2021 Miller Drive, Suite B Longmont, CO 80501 www.synkera.com Sensors for Cell Phones SBIR Phase II Sep 25, 2009 to October 14, 2011 July 29th, 2010
Overview About Synkera Synkera Cell Sensor Vision SBIR Phase II Progress Sensor design Sensor data Phone integration Miniaturization Application Development & Commercialization 2
COMPANY INFORMATION 3
Company Overview Formed in 2003, privately held Colorado Corporation Product on market from day 1 Chemical Sensors Ceramic Membranes & MEMS Design, fabrication and characterization all inhouse. 4
Synkera Products Nanoceramics Ceramic membranes Microsensor substrates Energy conversion materials Sensors Chemical sensors Radiation sensors Electronic Assemblies Portable gas detectors Process control instrumentation Industries Served Life & property protection Fuel Cell (H 2 generation and purification) Indoor air quality Bio & life sciences 5
Synkera Facilities Over 10,000 sq. ft. RD&E and production facility: Materials processing Wet lab Analytical lab Product development lab Manufacturing area Testing & QC Current capacity >50,000 components per year Ability to scale up to >250,000 per year 6
Nano- and Microfabrication Platform Core capabilities enabled by self-organized nanoporous anodic alumina Nanoscale design & engineering of materials Integration of materials into functional devices and components Scalable processes amenable to high volume manufacturing
SYNKERA S CELL SENSOR VISION 8
Synkera Sensors for Cell Phones Proven chemiresistor performance Industrial Health & Safety Indoor Air Quality Process Control Advances in ceramic MEMS & nanotechnology Low power Excellent detection limits Tailored selectivity Scalable manufacturing processes (similar to Si-based technology) Key Enablers For Chemical Sensing via Cell Phones 9
Chemiresistor Sensor Designs Current Synkera microsensor UltraMicrosensor design DHS Phase I Phase II and beyond Available for Cl 2, NH 3, VOC s, H 2, H 2 S, HCN, HCl, CO, hydrides, trace VOC and more Peak power draw 150 to 300 mw Demonstrated CO, H 2 S, Ethylene Oxide, Cl 2, NH 3. Peak power draw 20-40 mw Incorporates 2 and 4 sensor arrays in a single package TBD
SBIR PHASE II PROJECT 11
Overall Status Lower power and pulsing: <3 mw CO Prototype Cell Phone Integration Arrays and signal processing Multi-sensors packages in progress % change resistance 25 20 15 10 5 0-5 0 200 400 600 800 1000 Time (sec) Application Development 12
Phase II Technical Objectives 1. Demonstrate low power detection of analytes Carbon monoxide TIC CWA Explosives 2. Demonstrate ability to distinguish among analytes by class Collaboration with Texas A&M 3. Define module requirements # of sensors, packaging, interface Sampling? Power & battery life With aid of Qualcomm 4. Implement module in cell phone Collaboration with Qualcomm
Phase II Technical Tasks Fabricate sensors Evaluate sensors Sensor selection and algorithms for results analysis Texas A&M Fabricate demonstration module Synkera sensor inside a demo cell phone (Qualcomm) Identify path to system miniaturization and cost reduction Multiple partnerships in progress
Task I: Sensor Fabrication Phase I MicroKera Ultra TM Design Packaged on Sensor Industry Standard TO-39 header Used for development of materials deposition method Improvement of microfabrication processes for yield and consistency 15
Phase II Sensor Package Design 2 & 4 sensor arrays on single package 16
Status of Sensor Package Design Low-profile SOIC package implemented 2-sensor array Thermal properties validated Sensor evaluation in progress 17
Task 2: Evaluation - Gases Detected by Synkera Personal & Consumer Protection CO, VOC, alcohol (breath) Industrial Health & Safety Flammable gases (LEL detection) Toxic gases (H 2 S, CO, NH 3, Cl 2, HCN, SO 2 ) Environmental hazards (VOC s, formaldehyde, O 3, NOx) Indoor Air Quality CO, CO 2, trace VOC, formaldehyde Homeland Security Threats Toxic Industrial Chemicals (ITF-25) CW agents & explosive residues 18
Synkera s current commercial microsensor Test Gas Concentration Range Power Level (continuous) Hydrogen Sulfide 10 & 50 ppm 200-300 mw Chlorine 0.5-5 ppm 60-100 mw Ammonia 10-10,000 ppm 150-300 mw DMMP (Sarin Sub ppm 150-300 mw simulant) Arsine/Phosphine ppb - ppm 60-150 mw Hydrogen Cyanide 5 ppm 150-300 mw Cyanogen Chloride 2 ppm 150-300 mw Ethylene Oxide Low ppm 150-300 mw Formaldehyde Sub ppm 150-250 mw Hydrogen Chloride low ppm 200-400 mw PETN, RDX, TNT, DNT, TATP breakdown products 150-300 mw
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Current effort Goals Detection of CO at relevant concentrations Optimize material deposition Optimize operating conditions Maximize sensitivity and selectivity Demonstrate stability Minimize power consumption % change resistance 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0-20 0 200 400 600 800 1000 % change resistance 30 mw (continuous power) 25 20 15 10 5 0-5 Time (sec) 3 mw (pulsed mode) S 0 200 400 600 800 1000 Time (sec) 21
Sensor Stability & Lifetime Long term testing of all sensor designs in lab environment Sensors sold commercially LEL H 2, trace H 2, VOC, NOx, H 2 S, NH 3 Deployed for years in fixed gas detection systems sold by Synkera customers and partners VOC microsensor > 2 years on long term test Prototype sales, full product introduction 2010 Phase I MikroKera Ultra TM retested in Phase II ~ 1 year of storage in laboratory (not on power) No degradation 22
Status of Sensor Testing Current focus on CO sensor design Materials deposition via ALD Characterization of sensor performance Power input & pulse operation Sufficient sensitivity and response time demonstrated Selectivity & stability under test Limited testing of other gases TIC s Other gas testing delayed until CO design complete 23
Task 3: Sensor Selection & Implementation Subcontract with Texas A&M Optimization of sensing materials Developing Matlab based program to assist in screening of sensing materials and operating temperatures Optimization of temperature programs Enhanced selectivity and discrimination through temperature modulation Data analysis and calibration of massively distributed chemical sensors Approach to management of sensors in use
Status of Sensor Implementation Sub-Contract Effort kicked off Jan 2010 Sensing Material selection tool Complete Temperature programming Due September 2010 Calibration and data analysis for massively distributed sensors September 2010 through 2011 25
Task 4: Demonstration Module Size & number of sensors Single sensor (CO target) Active sensor area = 100 x 500 µm (0.05 mm 2 ) Sampling Passive: diffusion Sampling fan likely for trace (sub ppm) detections Power & effect on battery Single sensor <30 ma peak @ ~1VDC (< 1mW average) Fan 8 ma peak @ 2.4VDC Sensor electronics 150µA @ 3VDC
MCU Board for Phase II Demonstration 31(1.22 ) 53 (2.086 )
Status of Demonstration Module Interface board designed for Qualcomm Phone Fabrication complete Firmware complete Sensor Evaluation Underway (CO detection) Complete demo unit available Sept 2010 28
Task 5: Miniaturization & Cost Reduction IC package used to demonstrate sensor array Described in sensor fabrication section Considering spin off applications for high volume sales Industrial Health and Safety Air Quality Working with Industrial partners on high volume applications Identify application requirements Sensor Design and Packaging 29
Status of Miniaturization and Cost Reduction Multi-sensor array in low-profile package demonstrated Need to determine ideal package Consider integration with analog electronics Assume sensor controlled externally Fabrication scale-up New Synkera facility Evaluating cost of goods and efficiency for microsensor substrates Part of overall Synkera strategy on component sales 30
COMMERCIALIZATION & APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT 31
Most Promising Paths to Market Embedded devices IH&S, IAQ Epidemiology pollution exposure DOD UGVs & UAVs Wireless motes 32