Selected Papers from the 14th Symposium on Micro-Nano Science and Technology on Micromachines

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 2557

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will publish selected papers from the 14th Symposium on Micro-Nano Science and Technology on Micromachines in Kumamoto city, Japan, 6–9 November 2023.

We encourage significant and original works that aim to aid understanding surrounding physical, chemical, and biological phenomena at the micro/nano scales as well as development of applied technologies. The conference will cover the following main topics:

1: Precision machinery, lubrication, and design;
2: Material mechanics;
3: Fluid mechanics;
4: Thermal science and engineering;
5: Production processing and mechanical materials;
6: Robotics and mechatronics;
7: Medical biotechnology;
8: Micro/nano system

Papers attracting the most interest at the conference, or that provide novel contributions, will be selected for publication in Micromachines. These papers will be peer-reviewed for validation of research results, developments, and applications.

Prof. Dr. Tetsuo Kan
Prof. Dr. Masahiro Motosuke
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. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 2035 KiB  
Article
Series/Parallel Switching for Increasing Power Extraction from Thermoelectric Power Generators
by Shingo Terashima, Ryuji Sorimachi and Eiji Iwase
Micromachines 2024, 15(8), 1015; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15081015 - 7 Aug 2024
Viewed by 671
Abstract
We propose a method for increasing power extraction from a thermoelectric generator (TEG) by switching between series/parallel circuit configurations of thermoelectric elements, which can adjust the internal impedance of the TEG. The power characteristics of the TEG can be adjusted to the load [...] Read more.
We propose a method for increasing power extraction from a thermoelectric generator (TEG) by switching between series/parallel circuit configurations of thermoelectric elements, which can adjust the internal impedance of the TEG. The power characteristics of the TEG can be adjusted to the load characteristics of the connected device and the relevant ambient temperature. In this paper, we analyzed the change in the TEG characteristics with the series/parallel switching function. We evaluated the power supply to the connected devices at different ambient temperatures and different series/parallel configurations and confirmed that the extracted power could be increased. By theoretically analyzing the circuit configuration of the thermoelectric devices, the switching required to improve the power extraction, and the temperature difference at which switching occurred, we devised a design method for a TEG with circuit switching in order to increase power extraction with any device. We demonstrated the configuration of switching by using a system in which a TEG supplied power to an external wireless transmitter circuit. In this system, the optimal configuration differed at temperature differences of 3.0 K and 4.0 K. At a temperature difference of 3.0 K, the 2-series/1-parallel configuration provided 10% more power to the external circuit than the 1-series/2-parallel configuration. On the other hand, at the temperature difference of 4.0 K, the 1-series/2-parallel configuration provided 23% more power than the 2-series/1-parallel configuration. Full article
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13 pages, 11282 KiB  
Article
Carbon Nanotube-Based Printed All-Organic Microelectrode Arrays for Neural Stimulation and Recording
by Tatsuya Murakami, Naoki Yada and Shotaro Yoshida
Micromachines 2024, 15(5), 650; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15050650 - 14 May 2024
Viewed by 1209
Abstract
In this paper, we report a low-cost printing process of carbon nanotube (CNT)-based, all-organic microelectrode arrays (MEAs) suitable for in vitro neural stimulation and recording. Conventional MEAs have been mainly composed of expensive metals and manufactured through high-cost and complex lithographic processes, which [...] Read more.
In this paper, we report a low-cost printing process of carbon nanotube (CNT)-based, all-organic microelectrode arrays (MEAs) suitable for in vitro neural stimulation and recording. Conventional MEAs have been mainly composed of expensive metals and manufactured through high-cost and complex lithographic processes, which have limited their accessibility for neuroscience experiments and their application in various studies. Here, we demonstrate a printing-based fabrication method for microelectrodes using organic CNT/paraffin ink, coupled with the deposition of an insulating layer featuring single-cell-sized sensing apertures. The simple microfabrication processes utilizing the economic and readily available ink offer potential for cost reduction and improved accessibility of MEAs. Biocompatibility of the fabricated microelectrode was suggested through a live/dead assay of cultured neural cells, and its large electric double layer capacitance was revealed by cyclic voltammetry that was crucial for preventing cytotoxic electrolysis during electric neural stimulation. Furthermore, the electrode exhibited sufficiently low electric impedance of 2.49 Ω·cm2 for high signal-to-noise ratio neural recording, and successfully captured model electric waves in physiological saline solution. These results suggest the easily producible and low-cost printed all-organic microelectrodes are available for neural stimulation and recording, and we believe that they can expand the application of MEA in various neuroscience research. Full article
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