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Application of Emerging Materials for Advanced Imaging and Sensing

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2023) | Viewed by 11447

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lado Filipovic

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Guest Editor

Institute for Microelectronics, TU Wien, Gußhausstraße 27-29/E360, 1040 Wien, Austria
Interests: integrated sensors; 2D material sensors; semiconductor metal oxide gas sensors; 3D integration; process TCAD
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Tibor Grasser

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Guest Editor

Institute for Microelectronics, TU Wien, Gußhausstraße 27-29/E360, 1040 Wien, Austria
Interests: transistor reliability; bias temperature instability; hot carrier degradation; degradation phenomena in emerging devices; modeling and simulation of semiconductor devices
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The introduction of novel materials towards specific imaging and sensing applications is inescapable. The benefits obtained by many new materials are simply unparalleled to silicon and co. Optoelectronic devices and sensors have seen a drastic potential increase with the introduction of compound semiconductors (e.g., GaAs, InP, and GaN), while continued materials innovation with two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene, transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), phosphorene, and perovskites are paving the way for the future. With the introduction of new and emerging materials, we no longer benefit from decades of experimental data collected on silicon. Engineers will have to make decisions at several scales and stages, including the choice of material, the device structure and design, and interconnection and packaging.

Emerging materials which can be efficiently applied in high-performance sensing and imaging technologies are highly sought after. Materials will need to be investigated for their applicability for use in many types of sensor designs, including those based on field effect transistors (FETs), chemiresistors, or optical properties. Choosing the right material is a daunting task, which is why collecting research in this direction is essential, as it will provide future engineers with the information necessary to make the right material and design choices for their applications. Accordingly, it is the purpose of this Special Issue to collect data on novel and emerging materials and their potential for applications in sensing and optical properties. We invite research and review articles on the following and similar topics:

Application of two-dimensional materials;
Perovskite materials;
Room temperature gas sensing;
Photodetectors;
Photovoltaic cells;
Bio-sensors;
Flexible nanosensors;
Modeling and simulation;
Material synthesis techniques;
Novel concepts in imaging and sensing.

Dr. Lado Filipovic
Prof. Dr. Tibor Grasser
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sensing
photodetectors
optoelectronics
two-dimensional materials
perovskites
flexible nanosensors
sensor modeling

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 20289 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

WO₃ Thin-Film Optical Gas Sensors Based on Gasochromic Effect towards Low Hydrogen Concentrations

by Michał Mazur, Paulina Kapuścik, Wiktoria Weichbrodt, Jarosław Domaradzki, Piotr Mazur, Małgorzata Kot and Jan Ingo Flege

Materials 2023, 16(10), 3831; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16103831 - 19 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1642

Abstract

Hydrogen gas sensors have recently attracted increased interest due to the explosive nature of H₂ and its strategic importance in the sustainable global energy system. In this paper, the tungsten oxide thin films deposited by innovative gas impulse magnetron sputtering have been investigated in terms of their response to H₂. It was found that the most favourable annealing temperature in terms of sensor response value, as well as response and recovery times, was achieved at 673 K. This annealing process caused a change in the WO₃ cross-section morphology from a featureless and homogenous form to a rather columnar one, but still maintaining the same surface homogeneity. In addition to that, the full-phase transition from an amorphous to nanocrystalline form occurred with a crystallite size of 23 nm. It was found that the sensor response to only 25 ppm of H₂ was equal to 6.3, which is one of the best results presented in the literature so far of WO₃ optical gas sensors based on a gasochromic effect. Moreover, the results of the gasochromic effect were correlated with the changes in the extinction coefficient and the concentration of the free charge carriers, which is also a novel approach to the understanding of the gasochromic phenomenon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Emerging Materials for Advanced Imaging and Sensing)

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15 pages, 4424 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Highly Efficient NO₂ Sensors Based on Al-ZnOHF under UV Assistance

by Xingyu Yao, Rutao Wang, Lili Wu, Haixiang Song, Jinbo Zhao, Fei Liu, Kaili Fu, Zhou Wang, Fenglong Wang and Jiurong Liu

Materials 2023, 16(9), 3577; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16093577 - 07 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1130

Abstract

Zinc hydroxyfluoride (ZnOHF) is a newly found resistive semiconductor used as a gas-sensing material with excellent selectivity to NO₂ because of its unique energy band structure. In this paper, Al³⁺ doping and UV radiation were used to further improve the gas-sensing performance of ZnOHF. The optimized 0.5 at.% Al-ZnOHF sample exhibits improved sensitivity to 10 ppm NO₂ at a lower temperature (100 °C) under UV assistance, as well as a short response/recovery time (35 s/96 s). The gas-sensing mechanism demonstrates that Al³⁺ doping increases electron concentration and promotes electron transfer of the nanorods by reducing the bandgap of ZnOHF, and the photogenerated electrons and holes with high activity under UV irradiation provide new reaction routes in the gas adsorption and desorption process, effectively promoting the gas-sensing process. The synergistic effect of Al³⁺ and UV radiation contribute to the enhanced performance of Al-ZnOHF. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Emerging Materials for Advanced Imaging and Sensing)

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16 pages, 2062 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Defect Detection and Depth Estimation in Composite Materials for Pulsed Thermography Images by Nonuniform Heating Correction and Oriented Gradient Information

by Jorge Erazo-Aux, Humberto Loaiza-Correa, Andrés David Restrepo-Girón, Clemente Ibarra-Castanedo and Xavier Maldague

Materials 2023, 16(8), 2998; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16082998 - 10 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1362

Abstract

Pulsed thermography is a nondestructive method commonly used to explore anomalies in composite materials. This paper presents a procedure for the automated detection of defects in thermal images of composite materials obtained with pulsed thermography experiments. The proposed methodology is simple and novel as it is reliable in low-contrast and nonuniform heating conditions and does not require data preprocessing. Nonuniform heating correction and the gradient direction information combined with a local and global segmentation phase are used to analyze carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) thermal images with Teflon inserts with different length/depth ratios. Additionally, a comparison between the actual depths and estimated depths of detected defects is performed. The performance of the nonuniform heating correction proposed method is superior to that obtained on the same CFRP sample analyzed with a deep learning algorithm and the background thermal compensation by filtering strategy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Emerging Materials for Advanced Imaging and Sensing)

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13 pages, 3100 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Side-Chain-Assisted Transition of Conjugated Polymers from a Semiconductor to Conductor and Comparison of Their NO₂ Sensing Characteristics

by Yejin Ahn, Sooji Hwang, Hyojin Kye, Min Seon Kim, Wi Hyoung Lee and Bong-Gi Kim

Materials 2023, 16(7), 2877; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072877 - 04 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1435

Abstract

To investigate the effect of a side chain on the electrical properties of a conjugated polymer (CP), we designed two different CPs containing alkyl and ethylene glycol (EG) derivatives as side chains on the same conjugated backbone with an electron donor-acceptor (D-A) type chain configuration. PTQ-T with an alkyl side chain showed typical p-type semiconducting properties, whereas PTQ-TEG with an EG-based side chain exhibited electrically conductive behavior. Both CPs generated radical species owing to their strong D-A type conjugated structure; however, the spin density was much greater in PTQ-TEG. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed that the O atoms of the EG-based side chains in PTQ-TEG were intercalated with the conjugated backbone and increased the carrier density. Upon application to a field-effect transistor sensor for PTQ-T and resistive sensor for PTQ-TEG, PTQ-TEG exhibited a better NO₂ detection capability with faster signal recovery characteristics than PTQ-T. Compared with the relatively rigid alkyl side chains of PTQ-T, the flexible EG-based side chains in PTQ-TEG have a higher potential to enlarge the free volume as well as improve NO₂-affinity, which promotes the diffusion of NO₂ in and out of the PTQ-TEG film, and ultimately resulting in better NO₂ detection capabilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Emerging Materials for Advanced Imaging and Sensing)

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9 pages, 1962 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceCommunication

Energy-Resolved Ultrafast Spectroscopic Investigation on the Spin-Coupled Electronic States in Multiferroic Hexagonal HoMnO₃

by Wei-Hong Huang, Hao-Keng Wei, Nguyen Nhat Quyen, Pei-Tsung Yang, Yi-Cheng Cheng, Yu-Ting Wang, Ying-Kuan Ko, Chien-Ming Tu, Atsushi Yabushita and Chih-Wei Luo

Materials 2022, 15(15), 5188; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15155188 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1349

Abstract

A complete temperature-dependent scheme of the Mn³⁺ on-site d-d transitions in multiferroic hexagonal HoMnO₃ (h-HoMnO₃) thin films was unveiled by energy-resolved ultrafast spectroscopy. The results unambiguously revealed that the ultrafast responses of the e_1g and e_2g states differed significantly in the hexagonal HoMnO₃. We demonstrated that the short-range antiferromagnetic and ferroelectric orderings are more relevant to the e_2g state, whereas the long-range antiferromagnetic ordering is intimately coupled to both the e_2g and e_1g states. Moreover, the primary thermalization times of the e_2g and e_1g states were 0.34 ± 0.08 ps and 0.38 ± 0.08 ps, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Emerging Materials for Advanced Imaging and Sensing)

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Review

Jump to: Research

27 pages, 6007 KiB

Open AccessReview

Emerging Functional Polymer Composites for Tactile Sensing

by Jia-Jin Lian, Wen-Tao Guo and Qi-Jun Sun

Materials 2023, 16(12), 4310; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16124310 - 11 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1198

Abstract

In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on the development of high-performance flexible tactile sensors, pursuing the next generation of highly intelligent electronics with diverse potential applications in self-powered wearable sensors, human–machine interactions, electronic skin, and soft robotics. Among the most promising materials that have emerged in this context are functional polymer composites (FPCs), which exhibit exceptional mechanical and electrical properties, enabling them to be excellent candidates for tactile sensors. Herein, this review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in FPCs-based tactile sensors, including the fundamental principle, the necessary property parameter, the unique device structure, and the fabrication process of different types of tactile sensors. Examples of FPCs are elaborated with a focus on miniaturization, self-healing, self-cleaning, integration, biodegradation, and neural control. Furthermore, the applications of FPC-based tactile sensors in tactile perception, human–machine interaction, and healthcare are further described. Finally, the existing limitations and technical challenges for FPCs-based tactile sensors are briefly discussed, offering potential avenues for the development of electronic products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Emerging Materials for Advanced Imaging and Sensing)

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14 pages, 826 KiB

Open AccessReview

Fiber-Bragg-Grating-Based Displacement Sensors: Review of Recent Advances

by Marco Bonopera

Materials 2022, 15(16), 5561; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15165561 - 12 Aug 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2595

Abstract

With the development of fiber optical technologies, fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are frequently utilized in structural health monitoring due to their considerable advantages, including fast response, electrical passivity, corrosion resistance, multi-point sensing capability and low-cost production, as well as high accuracy and resolution over a long period. These characteristics allow FBG to be a proper alternative sensing element for displacement measurements. In this article, the recent sensing advances and principles of detection of FBG-based displacement sensors are illustrated. Specifically, the latest FBG-based displacement technologies are examined from three principles of detection, i.e., wavelength, intensity and phase signal demodulation. Regarding wavelength detection methods, the problem related to the cross-sensitivity can significantly be reduced depending on the new type of cantilever–FBG-based sensing developed. Vice versa, only the packaging method of FBG prestressed between two fixed ends can still avoid the chirp phenomenon in the reflection spectrum. Moreover, to attenuate the influence of temperature variations on the accuracy of FBG displacement sensors, specific temperature self-compensation structures were successfully designed according to the concepts of phase signal demodulation. In future investigations, different elastic structures and gratings manufactured through special fibers and new methodologies for temperature compensation will still highly refine the efficiency of FBG-based displacement sensors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Emerging Materials for Advanced Imaging and Sensing)

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