Developing an AB-initio human-machine interface for an ultrahigh temperature mems sensor made from a novel polymer derived ceramic

An interdisciplinary team at the University of Colorado is working under the AFOSR-Materials Engineering for Affordable Novel Systems (MEANS) program to develop a computational methodology that unites fundamental materials science, mechanical design, reliability analysis, and system level performance in a seamless interactive environment. We call this environment the Human-Machine Interface (HMI). The HMI serves as a real time display of device performance, and reliability assessment. The HMI gives information regarding the status of the device, e.g. damage accumulation and remaining life. The same HMI serves as a platform for simulation of the device for the purpose of life prediction, design and optimization. An ultrahigh temperature MEMS sensor-igniter is employed as the model application for the development and validation of the HMI platform. The devices are being fabricated from a novel polymer derived ceramic called silicon carbonitride (SiCN), by a low cost net-shape process where an organic polymer is cast into the desired shape and then converted into the ceramic state by controlled pyrolysis. The ceramic, SiCN, has remarkable properties, such as exceptional resistance to creep, to oxidation and to thermal shock. It is also an ultrahigh temperature semiconductor. The experimentally validated HMI methodology will be portable to health monitoring of other high temperature systems such as gas turbine engines, missile systems, and high temperature processing of advanced materials.