Sensors & Electronics
Physical Property Sensors
Sensing Mechanism Capabilities
Underlying Science Capabilities: PNNL's capabilities for identifying, exploiting, and optimizing Sensing/Interaction Mechanisms to meet specific application requirements rely on and are greatly enhanced by the existence of strong laboratory capabilities in underlying science areas including Material Science, Chemical Science, Biological Science, and Physical Science. These complimentary science capabilities are the result of significant work for government and other sponsors. Significant intellectual (e.g., staff with specialized skills), equipment, and facility resources are in place to support this work. These capabilities can be drawn upon as-needed to meet sensor development project requirements.
Material Sciences capabilities most pertinent for physical property sensor development include:
- Specialized Transducer Materials
- Tailored Surface Coatings
Chemical Sciences capabilities most pertinent for physical property sensor development include:
- Energy driven chemical reactions
- Thermally driven chemical reactions
Biological Sciences capabilities have not been very important for physical property sensor development.
Physical Sciences capabilities most pertinent for physical property sensor development include:
- Acoustic interactions
- Electromagnetic interactions
- Fluid mechanics
- Optical interactions
- Mechanical interactions
- Thermal interactions
Sensing/Interaction Mechanisms: Fundamental mechanisms and interactions that allow measurement of a intrinsic physical properties of a single material or medium (e.g., thermo-electric phenomena, piezo-electric phenomena, etc.).
Sensor: A device that can measure a desired physical property for a test medium or material. The sensor will rely on one or more sensing mechanisms and produce a signal that indicates the physical property/parameter value.
- Types of physical property sensors developed at PNNL include: electro-optic sensors, electro-mechanical sensors, thermoelectric sensors, electrical and electromagnetic devices, mechanical devices, etc.
- In addition, PNNL develops unique/specialized sensors for clients when suitable sensors are not available to meet a client's demanding requirements.
