Sensors to detect micro-defects in materials under development

03/11/2020

Sensors that detect micro-defects in materials are being developed in the UK by the Compound Semiconductor Centre (CSC), Cardiff University’s joint venture with IQE plc.

Funded by Innovate UK under the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme, two new collaborations will translate quantum science into UK-based manufacturing.

CSC has initiated a new £1.9 million project with partners including CST Global, Cardiff University, INEX Microtechnology, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the University of Nottingham to develop a novel sensor.

Known as a compact laser-pumped atomic magnetometer, the sensor works by correlating the interaction between alkali metal atoms and an external magnetic field to infer minute changes in surface structures. This allows for the detection of micro-defects in materials and objects that are not visible or hidden from view under protective coatings.

Applications for the technology include:

Detection of corrosion under insulation (CUI), which costs £4 trillion globally in downtime and repairs
In-line material characterisation and quality control across the >£1.5 billion steel industry
Accurate detection of underground assets, such as transmission lines and gas and water pipes, to reduce excavation time and cost during repairs and maintenance.

CSC is also working on a new £5.5 million project with nine industry and academic partners, led by British battery manufacturer AMTE Power.

CSC’s focus is to develop high-performance compound semiconductor laser sources for quantum magnetometers, to enable extremely high-sensitivity magnetic field measurements to grade new batteries leaving the factory and reduce the time taken by the ageing process from weeks to days.
This new quantum sensing technology will cut the cost of production and provide additional capability in grading the quality of batteries for electric cars and other uses in the electrification revolution.

An immediate application is integration in UK efforts to build a Gigafactory for battery production in the next few years, in anticipation of 50% of UK vehicle production being wholly or partially electric by 2030.

Dr Wyn Meredith, CSC Director, added: “These two projects are the latest in a portfolio of innovative technologies that are translating quantum science into UK-based manufacturing to address new global opportunities. It is essential that we continue to focus on exploitation of our word-class research to keep the UK at the forefront of the industries of the future.”

The CSC was formed in August 2015 as a joint venture between IQE, a leading global supplier of advanced compound semiconductor wafer products, and Cardiff University, one of Britain’s leading research-intensive universities.

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