Scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras have teamed up to create a cutting-edge Piezoelectric MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) technology sensor for underwater communications. This sensor will be beneficial for defence applications, particularly in the naval forces. The Indian Navy’s Next Generation SONAR initiative by DRDO will use this sensor to support both innovative and modern technological advances.
The indigenous invention of this technology allows India to fabricate the devices at a lesser cost than the internationally available foundries, where production costs are high and the availability of foundries is restricted. The establishment of cutting-edge piezo MEMS technology helps India expand beyond the limits of defence capabilities and undertake strategic operations for key applications.
To create high-performance thin films and transform “piezo thin film” into sophisticated, futuristic naval sensors and equipment for underwater applications, “piezoelectric MEMS technology” is required. Piezo Thin Films are one of the most important components of piezo MEMS devices and are used in acoustics and vibration sensing.
In order to make “Thin film membrane based Piezo MEMS Acoustic sensors,” IIT Madras researchers and DRDO scientists collaborated with numerous partners to build a piezo MEMS process technology. The fabricated PZT thin film-based acoustic sensor outperforms the traditional PVDF-based acoustic sensor in terms of functionality.
In a statement issued in the press release, Dr O.R. Nandagopan, Director, DRDO Industry Academia- Ramanujan Centre of Excellence (DIA-RCoE), IIT Madras, stated, “This technology is matured enough to convert it as a system with the support of Indian Industry. This technology will be a disruptive technology in this domain and our country achieved ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ in underwater materials and micro device processing technology.”
Prof. Amitava Das Gupta, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras, highlighted that the fabrication facility has been built at IIT Madras as well as at the DRDO Industry Academia – Ramanujan Centre of Excellence.
The most significant challenge in the Piezo MEMS process technology, according to Dr. Varadarajan, Scientist, DRDO, is the necessity for excellent dependability and durability in the hostile underwater environment, due to the high pressure and corrosive characteristics of seawater.
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