DARPA asks industry to confront effects of chemicals and biological agents on electronic microsystems

Summary points:

• DARPA seeks microsystems that benefit from, not just endure, harsh chemical and biological environments.
• New approaches could eliminate the need for protective packaging while enhancing device performance.
• Industry responses due by 22 Sept. 2025, for the Chemically and Biologically Enhanced Microsystems project.

ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. military researchers are approaching industry for electronic microsystems that receive enhancements from chemically and biologically harsh treatments, and that do not merely survive these harsh conditions.

Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., issued a request for information (DARPA-SN-25-90) last week for the Chemically and Biologically Enhanced Microsystems project.

Electronic microsystems are miniaturized systems or devices that integrate components like sensors, actuators, and control electronics on a small substrate -- often at the micrometer scale. These systems combine electronics and mechanical elements to perform complex functions; an example is micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).

Microsystems are limited by the environments they can endure, and the materials they are made from. Strong acids and bases, oxidizers, and high-energy ions, for example, can cause damage, and these microsystems can require special packaging to protect them from harsh chemicals and biological agents.

Chemical and biological vulnerabilities

Yet DARPA is asking industry: what if harsh chemicals and biological elements were not foes, but friends? What if they granted new capabilities, altered properties, or enhanced microsystem function instead of hindering it?

From industry, DARPA wants answers to the questions of microsystems survivability and enhancement in chemically and biologically harsh environments.

Questions include what are the harshest chemical and biological species and environments for microsystems, and what metrics demonstrate their harshness compared to other species or environments; what are the limits of packaging in protecting microsystems from harsh chemical and biological species, and how does the need for packaging limit microsystems in these environments; what new approaches could enable microsystems to survive harsh environments without packaging while maintaining their performance; and if microsystems could survive in these harsh environments, what new capabilities or breakthroughs in performance would this unlock?

Tell me more about why microsystems are vulnerable to harsh chemicals and biological agents ...

• Microsystems like microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microfluidics, and integrated circuits typically are vulnerable to harsh chemical and biological agents because of potential damage to their small scale, materials, and delicate structures. Harsh agents can cause materials degradation, functional disruption, contamination, mechanical and structural damage, loss of surface functionality, and compromise reliability and longevity.

DARPA also asks what are the limits of microsystem enhancement via chemical or biological species; what species are used; what simulation or modelling tools are used; what processing steps are used; and what microsystem characteristics are affected?

Finally, DARPA asks to what extent could microsystem properties be enhanced via chemical or biological modification, and which properties have could be enhanced the most; and what new approaches could overcome limitations in chemical and biological microsystem modification?

Companies interested should email unclassified eight-page responses no later than 22 Sept. 2025 to [email protected]. Email questions or concerns to [email protected] with DARPA-SN-25-90 in the subject line. More information is online at https://sam.gov/opp/3e75a8cf462c45f3ac7cc71809dabc59/view.