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Micromachines, Volume 10, Issue 5 (May 2019) – 71 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Three-dimensional (3D) microfluidic channels simulate human tissues such as blood vessels and can be used in surgical simulator models to evaluate surgical devices and train novice surgeons. We established a novel method for fabricating microchannels within a spherical model such as an eyeball. We propose integrating the newly fabricated eye model with the membrane covered 3D microchannel to train novice surgeons to perform glaucoma surgery. View this paper
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16 pages, 10500 KiB  
Article
Robotic Micropipette Aspiration for Multiple Cells
by Yaowei Liu, Maosheng Cui, Jingjing Huang, Mingzhu Sun, Xin Zhao and Qili Zhao
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050348 - 27 May 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5365
Abstract
As there are significant variations of cell elasticity among individual cells, measuring the elasticity of batch cells is required for obtaining statistical results of cell elasticity. At present, the micropipette aspiration (MA) technique is the most widely used cell elasticity measurement method. Due [...] Read more.
As there are significant variations of cell elasticity among individual cells, measuring the elasticity of batch cells is required for obtaining statistical results of cell elasticity. At present, the micropipette aspiration (MA) technique is the most widely used cell elasticity measurement method. Due to a lack of effective cell storage and delivery methods, the existing manual and robotic MA methods are only capable of measuring a single cell at a time, making the MA of batch cells low efficiency. To address this problem, we developed a robotic MA system capable of storing multiple cells with a feeder micropipette (FM), picking up cells one-by-one to measure their elasticity with a measurement micropipette (MM). This system involved the following key techniques: Maximum permissible tilt angle of MM and FM determination, automated cell adhesion detection and cell adhesion break, and automated cell aspiration. The experimental results demonstrated that our system was able to continuously measure more than 20 cells with a manipulation speed quadrupled in comparison to existing methods. With the batch cell measurement ability, cell elasticity of pig ovum cultured in different environmental conditions was measured to find optimized culturing protocols for oocyte maturation. Full article
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18 pages, 3841 KiB  
Review
Development of Bioelectronic Devices Using Bionanohybrid Materials for Biocomputation System
by Jinho Yoon, Taek Lee and Jeong-Woo Choi
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050347 - 27 May 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4326
Abstract
Bioelectronic devices have been researched widely because of their potential applications, such as information storage devices, biosensors, diagnosis systems, organism-mimicking processing system cell chips, and neural-mimicking systems. Introducing biomolecules including proteins, DNA, and RNA on silicon-based substrates has shown the powerful potential for [...] Read more.
Bioelectronic devices have been researched widely because of their potential applications, such as information storage devices, biosensors, diagnosis systems, organism-mimicking processing system cell chips, and neural-mimicking systems. Introducing biomolecules including proteins, DNA, and RNA on silicon-based substrates has shown the powerful potential for granting various functional properties to chips, including specific functional electronic properties. Until now, to extend and improve their properties and performance, organic and inorganic materials such as graphene and gold nanoparticles have been combined with biomolecules. In particular, bionanohybrid materials that are composed of biomolecules and other materials have been researched because they can perform core roles of information storage and signal processing in bioelectronic devices using the unique properties derived from biomolecules. This review discusses bioelectronic devices related to computation systems such as biomemory, biologic gates, and bioprocessors based on bionanohybrid materials with a selective overview of recent research. This review contains a new direction for the development of bioelectronic devices to develop biocomputation systems using biomolecules in the future. Full article
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18 pages, 2232 KiB  
Article
The Matrix KV Storage System Based on NVM Devices
by Tao Cai, Fuli Chen, Qingjian He, Dejiao Niu and Jie Wang
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 346; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050346 - 27 May 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3011
Abstract
The storage device based on Nonvolatile Memory (NVM devices) has high read/write speed and embedded processor. It is a useful way to improve the efficiency of Key-Value (KV) application. However it still has some limitations such as limited capacity, poorer computing power compared [...] Read more.
The storage device based on Nonvolatile Memory (NVM devices) has high read/write speed and embedded processor. It is a useful way to improve the efficiency of Key-Value (KV) application. However it still has some limitations such as limited capacity, poorer computing power compared with CPU, and complex I/O system software. Thus it is not an effective way to construct KV storage system with NVM devices directly. We analyze the characteristics of NVM devices and demands of KV application to design the matrix KV storage system based on NVM Devices. The group collaboration management based on Bloomfilter, intragroup optimization based on competition, embedded KV management based on B+-tree, and the new interface of KV storage system are presented. Then, the embedded processor in the NVM device and CPU can be comprehensively utilized to construct a matrix KV pair management system. It can improve the storage and management efficiency of massive KV pairs, and it can also support the efficient execution of KV applications. A prototype is implemented named MKVS (the matrix KV storage system based on NVM devices) to test with YCSB (Yahoo! Cloud System Benchmark) and to compare with the current in-memory KV store. The results show that MKVS can improve the throughput by 5.98 times, and reduce the 99.7% read latency and 77.2% write latency. Full article
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2 pages, 149 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial for the Special Issue on AC Electrokinetics in Microfluidic Devices
by Antonio Ramos and Pablo García-Sánchez
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050345 - 25 May 2019
Viewed by 2000
Abstract
The use of AC electric fields for manipulating and/or characterizing liquids and small particles in suspension is well-known [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue AC Electrokinetics in Microfluidic Devices)
10 pages, 1831 KiB  
Article
Effects of Charge Transport Materials on Blue Fluorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with a Host-Dopant System
by Neng Liu, Sijiong Mei, Dongwei Sun, Wuxing Shi, Jiahuan Feng, Yuanming Zhou, Fei Mei, Jinxia Xu, Yan Jiang and Xianan Cao
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050344 - 25 May 2019
Cited by 78 | Viewed by 7184
Abstract
High efficiency blue fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), based on 1,3-bis(carbazol-9-yl)benzene (mCP) doped with 4,4’-bis(9-ethyl-3-carbazovinylene)-1,1’-biphenyl (BCzVBi), were fabricated using four different hole transport layers (HTLs) and two different electron transport layers (ETLs). Fixing the electron transport material TPBi, four hole transport materials, including [...] Read more.
High efficiency blue fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), based on 1,3-bis(carbazol-9-yl)benzene (mCP) doped with 4,4’-bis(9-ethyl-3-carbazovinylene)-1,1’-biphenyl (BCzVBi), were fabricated using four different hole transport layers (HTLs) and two different electron transport layers (ETLs). Fixing the electron transport material TPBi, four hole transport materials, including 1,1-Bis[(di-4-tolylamino)phenyl]cyclohexane (TAPC), N,N’-Di(1-naphthyl)-N,N’-diphenyl-(1,1’-biphenyl)-4’-diamine(NPB), 4,4’-Bis(N-carbazolyl)-1,1,-biphenyl (CBP) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO3), were selected to be HTLs, and the blue OLED with TAPC HTL exhibited a maximum luminance of 2955 cd/m2 and current efficiency (CE) of 5.75 cd/A at 50 mA/cm2, which are 68% and 62% higher, respectively, than those of the minimum values found in the device with MoO3 HTL. Fixing the hole transport material TAPC, the replacement of TPBi ETL with Bphen ETL can further improve the performance of the device, in which the maximum luminance can reach 3640 cd/m2 at 50 mA/cm2, which is 23% higher than that of the TPBi device. Furthermore, the lifetime of the device is also optimized by the change of ETL. These results indicate that the carrier mobility of transport materials and energy level alignment of different functional layers play important roles in the performance of the blue OLEDs. The findings suggest that selecting well-matched electron and hole transport materials is essential and beneficial for the device engineering of high-efficiency blue OLEDs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Light-Emitters)
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19 pages, 8224 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Displacement Constraints on the Failure of MEMS Tuning Fork Gyroscopes under Shock Impact
by Jiangkai Lian, Jianhua Li and Lixin Xu
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050343 - 24 May 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3222
Abstract
Displacement constraints such as stops are widely used in engineering to improve the shock resistance of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) tuning fork gyroscopes. However, in practical applications, it has been found that unexpected breakage can occur on MEMS tuning fork gyroscopes with stops. In [...] Read more.
Displacement constraints such as stops are widely used in engineering to improve the shock resistance of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) tuning fork gyroscopes. However, in practical applications, it has been found that unexpected breakage can occur on MEMS tuning fork gyroscopes with stops. In this paper, the effects of two displacement constraints on the failure mode of MEMS tuning fork gyroscopes are studied. The MEMS tuning fork gyroscope is simplified to a two-degree-of-freedom (2DOF) model, then finite element analysis (FEA) is used to study the effects of displacement constraint on the gyroscope. The analysis proves that even if the displacement constraint of direct contact with the weak connecting beam is not established, the equivalent stiffness of the gyroscope can be enhanced by limiting the displacement of the movable mass, thereby improving the shock resistance of the gyroscope. However, under the shock of high-g level, displacement constraint with insufficient spacing will cause multiple collisions of the small-stiffness oscillating frame and lead to an increase in stress. The cause of failure and shock resistance of a MEMS tuning fork gyroscope are verified by the shock test. By comparing the results, we can get a conclusion that is consistent with the theoretical analysis. Full article
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9 pages, 5088 KiB  
Article
Fan-Out Wafer and Panel Level Packaging as Packaging Platform for Heterogeneous Integration
by Tanja Braun, Karl-Friedrich Becker, Ole Hoelck, Steve Voges, Ruben Kahle, Marc Dreissigacker and Martin Schneider-Ramelow
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 342; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050342 - 23 May 2019
Cited by 45 | Viewed by 12643
Abstract
Fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP) is one of the latest packaging trends in microelectronics. Besides technology developments towards heterogeneous integration, including multiple die packaging, passive component integration in packages and redistribution layers or package-on-package approaches, larger substrate formats are also targeted. Manufacturing is [...] Read more.
Fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP) is one of the latest packaging trends in microelectronics. Besides technology developments towards heterogeneous integration, including multiple die packaging, passive component integration in packages and redistribution layers or package-on-package approaches, larger substrate formats are also targeted. Manufacturing is currently done on a wafer level of up to 12”/300 mm and 330 mm respectively. For a higher productivity and, consequently, lower costs, larger form factors are introduced. Instead of following the wafer level roadmaps to 450 mm, panel level packaging (PLP) might be the next big step. Both technology approaches offer a lot of opportunities as high miniaturization and are well suited for heterogeneous integration. Hence, FOWLP and PLP are well suited for the packaging of a highly miniaturized energy harvester system consisting of a piezo-based harvester, a power management unit and a supercapacitor for energy storage. In this study, the FOWLP and PLP approaches have been chosen for an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) package development with integrated SMD (surface mount device) capacitors. The process developments and the successful overall proof of concept for the packaging approach have been done on a 200 mm wafer size. In a second step, the technology was scaled up to a 457 × 305 mm2 panel size using the same materials, equipment and process flow, demonstrating the low cost and large area capabilities of the approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Miniaturised Energy Harvesting)
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12 pages, 5677 KiB  
Article
Scalable Fabrication and Testing Processes for Three-Layer Multi-Color Segmented Electrowetting Display
by Guisong Yang, Biao Tang, Dong Yuan, Alex Henzen and Guofu Zhou
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050341 - 23 May 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3958
Abstract
Colorful electrowetting displays (EWD) present many challenges, such as scalability and electro-optical performance improvement (e.g., brightness, color gamut, and contrast ratio). The first full investigation of scalable fabrication and testing processes for multi-color segmented EWD with potentially unprecedented electro-optical performance is proposed. A [...] Read more.
Colorful electrowetting displays (EWD) present many challenges, such as scalability and electro-optical performance improvement (e.g., brightness, color gamut, and contrast ratio). The first full investigation of scalable fabrication and testing processes for multi-color segmented EWD with potentially unprecedented electro-optical performance is proposed. A three-layer architecture is employed to achieve colorful EWD, where the key components are three primary color layers (cyan, magenta, and yellow), switched independently. Unlike previous reports referred to herein, which used the same fabrication and testing processes for each layer, this architecture facilitates a uniform performance, improves yield, and simplifies the process for colorful EWD. With an aperture ratio greater than 80%, National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) color gamut area greater than 63%, switching speed lower than 12 ms, and DC driving voltage below 22V, the testing results of colorful EWD are proven successfully by using our proposed processes. The processes investigated in this paper have greatly improved efficiency, suitable for a high-volume of full-color EWD. Full article
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3 pages, 163 KiB  
Editorial
Product/Process Fingerprint in Micro Manufacturing
by Guido Tosello
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050340 - 22 May 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2640
Abstract
The continuous trend towards miniaturization and multi-functionality embedded in products and processes calls for an ever-increasing research and innovation effort in the development of micro components and related micro manufacturing technologies [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Product/Process Fingerprint in Micro Manufacturing)
10 pages, 4358 KiB  
Article
Moiré-Based Alignment Using Centrosymmetric Grating Marks for High-Precision Wafer Bonding
by Boyan Huang, Chenxi Wang, Hui Fang, Shicheng Zhou and Tadatomo Suga
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050339 - 22 May 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6326
Abstract
High-precision aligned wafer bonding is essential to heterogeneous integration, with the device dimension reduced continuously. To get the alignment more accurately and conveniently, we propose a moiré-based alignment method using centrosymmetric grating marks. This method enables both coarse and fine alignment steps without [...] Read more.
High-precision aligned wafer bonding is essential to heterogeneous integration, with the device dimension reduced continuously. To get the alignment more accurately and conveniently, we propose a moiré-based alignment method using centrosymmetric grating marks. This method enables both coarse and fine alignment steps without requiring additional conventional cross-and-box alignment marks. Combined with an aligned wafer bonding system, alignment accuracy better than 300 nm (3σ) was achieved after bonding. Furthermore, the working principle of the moiré-based alignment for the backside alignment system was proposed to overcome the difficulty in bonding of opaque wafers. We believe this higher alignment accuracy is feasible to satisfy more demanding requirements in wafer-level stacking technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heterogeneous Integration for Optical Micro and Nanosystems)
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11 pages, 4812 KiB  
Article
Effects of UV Irradiation on the Sensing Properties of In2O3 for CO Detection at Low Temperature
by Lucio Bonaccorsi, Angela Malara, Andrea Donato, Nicola Donato, Salvatore Gianluca Leonardi and Giovanni Neri
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050338 - 22 May 2019
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2871
Abstract
In this study, UV irradiation was used to improve the response of indium oxide (In2O3) used as a CO sensing material for a resistive sensor operating in a low temperature range, from 25 °C to 150 °C. Different experimental [...] Read more.
In this study, UV irradiation was used to improve the response of indium oxide (In2O3) used as a CO sensing material for a resistive sensor operating in a low temperature range, from 25 °C to 150 °C. Different experimental conditions have been compared, varying UV irradiation mode and sensor operating temperature. Results demonstrated that operating the sensor under continuous UV radiation did not improve the response to target gas. The most advantageous condition was obtained when the UV LED irradiated the sensor in regeneration and was turned off during CO detection. In this operating mode, the semiconductor layer showed an apparent “p-type” behavior due to the UV irradiation. Overall, the effect was an improvement of the indium oxide response at 100 °C toward low CO concentrations (from 1 to 10 ppm) that showed higher results than in the dark, which is promising to extend the detection of CO with an In2O3-based sensor in the sub-ppm range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructure Based Sensors for Gas Sensing: from Devices to Systems)
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20 pages, 13135 KiB  
Article
Development of Piezo-Actuated Two-Degree-of-Freedom Fast Tool Servo System
by Yamei Liu, Yanping Zheng, Yan Gu, Jieqiong Lin, Mingming Lu, Zisu Xu and Bin Fu
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 337; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050337 - 22 May 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4008
Abstract
Fast tool servo (FTS) machining technology is a promising method for freeform surfaces and machining micro-nanostructure surfaces. However, limited degrees of freedom (DOF) is an inherent drawback of existing FTS technologies. In this paper, a piezo-actuated serial structure FTS system is developed to [...] Read more.
Fast tool servo (FTS) machining technology is a promising method for freeform surfaces and machining micro-nanostructure surfaces. However, limited degrees of freedom (DOF) is an inherent drawback of existing FTS technologies. In this paper, a piezo-actuated serial structure FTS system is developed to obtain translational motions along with z and x-axis directions for ultra-precision machining. In addition, the principle of the developed 2-DOF FTS is introduced and explained. A high-rigidity four-bar (HRFB) mechanism is proposed to produce motion along the z-axis direction. Additionally, through a micro-rotation motion around flexible bearing hinges (FBHs), bi-directional motions along the x-axis direction can be produced. The kinematics of the mechanism are described using a matrix-based compliance modeling (MCM) method, and then the static analysis and dynamic analysis are performed using finite element analysis (FEA). Testing experiments were conducted to investigate the actual performance of the developed system. The results show that low coupling, proper travel, and high natural frequency are obtained. Finally, a sinusoidal wavy surface is uniformly generated by the mechanism developed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the FTS system. Full article
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11 pages, 5556 KiB  
Article
100 Gb/s Silicon Photonic WDM Transmitter with Misalignment-Tolerant Surface-Normal Optical Interfaces
by Beiju Huang, Zanyun Zhang, Zan Zhang, Chuantong Cheng, Huang Zhang, Hengjie Zhang and Hongda Chen
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 336; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050336 - 22 May 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4242
Abstract
A 4 × 25 Gb/s ultrawide misalignment tolerance wavelength-division-multiplex (WDM) transmitter based on novel bidirectional vertical grating coupler has been demonstrated on complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. Simulations indicate the bidirectional grating coupler (BGC) is widely misalignment tolerant, with an excess coupling [...] Read more.
A 4 × 25 Gb/s ultrawide misalignment tolerance wavelength-division-multiplex (WDM) transmitter based on novel bidirectional vertical grating coupler has been demonstrated on complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. Simulations indicate the bidirectional grating coupler (BGC) is widely misalignment tolerant, with an excess coupling loss of only 0.55 dB within ±3 μm fiber misalignment range. Measurement shows the excess coupling loss of the BGC is only 0.7 dB within a ±2 μm fiber misalignment range. The bidirectional grating structure not only functions as an optical coupler, but also acts as a beam splitter. By using the bidirectional grating coupler, the silicon optical modulator shows low insertion loss and large misalignment tolerance. The eye diagrams of the modulator at 25 Gb/s don’t show any obvious deterioration within the waveguide-direction fiber misalignment ranger of ±2 μm, and still open clearly when the misalignment offset is as large as ±4 μm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silicon Photonics Bloom)
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11 pages, 5430 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Downscaling Effect and Definition of the Process Fingerprints in Micro Injection of Spiral Geometries
by Antonio Luca and Oltmann Riemer
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 335; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050335 - 22 May 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2834
Abstract
Microinjection moulding has been developed to fulfil the needs of mass production of micro components in different fields. A challenge of this technology lies in the downscaling of micro components, which leads to faster solidification of the polymeric material and a narrower process [...] Read more.
Microinjection moulding has been developed to fulfil the needs of mass production of micro components in different fields. A challenge of this technology lies in the downscaling of micro components, which leads to faster solidification of the polymeric material and a narrower process window. Moreover, the small cavity dimensions represent a limit for process monitoring due to the inability to install in-cavity sensors. Therefore, new solutions must be found. In this study, the downscaling effect was investigated by means of three spiral geometries with different cross sections, considering the achievable flow length as a response variable. Process indicators, called “process fingerprints”, were defined to monitor the process in-line. In the first stage, a relationship between the achievable flow length and the process parameters, as well as between the process fingerprints and the process parameters, was established. Subsequently, a correlation analysis was carried out to find the process indicators that are mostly related to the achievable flow length. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Product/Process Fingerprint in Micro Manufacturing)
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12 pages, 4353 KiB  
Article
A Rapid Thermal Nanoimprint Apparatus through Induction Heating of Nickel Mold
by Xinxin Fu, Qian Chen, Xinyu Chen, Liang Zhang, Aibin Yang, Yushuang Cui, Changsheng Yuan and Haixiong Ge
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 334; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050334 - 21 May 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5012
Abstract
Thermal nanoimprint lithography is playing a vital role in fabricating micro/nanostructures on polymer materials by the advantages of low cost, high throughput, and high resolution. However, a typical thermal nanoimprint process usually takes tens of minutes due to the relatively low heating and [...] Read more.
Thermal nanoimprint lithography is playing a vital role in fabricating micro/nanostructures on polymer materials by the advantages of low cost, high throughput, and high resolution. However, a typical thermal nanoimprint process usually takes tens of minutes due to the relatively low heating and cooling rate in the thermal imprint cycle. In this study, we developed an induction heating apparatus for the thermal imprint with a mold made of ferromagnetic material, nickel. By applying an external high-frequency alternating magnetic field, heat was generated by the eddy currents and magnetic hysteresis losses of the ferromagnetic nickel mold at high speed. Once the external alternating magnetic field was cut off, the system would cool down fast owe to the small thermal capacity of the nickel mold; thus, providing a high heating and cooling rate for the thermal nanoimprint process. In this paper, nanostructures were successfully replicated onto polymer sheets with the scale of 4-inch diameter within 5 min. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section D:Materials and Processing)
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17 pages, 11166 KiB  
Article
A New Time–Frequency Feature Extraction Method for Action Detection on Artificial Knee by Fractional Fourier Transform
by Tianrun Wang, Ning Liu, Zhong Su and Chao Li
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050333 - 20 May 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2873
Abstract
With the aim of designing an action detection method on artificial knee, a new time–frequency feature extraction method was proposed. The inertial data were extracted periodically using the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the prosthesis, and the features were extracted [...] Read more.
With the aim of designing an action detection method on artificial knee, a new time–frequency feature extraction method was proposed. The inertial data were extracted periodically using the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the prosthesis, and the features were extracted from the inertial data after fractional Fourier transform (FRFT). Then, a feature vector composed of eight features was constructed. The transformation results of these features after FRFT with different orders were analyzed, and the dimensions of the feature vector were reduced. The classification effects of different features and different orders are analyzed, according to which order and feature of each sub-classifier were designed. Finally, according to the experiment with the prototype, the method proposed above can reduce the requirements of hardware calculation and has a better classification effect. The accuracies of each sub-classifier are 95.05%, 95.38%, 91.43%, and 89.39%, respectively; the precisions are 78.43%, 98.36%, 98.36%, and 93.41%, respectively; and the recalls are 100%, 93.26%, 86.96%, and 86.68%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS for Aerospace Applications)
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18 pages, 5183 KiB  
Article
A Nanomechanical Analysis of Deformation Characteristics of 6H-SiC Using an Indenter and Abrasives in Different Fixed Methods
by Jisheng Pan, Qiusheng Yan, Weihua Li and Xiaowei Zhang
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 332; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050332 - 18 May 2019
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4268
Abstract
The super-precise theory for machining single crystal SiC substrates with abrasives needs to be improved for its chemical stability, extremely hard and brittle. A Berkovich indenter was used to carry out a systematic static stiffness indentation experiments on single crystal 6H-SiC substrates, and [...] Read more.
The super-precise theory for machining single crystal SiC substrates with abrasives needs to be improved for its chemical stability, extremely hard and brittle. A Berkovich indenter was used to carry out a systematic static stiffness indentation experiments on single crystal 6H-SiC substrates, and then these substrates were machined by utilizing fixed, free, and semi-fixed abrasives, and the nanomechanical characteristics and material removal mechanisms using abrasives in different fixed methods were analyzed theoretically. The results indicated that the hardness of C faces and Si faces of single crystal 6H-SiC under 500 mN load were 38.596 Gpa and 36.246 Gpa respectively, and their elastic moduli were 563.019 Gpa and 524.839 Gpa, respectively. Moreover, the theoretical critical loads for the plastic transition and brittle fracture of C face of single crystal 6H-SiC were 1.941 mN and 366.8 mN, while those of Si face were 1.77 mN and 488.67 mN, respectively. The 6H-SiC materials were removed by pure brittle rolling under three-body friction with free abrasives, and the process parameters determined the material removal modes of 6H-SiC substrates by grinding with fixed abrasives, nevertheless, the materials were removed under full elastic-plastic deformation in cluster magnetorheological finishing with semi-fixed abrasives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue SiC based Miniaturized Devices)
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13 pages, 9326 KiB  
Article
Fabrication and Characteristic of a Double Piezoelectric Layer Acceleration Sensor Based on Li-Doped ZnO Thin Film
by Chunpeng Ai, Xiaofeng Zhao, Sen Li, Yi Li, Yinnan Bai and Dianzhong Wen
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 331; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050331 - 17 May 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3261
Abstract
In this paper, a double piezoelectric layer acceleration sensor based on Li-doped ZnO (LZO) thin film is presented. It is constituted by Pt/LZO/Pt/LZO/Pt/Ti functional layers and a Si cantilever beam with a proof mass. The LZO thin films were prepared by radio frequency [...] Read more.
In this paper, a double piezoelectric layer acceleration sensor based on Li-doped ZnO (LZO) thin film is presented. It is constituted by Pt/LZO/Pt/LZO/Pt/Ti functional layers and a Si cantilever beam with a proof mass. The LZO thin films were prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The composition, chemical structure, surface morphology, and thickness of the LZO thin film were analyzed. In order to study the effect of double piezoelectric layers on the sensitivity of the acceleration sensor, we designed two structural models (single and double piezoelectric layers) and fabricated them by using micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology. The test results show that the resonance frequency of the acceleration sensor was 1363 Hz. The sensitivity of the double piezoelectric layer was 33.1 mV/g, which is higher than the 26.1 mV/g of single piezoelectric layer sensitivity, both at a resonance frequency of 1363 Hz. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section A:Physics)
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28 pages, 3095 KiB  
Review
Synthesis and Applications of Silver Nanowires for Transparent Conductive Films
by Yue Shi, Liang He, Qian Deng, Quanxiao Liu, Luhai Li, Wei Wang, Zhiqing Xin and Ruping Liu
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050330 - 16 May 2019
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 8833
Abstract
Flexible transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are widely applied in flexible electronic devices. Among these electrodes, silver (Ag) nanowires (NWs) have gained considerable interests due to their excellent electrical and optical performances. Ag NWs with a one-dimensional nanostructure have unique characteristics from those of [...] Read more.
Flexible transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are widely applied in flexible electronic devices. Among these electrodes, silver (Ag) nanowires (NWs) have gained considerable interests due to their excellent electrical and optical performances. Ag NWs with a one-dimensional nanostructure have unique characteristics from those of bulk Ag. In past 10 years, researchers have proposed various synthesis methods of Ag NWs, such as ultraviolet irradiation, template method, polyol method, etc. These methods are discussed and summarized in this review, and we conclude that the advantages of the polyol method are the most obvious. This review also provides a more comprehensive description of the polyol method for the synthesis of Ag NWs, and the synthetic factors including AgNO3 concentration, addition of other metal salts and polyvinyl pyrrolidone are thoroughly elaborated. Furthermore, several problems in the fabrication of Ag NWs-based TCEs and related devices are reviewed. The prospects for applications of Ag NWs-based TCE in solar cells, electroluminescence, electrochromic devices, flexible energy storage equipment, thin-film heaters and stretchable devices are discussed and summarized in detail. Full article
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19 pages, 3663 KiB  
Review
Wettability Manipulation by Interface-Localized Liquid Dielectrophoresis: Fundamentals and Applications
by Jitesh Barman, Wan Shao, Biao Tang, Dong Yuan, Jan Groenewold and Guofu Zhou
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 329; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050329 - 16 May 2019
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4676
Abstract
Electric field-based smart wetting manipulation is one of the extensively used techniques in modern surface science and engineering, especially in microfluidics and optofluidics applications. Liquid dielectrophoresis (LDEP) is a technique involving the manipulation of dielectric liquid motion via the polarization effect using a [...] Read more.
Electric field-based smart wetting manipulation is one of the extensively used techniques in modern surface science and engineering, especially in microfluidics and optofluidics applications. Liquid dielectrophoresis (LDEP) is a technique involving the manipulation of dielectric liquid motion via the polarization effect using a non-homogeneous electric field. The LDEP technique was mainly dedicated to the actuation of dielectric and aqueous liquids in microfluidics systems. Recently, a new concept called dielectrowetting was demonstrated by which the wettability of a dielectric liquid droplet can be reversibly manipulated via a highly localized LDEP force at the three-phase contact line of the droplet. Although dielectrowetting is principally very different from electrowetting on dielectrics (EWOD), it has the capability to spread a dielectric droplet into a thin liquid film with the application of sufficiently high voltage, overcoming the contact-angle saturation encountered in EWOD. The strength of dielectrowetting depends on the ratio of the penetration depth of the electric field inside the dielectric liquid and the difference between the dielectric constants of the liquid and its ambient medium. Since the introduction of the dielectrowetting technique, significant progress in the field encompassing various real-life applications was demonstrated in recent decades. In this paper, we review and discuss the governing forces and basic principles of LDEP, the mechanism of interface localization of LDEP for dielectrowetting, related phenomenon, and their recent applications, with an outlook on the future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2018)
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2 pages, 3092 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Shen, X. et al. Research on the Disc Sensitive Structure of a Micro Optoelectromechanical System (MOEMS) Resonator Gyroscope. Micromachines, 2019, 10, 264
by Xiang Shen, Liye Zhao and Dunzhu Xia
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050328 - 16 May 2019
Viewed by 2329
Abstract
In the published paper [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue MEMS/NEMS Sensors: Fabrication and Application, Volume II)
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31 pages, 9481 KiB  
Review
Recent Progress in the Voltage-Controlled Magnetic Anisotropy Effect and the Challenges Faced in Developing Voltage-Torque MRAM
by Takayuki Nozaki, Tatsuya Yamamoto, Shinji Miwa, Masahito Tsujikawa, Masafumi Shirai, Shinji Yuasa and Yoshishige Suzuki
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050327 - 15 May 2019
Cited by 109 | Viewed by 9223
Abstract
The electron spin degree of freedom can provide the functionality of “nonvolatility” in electronic devices. For example, magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) is expected as an ideal nonvolatile working memory, with high speed response, high write endurance, and good compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor [...] Read more.
The electron spin degree of freedom can provide the functionality of “nonvolatility” in electronic devices. For example, magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) is expected as an ideal nonvolatile working memory, with high speed response, high write endurance, and good compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technologies. However, a challenging technical issue is to reduce the operating power. With the present technology, an electrical current is required to control the direction and dynamics of the spin. This consumes high energy when compared with electric-field controlled devices, such as those that are used in the semiconductor industry. A novel approach to overcome this problem is to use the voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) effect, which draws attention to the development of a new type of MRAM that is controlled by voltage (voltage-torque MRAM). This paper reviews recent progress in experimental demonstrations of the VCMA effect. First, we present an overview of the early experimental observations of the VCMA effect in all-solid state devices, and follow this with an introduction of the concept of the voltage-induced dynamic switching technique. Subsequently, we describe recent progress in understanding of physical origin of the VCMA effect. Finally, new materials research to realize a highly-efficient VCMA effect and the verification of reliable voltage-induced dynamic switching with a low write error rate are introduced, followed by a discussion of the technical challenges that will be encountered in the future development of voltage-torque MRAM. Full article
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25 pages, 4775 KiB  
Review
TiO2 Based Nanostructures for Photocatalytic CO2 Conversion to Valuable Chemicals
by Abdul Razzaq and Su-Il In
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050326 - 15 May 2019
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 6388
Abstract
Photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to useful products is an alluring approach for acquiring the two-fold benefits of normalizing excess atmospheric CO2 levels and the production of solar chemicals/fuels. Therefore, photocatalytic materials are continuously being developed with enhanced performance in accordance with [...] Read more.
Photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to useful products is an alluring approach for acquiring the two-fold benefits of normalizing excess atmospheric CO2 levels and the production of solar chemicals/fuels. Therefore, photocatalytic materials are continuously being developed with enhanced performance in accordance with their respective domains. In recent years, nanostructured photocatalysts such as one dimensional (1-D), two dimensional (2-D) and three dimensional (3-D)/hierarchical have been a subject of great importance because of their explicit advantages over 0-D photocatalysts, including high surface areas, effective charge separation, directional charge transport, and light trapping/scattering effects. Furthermore, the strategy of doping (metals and non-metals), as well as coupling with a secondary material (noble metals, another semiconductor material, graphene, etc.), of nanostructured photocatalysts has resulted in an amplified photocatalytic performance. In the present review article, various titanium dioxide (TiO2)-based nanostructured photocatalysts are briefly overviewed with respect to their application in photocatalytic CO2 conversion to value-added chemicals. This review primarily focuses on the latest developments in TiO2-based nanostructures, specifically 1-D (TiO2 nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, nanobelts etc.) and 2-D (TiO2 nanosheets, nanolayers), and the reaction conditions and analysis of key parameters and their role in the up-grading and augmentation of photocatalytic performance. Moreover, TiO2-based 3-D and/or hierarchical nanostructures for CO2 conversions are also briefly scrutinized, as they exhibit excellent performance based on the special nanostructure framework, and can be an exemplary photocatalyst architecture demonstrating an admirable performance in the near future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructures for Photocatalysis)
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11 pages, 1924 KiB  
Article
Modeling and Analysis of the Noise Performance of the Capacitive Sensing Circuit with a Differential Transformer
by Yafei Xie, Ji Fan, Chun Zhao, Shitao Yan, Chenyuan Hu and Liangcheng Tu
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 325; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050325 - 15 May 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3446
Abstract
Capacitive sensing is a key technique to measure the test mass movement with a high resolution for space-borne gravitational wave detectors, such as Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and TianQin. The capacitance resolution requirement of TianQin is higher than that of LISA, as [...] Read more.
Capacitive sensing is a key technique to measure the test mass movement with a high resolution for space-borne gravitational wave detectors, such as Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and TianQin. The capacitance resolution requirement of TianQin is higher than that of LISA, as the arm length of TianQin is about 15 times shorter. In this paper, the transfer function and capacitance measurement noise of the circuit are modeled and analyzed. Figure-of-merits, including the product of the inductance L and the quality factor Q of the transformer, are proposed to optimize the transformer and the capacitance measurement resolution of the circuit. The LQ product improvement and the resonant frequency augmentation are the key factors to enhance the capacitance measurement resolution. We fabricated a transformer with a high LQ product over a wide frequency band. The evaluation showed that the transformer can generate a capacitance resolution of 0.11 aF/Hz1/2 at a resonant frequency of 200 kHz, and the amplitude of the injection wave would be 0.6 V. This result supports the potential application of the proposed transformer in space-borne gravitational wave detection and demonstrates that it could relieve the stringent requirements for other parameters in the TianQin mission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Capacitive Sensors)
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18 pages, 7203 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Analysis of a Micro Beam-Based Tactile Sensor Actuated by Fringing Electrostatic Fields
by Zhichong Wang, Qichang Zhang, Wei Wang and Jianxin Han
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050324 - 14 May 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2793
Abstract
A new kind of fringing electrostatic actuation mode is developed. In this new actuation mode, the expression of fringing electrostatic force is found. The nonlinear dynamic analysis of this new actuation mode is presented by using the Method of Multiple Scales. An experiment [...] Read more.
A new kind of fringing electrostatic actuation mode is developed. In this new actuation mode, the expression of fringing electrostatic force is found. The nonlinear dynamic analysis of this new actuation mode is presented by using the Method of Multiple Scales. An experiment is designed to observe the dynamic behaviors of this structure. It is observed that the resonance frequency rises with the increase of the initial displacement and the decrease of the slit gap; a smaller slit gap makes marked change of the resonance frequency in the same range of the initial displacement; the increase of the vibration amplitude is linear with the increase of the initial displacement; the fringing electrostatic force has a larger impact on the frequency response of the nonlinear vibration when the initial displacement, the beam length and the actuated voltage are larger. This new fringing electrostatic actuation mode can be used in a micro tactile sensor. The results of dynamic analysis can provide support for sensor design. Based on the dynamic investigations into the micro cantilevered beam actuated by fringing electrostatic force; three usage patterns of the sensor are introduced as follows. Firstly, measuring resonance frequency of the micro beam can derive the initial displacement. Second, the initial displacement can be derived from vibration amplitude measurement. Third, jump phenomenon can be used to locate the initial displacement demand. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section A:Physics)
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14 pages, 5843 KiB  
Article
An Electrothermal Cu/W Bimorph Tip-Tilt-Piston MEMS Mirror with High Reliability
by Liang Zhou, Xiaoyang Zhang and Huikai Xie
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050323 - 14 May 2019
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6237
Abstract
This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of an electrothermal MEMS mirror with large tip, tilt and piston scan. This MEMS mirror is based on electrothermal bimorph actuation with Cu and W thin-film layers forming the bimorphs. The MEMS mirror is fabricated [...] Read more.
This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of an electrothermal MEMS mirror with large tip, tilt and piston scan. This MEMS mirror is based on electrothermal bimorph actuation with Cu and W thin-film layers forming the bimorphs. The MEMS mirror is fabricated via a combination of surface and bulk micromachining. The piston displacement and tip-tilt optical angle of the mirror plate of the fabricated MEMS mirror are around 114 μm and ±8°, respectively at only 2.35 V. The measured response time is 7.3 ms. The piston and tip-tilt resonant frequencies are measured to be 1.5 kHz and 2.7 kHz, respectively. The MEMS mirror survived 220 billion scanning cycles with little change of its scanning characteristics, indicating that the MEMS mirror is stable and reliable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical MEMS)
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26 pages, 8703 KiB  
Review
Epitaxy of III-Nitrides on β-Ga2O3 and Its Vertical Structure LEDs
by Weijiang Li, Xiang Zhang, Ruilin Meng, Jianchang Yan, Junxi Wang, Jinmin Li and Tongbo Wei
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050322 - 13 May 2019
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 6253
Abstract
β-Ga2O3, characterized with high n-type conductivity, little lattice mismatch with III-Nitrides, high transparency (>80%) in blue, and UVA (400–320 nm) as well as UVB (320–280 nm) regions, has great potential as the substrate for vertical structure blue and especially [...] Read more.
β-Ga2O3, characterized with high n-type conductivity, little lattice mismatch with III-Nitrides, high transparency (>80%) in blue, and UVA (400–320 nm) as well as UVB (320–280 nm) regions, has great potential as the substrate for vertical structure blue and especially ultra violet LEDs (light emitting diodes). Large efforts have been made to improve the quality of III-Nitrides epilayers on β-Ga2O3. Furthermore, the fabrication of vertical blue LEDs has been preliminarily realized with the best result that output power reaches to 4.82 W (under a current of 10 A) and internal quantum efficiency (IQE) exceeds 78% by different groups, respectively, while there is nearly no demonstration of UV-LEDs on β-Ga2O3. In this review, with the perspective from materials to devices, we first describe the basic properties, growth method, as well as doping of β-Ga2O3, then introduce in detail the progress in growth of GaN on (1 0 0) and (−2 0 1) β-Ga2O3, followed by the epitaxy of AlGaN on gallium oxide. Finally, the advances in fabrication and performance of vertical structure LED (VLED) are presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Light-Emitters)
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16 pages, 4148 KiB  
Article
Separation of Nano- and Microparticle Flows Using Thermophoresis in Branched Microfluidic Channels
by Tetsuro Tsuji, Yuki Matsumoto, Ryo Kugimiya, Kentaro Doi and Satoyuki Kawano
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050321 - 12 May 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3949
Abstract
Particle flow separation is a useful technique in lab-on-a-chip applications to selectively transport dispersed phases to a desired branch in microfluidic devices. The present study aims to demonstrate both nano- and microparticle flow separation using microscale thermophoresis at a Y-shaped branch in microfluidic [...] Read more.
Particle flow separation is a useful technique in lab-on-a-chip applications to selectively transport dispersed phases to a desired branch in microfluidic devices. The present study aims to demonstrate both nano- and microparticle flow separation using microscale thermophoresis at a Y-shaped branch in microfluidic channels. Microscale thermophoresis is the transport of tiny particles induced by a temperature gradient in fluids where the temperature variation is localized in the region of micrometer order. Localized temperature increases near the branch are achieved using the Joule heat from a thin-film micro electrode embedded in the bottom wall of the microfluidic channel. The inlet flow of the particle dispersion is divided into two outlet flows which are controlled to possess the same flow rates at the symmetric branches. The particle flow into one of the outlets is blocked by microscale thermophoresis since the particles are repelled from the hot region in the experimental conditions used here. As a result, only the solvent at one of outlets and the residual particle dispersion at the other outlet are obtained, i.e., the separation of particles flows is achieved. A simple model to explain the dynamic behavior of the nanoparticle distribution near the electrode is proposed, and a qualitative agreement with the experimental results is obtained. The proposed method can be easily combined with standard microfluidic devices and is expected to facilitate the development of novel particle separation and filtration technologies. Full article
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13 pages, 1571 KiB  
Article
Tangential Flow Microfiltration for Viral Separation and Concentration
by Yi Wang, Keely Keller and Xuanhong Cheng
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 320; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050320 - 12 May 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5985
Abstract
Microfluidic devices that allow biological particle separation and concentration have found wide applications in medical diagnosis. Here we present a viral separation polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) device that combines tangential flow microfiltration and affinity capture to enrich HIV virus in a single flow-through fashion. The [...] Read more.
Microfluidic devices that allow biological particle separation and concentration have found wide applications in medical diagnosis. Here we present a viral separation polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) device that combines tangential flow microfiltration and affinity capture to enrich HIV virus in a single flow-through fashion. The set-up contains a filtration device and a tandem resistance channel. The filtration device consists of two parallel flow channels separated by a polycarbonate nanoporous membrane. The resistance channel, with dimensions design-guided by COMSOL simulation, controls flow permeation through the membrane in the filtration device. A flow-dependent viral capture efficiency is observed, which likely reflects the interplay of several processes, including specific binding of target virus, physical deposition of non-specific particles, and membrane cleaning by shear flow. At the optimal flow rate, nearly 100% of viral particles in the permeate are captured on the membrane with various input viral concentrations. With its easy operation and consistent performance, this microfluidic device provides a potential solution for HIV sample preparation in resource-limited settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro- and Nanofluidics for Bionanoparticle Analysis)
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13 pages, 7053 KiB  
Article
PMMA-Based Wafer-Bonded Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer for Underwater Applications
by Mansoor Ahmad, Ayhan Bozkurt and Omid Farhanieh
Micromachines 2019, 10(5), 319; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10050319 - 11 May 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4589
Abstract
This article presents a new wafer-bonding fabrication technique for Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers (CMUTs) using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The PMMA-based single-mask and single-dry-etch step-bonding device is much simpler, and reduces process steps and cost as compared to other wafer-bonding methods and sacrificial-layer processes. [...] Read more.
This article presents a new wafer-bonding fabrication technique for Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers (CMUTs) using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The PMMA-based single-mask and single-dry-etch step-bonding device is much simpler, and reduces process steps and cost as compared to other wafer-bonding methods and sacrificial-layer processes. A low-temperature (< 180 C ) bonding process was carried out in a purpose-built bonding tool to minimize the involvement of expensive laboratory equipment. A single-element CMUT comprising 16 cells of 2.5 mm radius and 800 nm cavity was fabricated. The center frequency of the device was set to 200 kHz for underwater communication purposes. Characterization of the device was carried out in immersion, and results were subsequently validated with data from Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Results show the feasibility of the fabricated CMUTs as receivers for underwater applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section A:Physics)
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