Nanoionic memories and PiezoMEMS for energy-autonomous sensor systems

06.Jun.2024   Reseach News

The ZfM at Chemnitz University of Technology is developing system components for energy-autonomous vibration sensors for machine monitoring as part of the UpFuse ForMikro project. These new sensor systems do not require any auxiliary energy and their energy is drawn exclusively from the physical quantity to be measured. Sensor systems that measure specific machine damage, such as bearing damage, were developed as demonstrators. For this purpose, silicon-based piezoelectric vibration sensors were developed that can measure frequency-selectively. The piezoelectric element converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy, which in turn describes a new type of memory. This nanoionic memory changes its resistance in relation to the integral of the electrical load over time. The sensor system utilise electronics developed by Fraunhofer ENAS with an RFID module for data readout. So, critical machine vibrations are detected frequency-selectively by piezoelectric acceleration sensors and the measurement signal is stored on a nanoionic component. This enables a ‘zero power’ function in which no additional electrical energy is required. Within the project, the team of scientists from the TUC and their colleagues from Fraunhofer ENAS succeeded in evaluating the system on systems with real machine damage. The technology could be used in various industries, as it overcomes the cost, environmental and complexity problems associated with the energy supply of conventional sensors.