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Physical Sensors

Close-up of ceramic matrix composite panel being tested with intense flames. The panel glows as it is exposed to the high temperature, with visible wiring at the bottom held in place with white cement. The material’s texture is visible, showcasing its heat-resistant properties.

NASA is developing innovative harsh environment physical sensing and instrumentation technologies to advance next-generation space exploration, science, and aeronautics research.

Overview

Novel Film Sensors

Developing robust thin film sensors with ceramic, laminate and nanostructured materials onto complex components.

Close-up of a sensor with the NASA logo. The device features metallic lines and geometric shapes on a white surface, with distinctive black squares in each corner. Set against a teal background.
A multilayered ceramic sensor for reading multiple parameters in extreme environments.
NASA

NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has an in-house effort to develop thin film sensors for surface measurement in propulsion system research. The sensors include those for strain, temperature, heat flux and surface flow, which will enable critical vehicle health monitoring and characterization of components of future space and air vehicles. This technology can also be applied to characterize the harsh environment on planetary surfaces.

The use of sensors made of thin films has several advantages over wire or foil sensors. Thin film sensors do not require special machining of the components on which they are mounted, and, with thicknesses less than 10 μm, they are considerably thinner than wire, foils, or spray-on sensors. Thin film sensors are less intrusive to the operating environment than traditional sensors, and therefore have a minimal impact on the physical characteristics of the supporting components.

Micro-Photonic Techniques

Investigating novel new micro and nanoscale methods for miniature sensing and unobtrusive measurements.

Small spheres seen as points of light above a glass plate with a mirror underneath, illuminated in green laser light with a black background.
100 µm diameter quartz spheres suspended in air by laser light with an optical micro-manipulation apparatus.
NASA

Optical Trapping

Optical trapping, also known as optical tweezers, use light from lasers to trap and manipulate microscopic objects. Development of optical trapping techniques provides a tool that can be used for microscopic construction of specialized sensors, materials, and for the transport of microscopic quantities of materials for processing.

Morphology Dependent Resonances

Morphology dependent resonances (MDR), also known as whispering gallery modes (WGM), are resonant phenomena that extract portions of an incident electromagnetic field and trap them inside a round cavity. These resonances can be used for a variety of applications including very fine scale monitoring of temperature, force, pressure. They can also be used for optical switching, optical signal processing and sorting, and for chemical species concentration.

Graphs of light intensity with respect to wavelength of light. Sharp dips in the line result at the wavelengths at which light resonates inside the cavity.
Plots of the spectrum of polarized light introduced into a spherical cavity showing sharp dips in the spectrum at the wavelengths at which morphology dependent resonances (MDR) occurred.
NASA

Contact

Area of ExpertiseNameEmail
Physical SensorsJohn Wrbanekjohn.d.wrbanek@nasa.gov
Intelligent SystemsGary Huntergary.w.hunter@nasa.gov
Sensing and MeasurementSusan Wrbaneksusan.y.wrbanek@nasa.gov

Video

Development of a Venus Surface Wind Sensor

Presentation to NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Academy describes the development and demonstration of this miniature drag-force anemometer integrated with high temperature electronics in a simulated Venus surface environment.

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Projects supported by this research:

Fission Surface Power

The solar system does not provide easy access to electricity as we know it on Earth. Astronauts could take advantage of a reliable power supply to explore both the Moon and Mars. The system will need to be lightweight and capable of running regardless of its location, the weather, or available sunlight and other natural resources.

Learn More about Fission Surface Power
A concept image of the Fission Surface Power Project on the lunar surface. Earth and Mars can be seen in the background. The lunar surface is grey and rocky.
A concept image of NASA’s Fission Surface Power Project.
NASA

Transformational Tools and Technologies Project

NASA is developing state-of-the-art computational and experimental tools and technologies that are vital to ARMD’s ability to advance the prediction of future aircraft performance in flight, such as first-of-a-kind tools that isolate the complex turbulent airflow around vehicles and within propulsion systems.

Learn More about Transformational Tools and Technologies Project
Pink-colored pressure sensitive paint is applied to a vehicle to test in a wind tunnel.
An aircraft design that could reduce fuel use, emissions and noise is set up for a test in a wind tunnel at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California in which pink-colored pressure-sensitive paint is applied to the vehicle. The pink paint shines when exposed to blue light, glowing brighter or dimmer depending on air pressure in the area.
NASA

NASA Glenn facilities where this research is conducted:

Microsystems Fabrication Laboratory

This vertically integrated silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor research and development facility is dedicated to the design, fabrication, and testing of integrated circuit electronics and sensors uniquely durable to extreme environments. 

Learn More about Microsystems Fabrication Laboratory
The Microsystems Fabrication Laboratory designs, fabricates, packages, and tests uniquely durable extreme environment silicon carbide (SiC) sensors and electronics.
The Microsystems Fabrication Laboratory designs, fabricates, packages, and tests uniquely durable extreme environment silicon carbide (SiC) sensors and electronics.
NASA

Key Publications

Publication TitleAuthor(s)SourceTypeYear
Thin-Film Embedded Sensors for Battery Health MonitoringGary Hunter, John Wrbanek, Jennifer Xu, Brianne Demattia, Elizabeth McQuaid, José Gonzalez245th Electrochemical Society MeetingPresentation2024
Development of a Venus Surface Wind Sensor Based on a Miniature Drag-Force AnemometerWrbanek, John, Fralick, Gustave, Hunter, Gary, Meredith, Roger, Sprouse, Mark, Fausnaugh, Andrew, Chen, LiangYu, Gonzalez, José, and Phillips, KyleNASA TM-20205007616NASA TM2020
Design and operation of a fast, thin-film thermocouple probe on a turbine engine.Meredith, Roger D., Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C., Greer, Lawrence C., Hunter, Gary W., Chen, Liangyu50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, Cleveland, Ohio, July 28-30, 2014Conference Paper2014
A Review of Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensing Techniques for Modern Turbine Engine ControlsVon Moll, Alexander, Behbahani, Alireza R., Fralick, Gustave C., Wrbanek, John D. and Hunter, Gary W.50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, Cleveland, Ohio, July 28-30, 2014Conference Paper2014
Coupling of low-order LP modes propagating in cylindrical waveguides into whispering gallery modes in microspheresG. Adamovsky and S. WrbanekOptics Express 21 (2) 2279-2286Journal Article2013
Ceramic Thin Film Thermocouples for SiC-based Ceramic Matrix Composites.Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C., Zhu, DongminThin Solid Films 520 (17) 5801-5806Journal Article2012
Investigating Sonoluminescence as a Means of Energy HarvestingJohn D. Wrbanek, Gustave C. Fralick, Susan Y. Wrbanek, Nancy R. HallChapter 19 in Frontiers of Propulsion Science (AIAA) 605-637Book Chapter2012
Polarization dependent coupling of whispering gallery modes in microspheresG. Adamovsky, S. Wrbanek, B. Floyd, M. CrottySPIE Photonics North 2010, Niagra Falls, Canada, June 1-3, 2010Conference Paper2010
Measurement of the Length of an Optical TrapSusan Y. WrbanekNASA/TM-2009-215508NASA TM2009
Thin film ceramic strain sensor development for high temperature environmentsJD Wrbanek, GC Fralick, JM Gonzalez, KL LasterAging Aircraft 2008, Phoenix, Arizona, April 21-24, 2008Conference Paper2008
Scattering of a tightly focused beam by an optically trapped particleJames A. Lock, Susan Y. Wrbanek, Kenneth E. WeilandApplied Optics 45 (15) 3634-3645Journal Article2006
Preparation and analysis of platinum thin films for high temperature sensor applicationsJohn D. Wrbanek, Kimala L.H. LasterNASA TM-2005-213433NASA TM2005
Optical levitation of micro-scale particles in airSusan Y. Wrbanek, Kenneth E. WeilandNASA/TM-2004-212889NASA TM2004
Development of Thin Film Ceramic Thermocouples for High Temperature EnvironmentsJohn Wrbanek, Gustave Fralick, Serene Farmer, Ali Sayir, Charles Blaha, José Gonzalez40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, July 11-14, 2004Conference Paper2004
Thin film sensors for surface measurementsLisa Martin, John Wrbanek, Gustave Fralick19th IEEE ICIASF, Cleveland, Ohio, August 27-30, 2001Conference Paper2001

Key Patents

Patent TitleInventor(s)YearPatent #
Multiwavelength pyrometer for gray and non-gray surfaces in the presence of interfering radiationDaniel Ng19945326172
Method and apparatus for emissivity independent self-calibrating of a multiwavelength pyrometerDaniel Ng19975690429
Microfabricated multifunction strain-temperature gaugeJih-Fen Lei, Gustave C. Fralick, Michael J. Krasowski19995979243
Thermocouple boundary layer rakeDanny P. Hwang, Herbert A. Will, Gustave C. Fralick20026382024
Silicon carbide high temperature anemometer and method for assembling the sameRobert S. Okojie, Gustave C. Fralick, George J. Saad20046647809
Mass Flow Sensor Utilizing a Resistance BridgeGustave C. Fralick, Danny P. Hwang, John D. Wrbanek20046684695
Method of assembling a silicon carbide high temperature anemometerRobert S. Okojie, Gustave C. Fralick, George J. Saad20056794213
Thin film ceramic thermocouplesOtto Gregory, Gustave Fralick, John Wrbanek, Tao You20118052324
Polarization dependent whispering gallery modes in microspheresGrigory Adamovsky, Susan Y. Wrbanek20169291774

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Advanced Space Radiation Detectors

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Chemical Sensors

NASA is developing chemical species sensors for aerospace applications including leak detection and emission, safety, human health, and environmental monitoring.