 Mb/s Size: 0. 5 cm 3 Power consumption: <1 W MTO DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 9

High-Energy-Density MEMS Power Energy Density (W-hr/Kg) 15, 000 12, 000 4, 000 125 Lithium Ion Honeywell Knock Engine Concept (New Start) TNT Toluene Resistive Start-up Heater Thermopiles Q Q Catalyst Methane Q Propane + Air Thin insulating membrane Sealing Plate MTO DARPA Microsystems Technology Office MIT Thermoelectric Generator Concept [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited (New Start) Slide 10

Integrated Fuel Cell and Fuel Processor (CWRU & Battelle) F Objectives Demonstrate a 10 milliwatt fuel processor operating with clean liquid fuels (24 months) ä Demonstrate a 10 milliwatt fuel cell (24 months) ä Demonstrate a 50 milliwatt fuel processor operating with logistics fuels (36 months) ä Current Collector Cathode catalyst Polymer Membrane Glassy insulation Alumina wafer laser milled gas channels Fuel Manifold Carbon Fuel Distributor Anode catalyst MTO DARPA Concept – Fuel Processor Microsystems Technology Office Concept – Fuel Cell Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 11

Swiss Roll Combustor (USC) 3 -D toroidal Swiss roll microcombustor/generator MTO DARPA ~ 5 mm Microsystems Technology Office Approved for Public Release - Distribution Unlimited [MEMS at DARPA and Space App Sent. ppt] Slide 12