Advanced search
Start date
Betweenand

Design and fabrication of an autonomous heat pulse probe soil water moisture sensor using semiconductor devices fabricated with sprayed semiconductor ink on alumina, integrated with a bite thermoelectric generator

Grant number: 14/01470-3
Support Opportunities:Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
Start date: April 01, 2014
End date: May 31, 2014
Field of knowledge:Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Electrical Materials
Principal Investigator:Elnatan Chagas Ferreira
Grantee:Pedro Carvalhaes Dias
Supervisor: Andreu Cabot
Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação (FEEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
Institution abroad: Institut de Recerca en Energia de Catalunya, Barcelona (IREC), Spain  
Associated to the scholarship:12/20862-4 - A low-power, low voltage autonomous single probe heat pulse soil moisture sensor based on semiconductors with energy harvesting using thermoelectric generators, BP.DR

Abstract

A novel integrated structure, incorporating a BiTe thermo electrical generator (TEG) and a semiconductor device fabricated with sprayed ink on the alumina plates of the TEG will be fabricated, using the laboratory facilities of the IREC - Institut de Recerca em Energia de Catalunya, Barcelona - Spain. This project has already been started last year, during a 3 month stay at IREC (March to June of 2013), realized with funds from the FAPESP RT. During this first stage of the project several mask for the fabrications of structures with semiconductor inks were develop, and are currently being used by IREC.During the last year's stage at IREC some experience was obtained with the fabrication of BiTe TEG devices with alumina substrates (using the BiTe pellets developed and fabricated in the IREC). This experience lead to the idea of the fabrication of a new sensor device, which would integrated, in a single device, a thermoelectric generator (using the BiTe technology with alumina plates) and a temperature sensing element (using the spray of semiconductor inks on the TEG plates).This stage at IREC is planned for only two months because many of the work which is necessary to fabricate this new sensor was realized in Brazil, at the DEMIC/FEEC/UNICAMP, and only the critical parts (those which we do not have the technology to perform the processing steps) will be realized in IREC. Thus, the design of the device, the fabrications of the masks, fabrication of the alumina plates with the TEG patterns, molds for TEG soldering and assembly are being executed at Unicamp. This will certainly allow for an extremely efficient use of the time when in IREC, and a full focus and concentration on the semiconductor sprayed inks devices will be possible. (AU)

News published in Agência FAPESP Newsletter about the scholarship:
More itemsLess items
Articles published in other media outlets ( ):
More itemsLess items
VEICULO: TITULO (DATA)
VEICULO: TITULO (DATA)

Scientific publications (4)
(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)
DIAS, P. C.; MORAIS, F. O.; FRANCA, M. B.. Temperature-stable heat pulse driver circuit for low-voltage single supply soil moisture sensors based on junction transistors. ELECTRONICS LETTERS, v. 52, n. 3, p. 208-209, . (14/01470-3)
DIAS, PEDRO C.; CADAVID, DORIS; ORTEGA, SILVIA; RUIZ, ALEJANDRO; FRANCA, MARIA BERNADETE M.; MORAIS, FLAVIO J. O.; FERREIRA, ELNATAN C.; CABOT, ANDREU. Autonomous soil moisture sensor based on nanostructured thermosensitive resistors powered by an integrated thermoelectric generator. SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL, v. 239, p. 1-7, . (12/20862-4, 14/01470-3)
DIAS, PEDRO CARVALHAES; OLIVEIRA MORAIS, FLAVIO JOSE; DE MORAIS FRANCA, MARIA BERNADETE; FERREIRA, ELNATAN CHAGAS; CABOT, ANDREU; SIQUEIRA DIAS, JOSE A.. Autonomous Multisensor System Powered by a Solar Thermoelectric Energy Harvester With Ultralow-Power Management Circuit. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT, v. 64, n. 11, p. 2918-2925, . (12/20862-4, 14/01470-3)
CARVALHAES-DIAS, PEDRO; CABOT, ANDREU; DIAS, J. A. SIQUEIRA. Evaluation of the Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting Potential at Different Latitudes Using Solar Flat Panels Systems with Buried Heat Sink. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL, v. 8, n. 12, . (14/01470-3)