NASA 1996 SBIR Phase I

PROJECT TITLE : Temperature-Compensated Magnetic Field Sensors for Optimized Materials Processing

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)

Innovation: Intelligent Fiber Optics Systems (IFOS) proposes an innovative fiber-optic magnetic field sensor based on an IFOS proprietary probe involving a combination of recently advanced materials systems of interest to NASA including first-time integration of temperature compensating two-wavelength sensitized optical fiber gratings and magnetostrictive coatings. IFOS further proposes to evaluate its sensor by first-time incorporation of temperature-compensated fiber magnetic-field sensors in plasma Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) equipment for real-time in-situ magnetic field monitoring to allow fabrication of thin-film magnetic read/write heads with higher yield and improved performance. Phase I Objectives involve feasibility demonstration via construction of a single temperature-compensated magnetic-field sensor for testing in PVD equipment. Phase I Tasks are to: (1) establish NASA and commercial sensor requirement and design details, (2) design and fabricate two-wavelength fiber grating probes, (3) design and fabricate magnetostrictive coated fiber probes, (4) construct, test, and evaluate prototype. NASA Applications/Benefits: The proposed sensor (1) has particular application to NASA's need for optimizing materials processing by providing real-time in-situ process sensing of a critical state parameter, magnetic field, in a key processing technology, (2) is multiplexible, electrically passive, light-weight, in-line, low-cost and mass-producible, (3) has high-sensitivity, low-power requirements, compactness, and full fiber-optic compatibility.

The proposed electrically-passive magnetic field sensors are based on technologies that lend themselves to mass-producible probes and readily manufactured sensor systems. The IFOS sensors will have significant impact in optimizing materials processing in the semiconductor/magnetic-storage manufacturing industries; moreover they have market potential for in-situ sensing in aerospace and other process-control applications, power utilities, medicine, including magnetic resonance applications, magnetosphere and magnetically-confinemed-plasma physics, advanced magnetic drives, etc. Direct and spin-off technology potential is evidenced by letters from potential industrial partners in both manufacture and use of the IFOS technology.

Dr. Richard J. Black
Intelligent Fiber Optic Systems
1778 Fordham Way, Mountain View, CA 94040

Intelligent Fiber Optic Systems (IFOS)
1778 Fordham Way, Mountain View, CA 94040