Objectives of this project are to design, build, and test a very stable and sensitive deep sea pressure gauge. Presently available pressure gauges drift over periods of time and under differing temperatures and their sensitivity is often inadequate for modern investigations. Single crystal, semiconductor grade silicon has very few structural dislocations and foreign atoms. This material has been proven to be inherently stable and suitable for use as a pressure transducer. Methods will be developed for sealing a diaphragm to the silicon crystal in such a way that the transducer will be usable for periods of high pressure on the seafloor. Various options for constructing electrodes and other electronic components will also be undertaken. The system will then be tested at sea and calibrated. Improved pressure sensors will have several applications in geophysical studies of the sea floor, in physical oceanography, and in industry.
