Physical Sensors
Innovative harsh environment physical sensing and instrumentation technologies are under development by NASA Glenn Research Center to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research.
Novel Thin Film Sensors
Developing Robust Thin Film Sensors with Ceramic, Laminate and Nanostructured Materials onto Complex Components
NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) 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 envrionments 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 much less disturbing to the operating environment, therefore having a minimal impact on the physical characteristics of the supporting components.
Presentations
| Title | Location | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development of a Venus Surface Wind Sensor | Cleveland, OH | May 2022 | NTRS |
| Design and operation of a fast, thin-film thermocouple probe on a turbine engine | Cleveland, OH | July 2014 | NTRS |
| Thin Film Heat Flux Sensors: Design and Methodology | Cleveland, OH | May 2013 | NTRS |
| Novel Thin Film Sensor Technology for Turbine Engine Hot Section Components | Baltimore, MD | June 2007 | NTRS |
| Thin Film Ceramic Strain Sensor Development for Harsh Environments | Tulsa, OK | May 2007 | NTRS |
Technology Portfolio
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High-Temperature Thin Film Multifunctional Sensor
A microfabricated thin-film sensor to measure multiple parameters in high-temperature aerospace environments that is minimally intrusive to the system. |
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Thin-Film Heat Flux Sensor (Improved Design)
A new design for a thin film heat flux sensor utilizing a Wheatstone bridge is easier to fabricate, has a larger signal, and is more easily scalable than previous designs. |
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Temperature Probe for Measuring up to 2400 °C
This technology is for a probe that uses multi-wavelengths to measure very high temperatures, from 1380 °C up to 2400 °C. The ability to withstand higher temperatures and oxidizing atmospheres translates into extended lifetimes even during operation in less severe conditions. |
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Thin Film Air Mass Flow Sensor
This technology uses thin film resistance temperature detectors in a bridge arrangement to measure air mass flow rate with minimal disruption of the flow. |
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High-Temperature Thin-Film Strain Gauges
The NASA Glenn Research Center has developed high-temperature thin-film strain gauges, which are miniature and deposited directly on the test articles. These sputter-deposited thin-film resistance strain gauges can provide minimally intrusive surface strain measurements in the temperature range from ambient up to 1100 °C. |
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Thin Film Heat Flux Sensor
The thin film heat flux sensors, being developed at NASA Glenn Research Center, are fabricated as a plug-type sensor on the surface of a ceramic material. They can also be fabricated directly on the surface of a part such as a turbine blade. |
Contacts
Physical Sensors Instrumentation Research
Intelligent Systems
The NASA Glenn Research Center is interested in partnering with companies that can develop these technologies into commercial products. If you are interested in learning more about partnering with NASA, please contact the Technology Transfer & Partnership Office.
Publications
| Title | Author(s) | Source | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development of a Venus Surface Wind Sensor Based on a Miniature Drag-Force Anemometer | Wrbanek, John, Fralick, Gustave, Hunter, Gary, Meredith, Roger, Sprouse, Mark, Fausnaugh, Andrew, Chen, LiangYu, Gonzalez, José, and Phillips, Kyle | NASA TM-20205007616 | October 2020 | NTRS |
| Long-duration Venus lander for seismic and atmospheric science | Kremic, T., Ghail, R., Gilmore, M., Hunter, G., Kiefer, W., Limaye, S., Pauken, M., Tolbert, C. and Wilson, C. | Planetary and Space Science, 190, 104961 | October 2020 | DOI |
| Long-Lived In-Situ Solar System Explorer (LLISSE): Potential Contributions to the Next Decade of Solar System Exploration | Kremic, Tibor, Hunter, Gary W. | VEXAG Annual Meeting 2019 | November 2019 | NTRS |
| 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, Liangyu | AIAA 2014-3923 | July 2014 | DOI |
| A Review of Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensing Techniques for Modern Turbine Engine Controls | Von Moll, Alexander, Behbahani, Alireza R., Fralick, Gustave C., Wrbanek, John D. and Hunter, Gary W. | AIAA 2014-3977 | July 2014 | DOI |
| Optical Strain and Crack-Detection Measurements on a Rotating Disk. | Woike, Mark R., Abudl-Aziz, Ali, Clem, Michelle and Fralick, Gustave C. | NASA TM-2013-216523 | June 2013 | NTRS |
| Ceramic Thin Film Thermocouples for SiC-based Ceramic Matrix Composites. | Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C., Zhu, Dongmin | Thin Solid Films, 5801-5806 | 2012 | DOI |
| Investigation of a Moire Based Crack Detection Technique for Propulsion Health Monitoring. | Woike, Mark R., Abudl-Aziz, Ali, Fralick, Gustave C., Wrbanek, John D. | NASA TM-2012-217622 | June 2012 | NTRS |
| Thin Film Heat Flux Sensor Development for Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Systems. | Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C., Hunter, Gary W., Zhu, Dongming, Laster, Kimala L., Gonzalez, José M. and Gregory, Otto J. | NASA TM-2010-216216, AIAA-2009-5066 | March 2010 | NTRS |
| Fabrication and Testing of a Thin-Film Heat Flux Sensor for a Stirling Convertor. | Wilson, Scott D., Fralick, Gus C., Wrbanek, John D. and Sayir, Ali | NASA TM-2010-216063, AIAA-2009-4581 | January 2010 | NTRS |
| Thin Film Ceramic Strain Sensor Development for High Temperature Environments. | Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C., Gonzalez, José M. and Laster, Kimala L. | NASA TM 2008-215256 | Jun 2008 | NTRS |
| Preparation and Characterization of High Temperature Thermoelectrics Based on Metal/Oxide Nanocomposites. | Gregory, Otto J., Chen, Ximing, Fralick, Gustave C. and Wrbanek, John | In Thermoelectric Power Generation, edited by T.P. Hogan, J. Yang, R. Funahashi, and T. Tritt (Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Volume 1044, Warrendale, PA, 2007), 1044-U07-04. | 2007 | DOI |
| Thin Film Heat Flux Sensor for Measuring Film Coefficient of Rubber Components of Rolling Tire. | Assaad, M.C., Kimble, B., Huang, Y.M., Burgan, R., Fralick, G.C., Wrbanek, J.D. and Gonzalez, J.M. | In Proceedings of the 26th Annual Meeting and Conference on Tire Science and Technology (The Tire Society, Akron, OH). | September 25-26, 2007 | DOI |
| Development of Techniques to Investigate Sonoluminescence as a Source of Energy Harvesting. | Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C. and Wrbanek, Susan Y. | NASA TM-2007-214982, AIAA-2007-5596 | October 2007 | NTRS |
| High Temperature Electronics, Communications and Supporting Technologies for Venus Missions. | Hunter, G.W., Okojie, R.S., Neudeck, P.G., Beheim, G.M., Ponchak, G.E., Fralick, G., Wrbanek, J., Kraskowski, M., Spry, D. and Chen, L.Y. | In 5th International Planetary Probe Workshop (IPPW5) (Bordeaux, France) | June 25-29 2007 | |
| Thin Film Ceramic Strain Sensor Development for Harsh Environments: Interim Report on Identification of Candidate Thin Film Ceramics to Test for Viability for Static Strain Sensor Development. | Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C. and Hunter, Gary W. | NASA TM-2006-214466 | December 2006 | NTRS |
| Thin Film Physical Sensor Instrumentation Research and Development at NASA Glenn Research Center. | Wrbanek, John D. and Fralick, Gustave C. | NASA TM-2006-214395, ISA# TP06IIS023 | September 2006 | NTRS |
| Developing Multilayer Thin Film Strain Sensors With High Thermal Stability. | Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C. and Gonzalez, José M. | NASA TM-2006-214389, AIAA-2006-4580 | August 2006 | NTRS |
| Thermoelectric Properties of Ceramic Thin Film Thermocouples. | Gregory, Otto J., Busch, Eike and Fralick, Gustave C. | ISA# TP06IIS037 | May 2006 | |
| Nuclear size corrections to the energy levels of single-electron and -muon atoms. | Deck, R.T., Amar, Jacques G. and Fralick, Gustave | J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 38 2173-2186 | 2005 | |
| Preparation and Analysis of Platinum Thin Films for High Temperature Sensor Applications. | Wrbanek, John D., and Laster, Kimala L.H. | NASA TM-2005-213433 | January 2005 | NTRS |
| The Measurement of Performance of Combustors Using Passive Acoustic Methods: Additional Results. | Norris, W., Kleppe, J., McPherson, D., Fralick, G. | In 43rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit (Reno, NV) AIAA 2005-219 | January 10-13, 2005 | DOI |
| Development of Thin Film Ceramic Thermocouples For High Temperature Environments. | Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C., Farmer, Serene C., Sayir, Ali, Blaha, Charles A. and Gonzalez, José M. | NASA TM-2004-213211, AIAA 2004-3549 | August 2004 | NTRS |
| The Measurement of Performance of Combustors Using Passive Acoustic Methods. | Kleppe, J., Norris, W., McPherson, D., Fralick, G. | In 42nd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit (Reno, NV) AIAA 2004-1046. | January 5-8, 2004 | DOI |
| A Single Crystal SiC Plug-and-Play High Temperature Drag Force Transducer | Okojie, R. S., Fralick, G. C., Saad, G. J., Blaha, C. A., Adamczyk, J. J. and Feiereisen, J. M. | In Digest of Technical Papers for Transducers 03: The 12th International Conference on Solid State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (Boston, MA)400-403 (IEEE Catalog Number 03TH8664C) | June 8-12, 2003 | DOI |
| A Multilayered Thin Film Insulator for Harsh Environments. | Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C., Blaha, Charles A., Busfield, A. Rachel, Thomas, Valarie D. | NASA TM-2002-211873, AIAA-2002-3731 | September 2002 | DOI |
| Thin Film Heat Flux Sensor of Improved Design. | Fralick, Gus, Wrbanek, John, Blaha, Charles | NASA TM-2002-211566 | September 2002 | NTRS |
| RQL Sector Rig Testing of SiC/SiC Combustor Liners. | Verrilli, Michael J., Martin, Lisa C., Brewer, David N. | NASA TM-2002-211509 | April 2002 | NTRS |
| An Innovative Flow-Measuring Device: Thermocouple Boundary Layer Rake. | Hwang, Danny P., Fralick, Gustave C., Martin, Lisa C., Wrbanek, John D., Blaha, Charles A. | NASA TM-2001-211161, AIAA-2002-0289 | December 2001 | NTRS |
| Experimental Results of Schlicher's Thrusting Antenna. | Fralick, Gustave C. and Niedra, Janis M. | NASA TM-2001-211207, AIAA-2001-3657 | November 2001 | NTRS |
| Thin Film Sensors for Surface Measurements. | Martin, Lisa C., Wrbanek, John D. and Fralick, Gustave C. | NASA TM-2001-211149 | September 2001 | NTRS |
| Microfabricated chemical sensors for space health monitoring applications | Hunter, G.W., Neudeck, P.G., Fralick, G., Makel, D., Liu, C.C., Ward, B., Wu, Q.H., Thomas, V., Hall, G. | In AIAA Space 2001 Conference and Exposition (Albuquerque, NM,) AIAA-2001-4689 | Aug. 28-30, 2001 | DOI |
| A Thin Film Multifunction Sensor for Harsh Environments. | Wrbanek, John D., Fralick, Gustave C., Martin, Lisa C., Blaha Charles A. | NASA TM-2001-211075 | July 2001 | NTRS |
| Temperature Measurement of Beryllia Ceramic Surface in the Presence of Reflected Extraneous Radiation Using a Multiwavelength Pyrometer. | Ng, Daniel and Fralick, Gustave | NASA TM-2001-210891 | May 2001 | |
| High Temperature Gas Measurements in Combustors Using Acoustic Pyrometry Methods. | Kleppe, John, Fradali, S., Lappolla, M.H., Fralick, G.E. | ISA# TP01AERO4505 | May 2001 | |
| Use of a multiwavelength pyrometer in several elevated temperature aerospace applications. | Ng, Daniel and Fralick, Gustave | Review of Scientific Instruments 72(2) 1522-1530 | Februaury 2001 | NTRS |
| Durability Evaluation of a Thin Film Sensor System With Enhanced Lead Wire Attachments on SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites. | Lei, Jih-Fen, Kiser, J. Douglas, Singh, Mrityunjay, Cuy, Mike, Blaha, Charles A. and Androjna, Drago | NASA TM-2000-209917 | June 1999 | NTRS |
| Pyrometric Gas and Surface Temperature Measurements. | Fralick, Gustave and Ng, Daniel | NASA TM-1999-209059 | March 1999 | NTRS |
| Temperature Measurement of Ceramic Materials Using a Multiwavelength Pyrometer. | Ng, Daniel and Fralick, Gustave | NASA TM-1999-208850 | January 1999 | NTRS |
| Advances in Thin Film Thermocouple Durability Under High Temperature and Pressure Testing Conditions. | Martin, Lisa C., Fralick, Gustave C., Taylor, Keith F. | NASA TM-1999-208812 | January 1999 | NTRS |
| La(1-x)SrxCoO3 for thin film thermocouple applications. | Bhatt, Hemanshu D., Vedula, Ramakrishna, Desu, Seshu B., Fralick, Gustave C. | Thin Solid Films 350 pp. 249-257 | 1999 | DOI |
| Heat Transfer Analysis of a Plug-Type Heat Flux Gauge. | Rooke, S., Fralick, G., Liebert, C. | Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer 12 (4) 536-542 | Oct-Dec 1998 | DOI |
| Thin film TiC/TaC thermocouples. | Bhatt, Hemanshu D., Vedula, Ramakrishna, Desu, Seshu B., Fralick, Gustave C. | Thin Solid Films 342 pp. 214-220 | 1999 | DOI |
| The application of acoustic pyrometry to gas turbines and jet engines. | Kleppe, J.A., Sanchez, J., Fralick, G.C. | In 34th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit (Cleveland, OH) AIAA-1998-3611 | July 13-15, 1998 | DOI |
| The Propulsion Instrumentation Working Group Introduction and discussion of subteam activities. | Anderson, Robert, Atkinson, William, Bonsett Tom, and Osani, Joe | 20th Advanced Measurement and Ground Testing Technology Conference (Albuquerque, NM) AIAA-1998-2774 | June 15-18, 1998 | DOI |
| Thin-film thermocouples and strain-gauge technologies for engine applications. | Lei, Jih-Fen and Will, Herbert A. | Sensors and Actuators A 65 , pp. 187-193 | 1998 | DOI |
| Steady-State and Frequency Response of a Thin-Film Heat Flux Gauge. | Cho, C.S., Fralick, G.C., Bhatt, H.D. | Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 34 (6) 792-798 | Nov-Dec 1997 | NTRS |
| Attachment of Free Filament Thermocouples for Temperature Measurements on CMC. | Lei, Jih-Fen, Cuy, Michael D., Wnuk, Stephen P. | NASA TM-107488 | June 1997 | NTRS |
| Advances in Thin Film Sensor Technologies for Engine Applications. | Lei, Jih-Fen, Martin, Lisa C., Will, Herbert A. | NASA TM-107418 | June 1997 | NTRS |
| Use of Drag Probe in Supersonic Flow. | Richard, J.C. and Fralick, G. C. | AIAA Journal 34 (1) 201-203 | 1996 | DOI |
| Replication of the Apparent Excess Heat Effect in a Light Water-Potassium Carbonate-Nickel Electrolytic Cell. | Niedra, Janis M., Myers, Ira T., Fralick, Gustave C. and Baldwin, Richard S. | NASA TM-107167 | February 1996 | NTRS |
| Mulltiwire thermocouples in reversing flow. | Forney, L.J. and Fralick, G.C. | Review of Scientific Instruments 66 (l0) 5050-5054 | October 1995 | NTRS |
| Three-wire thermocouple: Frequency response in constant flow. | Forney, L.J. and Fralick, G.C. | Review of Scientific Instruments 66 (5) () 3331-3336 | May 1995 | NTRS |
| Applications of Thin Film Thermocouples for Surface Temperature Measurement. | Martin, Lisa C. and Holanda, Raymond | ASA TM-106714 | August 1994 | NTRS |
| Heat Flux Measurements on Ceramics With Thin Film Thermocouples. | Holanda, Raymond, Anderson, Robert C., Liebert, Curt H. | NASA TM-106305 | November 1993 | NTRS |
| Frequency response of a supported thermocouple wire: Effects of axial conduction. | Fralick, G.C. and Forney, L.J. | Review of Scientific Instruments 64 (ll) 3236-3244 | November 1993 | NTRS |
| Dynamic Gas Temperature Measurements Using a Personal Computer for Data Acquisition and Reduction. | Fralick, Gustave C., Oberle, Lawrence G., Greer III, Lawrence C. | NASA TM-106119 | April 1993 | NTRS |
| Development of Thin Film Thermocouples on Ceramic Materials for Advanced Propulsion System Applications. | Holanda, Raymond | NASA TM-106017 | February 1993 | NTRS |