The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking proposals for the development of high-end sensors that can operate with more precision than current technology in extreme heat environments such as turbine engines or high-speed flight.
The agency will host a Proposers Day on May 31 for the High Operational Temperature Sensors (HOTS) program, which seeks microelectronic sensor technology capable of high-bandwidths and dynamic-sensing ranges.
“Many of the defense and industrial systems that rely on sensors experience harsh environments beyond the capability of today’s high-performance physical sensors,” Benjamin Griffin, the HOTS program manager, said in a statement last week. “That means these systems have to be designed and operated with reduced performance and excessive margins. They’re limited by the uncertainty of their thermal environments. However, if we can design, integrate, and demonstrate high-performance physical sensors that can operate in high-temperature environments, we can advance toward systems that perform at the edge of their capability instead of the limits of uncertainty.”
DARPA said better performing sensors operating in hot environments—around 1,472 degrees Fahrenheit–can capture complex flow dynamics and monitor for stability and functionality in components.
The agency is interested in emerging materials, fabrication techniques and integration technologies that inform new transistors and transducers.