New sensor works at high temperatures in extreme environments

In the petrochemical industry pipeline pressures must be monitored at climates ranging from hot desert heat to near arctic cold. Various nuclear reactors operate at a range of 300-1000 oC, while deep geothermal wells hold temperatures up to 600 oC.

“Highly sensitive, reliable and durable sensors that can tolerate such extreme environments are necessary for the efficiency, maintenance and integrity of these applications,” said Jae-Hyun Ryou, associate professor of mechanical engineering at UH and corresponding author of a study published in Advanced Functional Materials.

The UH research team previously developed III-N piezoelectric pressure sensor using single-crystalline Gallium Nitride (GaN thin films) for harsh-environment applications. However, the sensitivity of the sensor decreases at temperatures higher than 350 oC, which is marginally higher than those of conventional transducers made of lead zirconate titanate (PZT).

The team believed the decrease in sensitivity was due to the bandgap not being wide enough. To test the hypothesis, they developed a sensor with aluminium nitride (AlN).