99 -- Ultra Sensitive Acoustic Motion Detector

Sandia is soliciting expressions of interest from potential partners to further develop and/or commercialize the technologies shown below. Partnerships are anticipated to take the form of Cooperative Research & Development Agreements (CRADA) and/or commercial licenses. CRADAs are expected to include funds-in to the Labs and licensed rights may be up to exclusive in a field-of-use, depending on the business case. Sandia is seeking partners that have proven experience in translating immature technologies into market-driven products, have technical capabilities in the technical area(s) shown below, are fiscally sound and well managed, and can commit to manufacturing the products in the U.S. Ultra Sensitive Acoustic Motion Detector Utilizing the combination of Vertical Cavity Surface-emitting Lasers (VCSELs) and MEMS, devices can be fabricated to serve as inexpensive, highly sensitive sensors with applications in a variety of markets. Fabricated of polysilicon materials, two tiny comb-like structures (instead of fingers) are laid one over each other. The bottom comb is locked rigidly in place. The top comb is secured only by horizontal springs. Any tiny motion sends the top comb skittering over the bottom comb, laterally deforming the grating. A small laser in the visible to near-infrared range, focused on the apparatus enables the detection of very small lateral displacements. This measuring device is in effect a kind of accelerometer, about the size of a MEMS device. Mass manufacturing by the same foundry processes as conventional silicon chips (both the laser and the MEMS devices) is expected to yield low cost products. Patents are pending for this technology. Interested parties may contact Teresa Montoya, Administration, Fax: 505-844-8011, E-mail: [email protected]. Be sure to indicate the technology in which you are interested.