timestimesTHE MAGAZINE OF THE RESEARCH CENTRE FOR SMART SENSOR SYSTEMS

Steel is a common material found in many things from bridges to high class cutlery. A tiny

SAW system the size of a coin does the trick when it comes to shaping steel.

times[ SAW SENSOR SYSTEMS ]

1/2014 | WWW.CTR.AT

Smart systems integration 3 He connects microsystems 6

Microsystems for 3D analysis 7 Micro wind farm supplies energy for mobiles 8

Steel is a common material found in many

SAW does the trick 4

[ http://goo.gl/pdGhzR ]

BILD

[ Human Resources ]

Award for young researcherAt the build! Master Cup, young CTR researcher Bernd Filipitsch was awarded a € 1,000 prize for his mas-ter’s thesis. His degree was in system design and his thesis about analytical solutions to electromagnetic field problems. It focused in particular on eddy cur-rents in speed sensors. His findings help to improve the signal quality in magnetic sensors. Bernd wrote his master’s thesis at CTR as part of a cooperative research project with Infineon. [ http://www.goo.gl/cBvsQo ]

[ R&D Positions ]

Jobs and scientific work CTR is currently advertising four research vacancies, eight dissertations and mas-ter’s theses and a PhD thesis on the website. The four research jobs are in the areas of electromagnetic simulation and sensors, electrochemical gas sensors,

microsystems engi-neering and applied spectroscopy. Com-mitted, personally and professionally motivat-ed researchers are the foundation of every development. We look forward to your appli-cation. [ http://goo.vgl/9Vd4OL ]

[ R&D Award ]

Bringing printed pictures to life

Congratulations to Context Type & Sign Pink GmbH! Our compa-ny partner received third prize at the Carinthian Innovation and Research Awards for their innovative printing technology. Conticular® printing technol-ogy produces a moving 3D ef-fect, bringing

printed pictures to life. It was this innovative printing process for very large sizes that received the award. CTR as the scientific partner supported the development of the high-tech process.[ www.context-online.at ]

COMET – a new eraAustria’s COMET (Competence Centres for Excel-lent Technologies) programme funds research centres and successful cooperation between science and industry, earning it a reputation as a best practice model in Europe. Since the start of the COMET programme, CTR has been positioned as a K1 centre for advanced sensor technologies. Research projects totalling €28 million in volume will be carried out by 2014. Every project involves large and small, national and international com-panies with one thing in common: they use CTR’s R&D expertise to turn the latest technologies into concrete applications.

We are now set to enter new era: COMET is inviting funding applications for the period from 2015 to 2022. CTR is therefore taking a logical, proactive step: as the consortium leader we are applying to be a centre of excellence for smart systems integration. Having submitted the application as an Austrian Smart Systems Integration Research Center (ASSIC), CTR has set a milestone for future smart product generations. With core competen-cies in microsystems engineering and packaging of integrated circuits from simulation to integra-tion in the required application, ASSIC provides interdisciplinary system expertise ranging from the component to the module level and the integrated sensor system.

The facilities for the project will be housed in a new 4,000 sq m building in the Villach technology park. An advanced high tech centre (HTC) and a dedi-cated research cleanroom will then be available for our researchers in 2015.

System integration is progressing, as the projects presented and articles in this issue of CTR times show. We have created the basis and the inter-national ASSIC consortium is awaiting COMET’s decision in July with confidence.

„Man is not made to build walls but to build bridges“ Lao Tzu

Find out the brains behind CTR: [ http://goo.gl/kNxS4N ]

DI Simon Grasser and Dr. Werner Scherf, CTR management

CTR times 1/201402

Industrial Partner

Scientific Partner

Associated Partner

ASSIC

[ COMET Research Programme ]

Smart systems integrationFrom a smart sensor to an integrated sensor system – we at CTR are strength-ening our research expertise and hoping to become one of Austria’s centres of excellence with the Austrian Smart Systems Integration Research Center.

Microchip systems surround us al-though we are hardly aware of them. Everyday objects such as dish wash-

ers or smartphones contain microchips to make them more energy efficient and func-tional. Smart systems are also required in photovoltaics and wind power to convert, transmit and control energy better. On the road, emergency brake assist and electron-ic stability programmes (ESP) keep us safe when driving. And the trend is continuing. Smart system integration of sensors is in-creasingly determining the degree of innova-tion in products, industries and whole mar-kets.

ACHIEVING SMART MICROSYSTEM INTE-GRATION

At the microelectronics centre in Villach we are researching into our networked future. COMET is currently inviting applications for the 2015–2021 research programme and CTR has applied with the Austrian Smart Systems Integration Research Center (AS-SIC). Microsensors combine micromechan-ical, electrical and electronic technologies with the advantage that the systems are constantly becoming smaller, more func-tional and more reliable - at relatively low cost. What it important here is in-depth systems expertise in components, tech-nologies, materials, design and packaging. ASSIC focuses on three areas:

• Microsystem technologies Development and production of acoustic

and magnetic microcomponents, clean and grey room technologiesn

• Heterogeneous integration Combining different technologies at both

chip and module levele

• Smart system solutions Simulation and design methods, module

integration

ASSIC’s R&D skills cover the entire microsys-tem value chain. The holistic approach is also reflected in the partner base: 17 indus-trial partners, 12 scientific institutions and 9 associated partners aim to create new, forward-looking microsystem applications to-gether with ASSIC. These companies include long-standing partners such as Infineon and AVL as well as new ones like ABB, AT&S, Lam Research and EPCOS.

To participate in national and international networks and pool interests, we are mem-bers of the national platform ECSEL-Austria and the European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration (EpoSS). With re-search focusing on smart sensors and smart systems integration, the research team in Villach is already paving the way for innova-tive system applications that will enable mi-crochips also to make our lives simpler, safer and more energy efficient in the future.

Industrial partners

Scientific partners

Associated partners

The ASSIC network consists of international partners in science and industry.

„System integration has

great potential. Combin-

ing and integrating

technologies is becoming

a key issue in innovation.“Dr. Werner Scherf, Vorstand CTR

ABOUT CTR

CTR is an application-oriented research centre for smart sensor systems. Research focuses on solutions for industry in the fields of automation, process and quality control. Some 50 research-ers have registered over 70 patents since the centre was founded in 1997. CTR has been a COMET K1 competence centre since 2008. [ www.ctr.at]

ABOUT COMET

The COMET programme (Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies) run by Austria’s Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) and Ministry of Science, Re-search and Economy (BMWFW) promotes close cooperation between science and industry. There are 14 applications for the current K1 centre call (funding period: 2015–2021). The selection procedure is in two stages consisting of a technical, formal evaluation and a hear-ing. CTR has applied as the consortium leader with the K1 competence centre ASSIC – Aus-trian Smart Systems Integration Research Center. [www.ffg.at]

ASSICAustrian Smart Systems Integration Research Center

ASSIC’s expertise covers the entire value chain - from the semiconductor process to the integrated system.

Sensor Component Sensor SystemSensor Module

CTR times 1/2014 03

[ SAW Sensor System ]

SAW does the trickUsed in extremely harsh conditions in the steel industry, a small crystal becomes a smart sensor sys-tem. The system also helps to ensure reliability by continuously monitoring the rollers’ torque.

It is hard to imagine life today without steel and the different materials containing it: steel is used in various things from cutlery

to paper clips, bridges, buildings, ships and the aerospace industry, symbolising progress and high tech. However, before it can go into vehicles or robots, steel has to be formed. High-tech metallurgical plant and rolling mill technology from SMS Siemag AG can be of assistance here. The company’s innovation ac-tivities are now focusing on SAW technology.

TORQUE

Increasing demands on material quality and therefore also mill productivity call for new and optimised technology in rolling. Condi-tion monitoring, i.e. continuously checking the process and state, is particularly important as they both affect product quality, process control and maintenance. In the harsh and ex-treme environments of the steel industry this task can prove particularly challenging.

Knowing the torque involved, that is the forc-es a drive shaft transmits, is very important. After all, it is torque that determines compo-nent fatigue and the rate of wear. The aim of the project was to determine the load spectrum for the drive spindles on the roll-ing stand in order to be able to define the service intervals better and ensure predic-tive maintenance without having to contend with unscheduled interruptions to operations. Standard torque measuring technology can-not be used for independent and continuous monitoring in the long term because of the harsh conditions and high energy consump-tion. While searching for energy-efficient sen-sor solutions, the engineers at SMS Siemag therefore came across SAW technology and the system experts at CTR.

ULTRA-LOW-POWER-SYSTEM

CTR’s researchers in the area of SAW sensors have specialised in developing passive sen-sors based on surface acoustic waves (SAW).

SAW sensors

Sensor package

CTR’s compact SAW system combines rugged sensors with smart circuit design in one package. (Photo: CTR)

CTR times 1/201404

jkgvvhjvovhji

The surface acoustic waves are affected by the sensor’s mechanical strain and used for the sensor effect. A great advantage of SAW sensors is that they can be operated virtually without power: consumption is in the range of only a few microwatts. Given such low power consumption combined with battery supply, long-term sensor operation of up to a year can be achieved - despite the very high dynamic range of one to two kilohertz.

When designing the overall system, the great-est challenge was combining different tech-nologies and materials, integrating them in a compact system and making it fit for the exacting demands in the steel industry. The joint project team consisting of CTR and SMS Siemag researchers was responsible for over-all system design and development: from the SAW sensor (substrate) to the low-power elec-tronics, the mechanics to integration of the system in the rolling stand’s drive shaft. Ini-tial prototypes have been completed and will be tested on pilot lines. The synergy created between advanced SAW sensors and low-pow-er electronics has taken us a decisive step closer to our goal of providing energy-efficient long-term measurement for the steel industry. In the next development step the sensor will be supplied by an energy-harvesting system. As a result, we will then be able to make the transition from low-power technology to a completely self-sufficient condition monitor-ing system.

It only shimmers slightly, measures just a few millimetres and is extremely resistant: the piezoelectric crystal. Integrated in a smart sensor system, it can collect and transmit important information.

SAW SENSOR SYSTEM

SAW sensors are based on piezoelectric crys-tals, operate purely passively (they are only powered by the interrogation signal), are suita-ble for use at high temperatures and can with-stand extreme conditions such as dust, vibra-tions or radiation exposure. Not only can SAW sensors measure physical phenomena (e.g. pressure, force, temperature, torque) but also identify objects. In this specific application a low-power sensor system was developed that combines the SAW sensors with the electronics in one enclosure (packaging). This enables con-tinuous, energy-efficient data monitoring.

ENERGY HARVESTING

In research and industry the principle of energy harvesting is becoming increasingly wide-spread: the energy required for operating the sensors is derived direct from the environment through motion, vibration, noise or air flow. The principle is familiar from bicycle dynamos or automatic watches. Networks of battery-free systems that supply their own energy are be-coming more and more important, as they also enable sensors to be operated in places that are difficult or impossible to access.

LINKS

www.sms-siemag.com www.ctr.at www.saw-symposium.com

As the rollers form the steel, they have to withstand extreme conditions

such as heat, dirt or scale and yet still deliver top quality.

Source: SMS SIEMAG

“The challenges lay in

combining various

different technologies

and materials, integrat-

ing them in a compact

system and making it fit

for the exacting de-

mands in the steel

industry.”

CTR times 1/2014 05

[ Ortner Reinraumtechnik ]

Cleanroom specialistsAs a plant and equipment manufacturer for cleanroom requirements in the life science sector, Ortner Reinraumtechnik GmbH has a select product range for ensur-ing facilities are clean. The company has gained a reputation as system suppliers for locks and decontamination processes. Ortner thus creates clean, first-class pro-duction environments to guarantee safe end products for customers for example in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Founded in 1985, the family-run group is headquartered in Villach with two other branches in Austria as well as subsidiar-ies in Germany and Switzerland. Research and development are important to the 90-strong staff, as their work focuses on the highest levels of cleanliness and safe-ty. In recent years it has given rise to sev-eral patents and utility models, many as a result of cooperative research projects. At the last Carinthian Innovation and Re-

search Awards the Ortner team was delighted to win two prizes. In addition to second prize for the Hepa Cart - Cleanroom in Motion, it also received the spe-cial Innovation Culture award. In other words: the best basis for more success in research and development. [ www.ortner-group.com ]

He combines microsystems

NAMEMatthias Kremer

EDUCATION AND DUTIES AT CTR: I studied mechanical engineering at Karlsruhe University – now called the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). On my degree course I special-ised in mechatronics and microsys-tems engineering with the focus on bio-MEMS, microoptics and manu-facturing technologies in microsys-tems engineering. At CTR I wrote my dissertation: MOEMS based varia-ble-focus laser scanning and applica-tion in light-driven microfluidics.I have been working here as a PhD student since September 2013. My thesis is again in cooperation with KIT and I will be examining packaging options for optical microsystems.

WHAT I CAN’T DO WITHOUT:Family and friends, good food and music.

HOW I RELAX AFTER A FORMU-LA-FILLED DAY OF RESEARCH...Sports of all kinds. I try to make the most of my new home in the moun-tains: snowboarding and skiing in winter – mountain biking, walking and rock climbing in summer – I don’t mind what. Since I used to play hand-ball, I recently started indoor volleyball as an alternative if the weather outside is not very inviting.

WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE INVENTEDA solution for private transport by air that makes sense economically and ecologically.

[ EPFL Lausanne ]

Science stronghold

The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Swiss Federal Institute of

Technology in Lausanne - EPFL) is re-nowned as a research stronghold and one of the top centres for life sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry and sim-ilar subjects. Just over 9,000 students populate the main campus and lecture theatres, making life at EPFL very lively. Located in the immediate vicinity of Lake Geneva, EPFL is divided into seven facul-ties and employs 240 teaching staff and over 1,600 PhD students. Studying at EPFL is always a full-time job that requires great effort. The fact that a degree from EPFL is the best business card in a career is not least an incentive for students to work hard. CTR has been cooperating with EPFL since 2013, to be precise the Ce-

ramics Laboratory and Prof. Paul Muralt. Joint activities focus on researching into piezoelectric thin films for surface acous-tic wave (SAW) applications. Cooperation is to be intensified in the future, as EPFL will be on board as one of CTR’s scientific partners in the COMET 2015+ programme.

[ www.epfl.ch ]

CTR times 1/201406

[ Microsystems ]

Microsystems analyse life three dimensionallyZEISS’s new light sheet microscope enables researchers to examine the life of organisms three dimensionally. The microcomponents for it were devel-oped by Fraunhofer IPMS and CTR.

The ZEISS Lightsheet Z.1 microscope system gives biologists new opportu-nities for complete imaging of dynam-

ic processes in living organisms. Thanks to the low light exposure and integrated incu-bation, biologists can therefore observe the differentiation of cell groups or the develop-ment of whole organisms over days without compromising the sample. Particularly with larger objects, such as fruit fly or zebraf-ish embryos, the light sheet microscope delivers more information than established fluorescence microscopy processes. Other applications are in marine and cell biology as well as plant physiology.

OBSERVING LIFE

The microscope system operates with a fanned out beam, the light sheet, that is transmitted through the sample. Light sheet microscopy only uses a thin plane of light to excite the fluorophores, which is kind to the whole specimen. Imaging strategies can be adapted to the relevant application – for

example multiview stacks can be collected by rotating the sample. They can be then be used to produce 3D reconstructions and over time.

The Lightsheet Z.1 system uses a new, unique lens design, which combines a cylin-drical lens with laser scanning. One of the scanner modules used was developed by the Fraunhofer IPMS and CTR research centre. Starting with the IPMS’s micro scanning mirror, CTR created a miniaturised platform (scanner module) for operating, controlling and packaging micro scanning mirrors with an oscillating axle. The microscanner to-gether with the electronics was adapted to meet the microscope system’s demands. It is small in size and features a high scanning frequency with a highly stable and extreme-ly low-noise form of oscillations.

[ www.ctr.at ] [ www.zeiss.com/microscopy ]

[ www.ipms.fraunhofer.de ]

ABOUT CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY

The Microscopy division employs some 3,000 people and provides light, X-ray and electron microsco-py systems from a single source. In addition to headquarters in Jena, the company also has facilities in Germany, the UK and United States.

ABOUT FRAUNHOFER IPMS

The Institute of Photonic Microsys-tems (IPMS) focuses on indus-try-related applications for (optical) micro-electromechanical systems [MEMS, MOEMS] and the area of micro and nanoelectronics.

ABOUT CTR

As an application-oriented R&D centre for smart sensor systems, CTR is a partner along the entire innovation chain: from initial fea-sibility studies, concepts, design, simulations, packaging and testing to system integration.

Once adapted, the scanner module was integrated in the ZEISS Lightsheet Z.1 microscope.

The micro scanning mirror is the core component.

The scanner module with integrated micro scanning mirror, the electronics required and packaging is a modular design.

CTR times 1/2014 07

Editorial detailsPublished and distributed by CTR Carinthian Tech Research AG Europastr. 4/1, 9524 Villach, Austria T: +43 4242 56300 0 F: +43 4242 56300 400 E: info@ctr.atwww.ctr.at

Edited by Birgit Rader-Brunner (CR) Graphics / printed by Würcher Media, KlagenfurtPhotos and graphics: CTR AG, Helge Bauer, Context Type & Design GmbH, Hannes Kohlmeier, SMS Concast, Zeiss Micros-copy, Ortner Reinraumtechnik, Wikipedia, University of Texas at Arlington, cover picture: Fotolia

Member of

www.forschungaustria.ac.at

SAVE THE DATE

YEAR Annual ConferenceYEAR (Young European Associated Researchers)

12 – 13 MAY 2014, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

YEAR organises professional training sessions and work-shops for young scientists at leading European research institutions. The conference in Vienna will be about how to set up a European project – from the project idea to innovation. Dr Martin Kraft from CTR, an experienced researcher and EU project evaluator, will be presenting a paper there. [ www.year-network.com ]

SAW Symposium 30 – 31 OCTOBER 2014, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

CTR is now organising the SAW Symposium for the third time. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology is based on the radio principle of SAWs and is particularly suitable for process and safety monitoring. Researchers, manufacturers and users in industry will present the latest results on SAW sensors, piezoelectric substrates, selection processes and interesting applications. [ www.saw-symposium.com ]

Subscribe to CTR times The CTR times magazine informs you three times a year about new projects and applications in CTR’s world of re-search and development. You can subscribe to the maga-zine free of charge by post or e-mail.

Contact us at info@ctr.at or on +43 4242 56300 200

Zoom out

No magnetic field can hide from our robot systemGiven the rapid technological progress made in magnetic field sensors in recent years, magnetic field systems are gaining in importance for indus-try and engineering. The effects of magnetic fields are often highly volatile, difficult to explain phenomena. This not only due to the fact that magnet-ic fields are invisible to the eye, but also their complex structure display-ing vector properties and how these fields are distorted by each other and their environment. To overcome the difficulties in developing magnetic sys-tems, the CTR team in the electromagnetic sense and control group de-veloped a system that can measure the magnetic fields and display them graphically. The system consists of a precision robotic arm that can move permanent magnets or magnetic materials highly accurately relative to mul-ti-dimensional magnetic field sensors. Evaluations of such experiments, sup-ported by theoretical modelling and computer simulation, enable fast, for-ward-looking development of innovative solutions for magnetic field systems. [ http://goo.gl/9OcFRE ]

Micro wind farm suppliesenergy for mobiles If your mobile’s battery runs down while you are out, a wind farm in the North Sea is not much help. Scientists from Texas have developed a mi-cro windmill that measures just 1.8 millimetres at its widest point. Ten of these tiny turbines fit on a grain of rice. Hundreds of them could be embedded in a special sleeve for mobile phones. When your phone is out of battery power, all you need to do is put it in the sleeve and wave it in the air or simply leave it on an open window to recharge it. That at any rate is the researchers’ vision. Initial lab tests were successful: the micro wind turbines also withstand strong artificial winds and are very durable thanks to the nickel alloy, say researchers. The University of Arlington (Texas) has already filed a patent application. A microelectronics company in Taiwan is now working together with the research group to explore potential commercial applications. [ www.uta.edu/uta/ ]

[ bit.ly/NyYdzG ]

A micro windmill on apenny coin.© University of Texas at Arlington

RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE

CTR times 1/201408