Interactions of DNA with graphene and sensing applications of graphene field-effect transistor devices: A review

Graphene field-effect transistors (GFET) have emerged as powerful detection platforms enabled by the advent of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) production of the unique atomically thin 2D material on a large scale. DNA aptamers, short target-specific oligonucleotides, are excellent sensor moieties for GFETs due to their strong affinity to graphene, relatively short chain-length, selectivity, and a high degree of analyte variability. However, the interaction between DNA and graphene is not fully understood, leading to questions about the structure of surface-bound DNA, including the morphology of DNA nanostructures and the nature of the electronic response seen from analyte binding. This review critically evaluates recent insights into the nature of the DNA graphene interaction and its affect on sensor viability for DNA, small molecules, and proteins with respect to previously established sensing methods. We first discuss the sorption of DNA to graphene to introduce the interactions and forces acting in DNA based GFET devices and how these forces can potentially affect the performance of increasingly popular DNA aptamers and even future DNA nanostructures as sensor substrates. Next, we discuss the novel use of GFETs to detect DNA and the underlying electronic phenomena that are typically used as benchmarks for characterizing the analyte response of these devices. Finally, we address the use of DNA aptamers to increase the selectivity of GFET sensors for small molecules and proteins and compare them with other, state of the art, detection methods.     

应用于微电容超声换能器的信号处理电路设计*

针对微电容超声换能器的输出信号特征及检测要求,文中设计了换能器的微弱信号处理电路,包括基于跨阻的微弱电流信号检测和多重反馈带通滤波电路。通过搭建水下测试平台,对电路性能及功能进行实际测试,并进行水下测距实验。实验结果表明,该电路可对微电容超声换能器输出的400 k Hz信号进行检测放大与滤波;电路的线性度为0.18%,滤波电路中心频率为396 k Hz,带宽为55 k Hz。该电路可用于CMUT的接收信号处理并应用于超声测距及成像的前端信号处理。     

A row–column addressed micromachined ultrasonic transducer array for surface scanning applications

Row–column addressed arrays for ultrasonic non-destructive testing (NDT) applications are analyzed and demonstrated in this paper. Simulation and experimental results of a row–column addressed 32 by 32 capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array are presented. The CMUT array, which was designed for medical imaging applications, has a center frequency of 5.3 MHz. The CMUT array was used to perform C-scans on test objects with holes that have diameters of 1.0 mm and 0.5 mm. The array transducer has an aperture size of 4.8 mm by 4.8 mm, and it was used to scan an area of 4.0 mm by 4.0 mm. Compared to an N by N fully addressed 2-D array, a row–column addressed array of the same number of elements requires fewer (N instead of N²) pairs of interconnection and supporting electronic components such as pulsers and amplifiers. Even though the resulting field of view is limit by the aperture size, row–column addressed arrays and the row–column addressing scheme can be an alternative option of 2-D arrays for NDT applications.     

Primary resonance excitation of electrically actuated clamped circular plates

We investigate the response of an electrically actuated clamped circular plate to a primary resonance excitation of its first axisymmetric mode using an analytical reduced-order model (macromodel). We discuss the inf luence of the number of modes retained in the discretization on the predicted solutions. The reduced-order model, which is a system of coupled nonlinear ordinary-dif ferential equations, accounts for general residual stress and strain hardening and allows for general material and geometric design variables. Our reduced-order model is robust up to the pull-in instability and is general enough to be an ef fective design tool for capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers.     

水下应用的电容式微机械超声换能器阵列设计

为提高用于水下成像的电容式微机械超声换能器的指向性,文中用ANSYS力电耦合分析法设计了工作频率为400 k Hz的收发一体传感器的结构参数并完成了实验验证。同时研究了阵列设计方法,分析了电容式微机械超声换能器阵列各参数对指向性的影响,完成了从微小敏感单元到阵列的设计,实现了阵列指向性的优化设计。该阵列为16阵元的线阵,阵元间距为1.925 mm,阵元宽度为1.82 mm。进行了水下指向性测试,实验表明该线阵的-3 dB主瓣宽度为5?,最大旁瓣级为-13.5 dB,对称性好。该设计是实现较远距离的探测,提高成像分辨率的前提。     

THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE OF CMUT FOR DESIGN OPTIMIZATION

Although many modeling approaches exist for analyzing the behavior of capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducers(CMUTs),the relation equation between the design parameters with input and output is still lacking.What there is can only be used to analyze the dynamic performance of CMUT indirectly and qualitatively,such as stiffness and sound pressure.A lumped-parameter theoretical model based on the dynamic theory is proposed in this paper.The relation equations between the design parameters with inputs and outputs are given.The results obtained by the proposed model agree well with those by finite element method(FEM)simulation.The dynamic and static behavior of CMUT can be clearly depicted,which is helpful for design and optimization iterations.This shows that the proposed model makes it easier to optimize the parameters of a CMUT with respect to output and bandwidth directly and to better understand the influence of each parameter.     

面向电容式微机械超声换能器器件的32通道收发 电路设计与测试*

针对以电容式微机械超声换能器(CMUT)阵列为探头的超声成像系统,设计了一种兼具现场可编程门阵列(FPGA)控制、脉冲驱动以及微弱电流信号检测功能的电路。利用FPGA产生64路控制信号,控制脉冲信号的频率、脉冲个数、占空比等参数;脉冲电路在FPGA以及直流电压的控制下,产生32路脉冲信号;接收电路通过跨阻放大结构实现32路电流信号检测;32通道收发电路利用脉冲产生芯片内自带的T/R开关进行高压隔离。通过搭建测试平台,对收发电路功能及一致性进行测试,并连接CMUT进行自发自收测试。测试结果表明,32通道收发电路具有良好的一致性,电路可以实现基于CMUT阵列的32通道超声信号的发射,检测回波信号,并对CMUT器件的带宽进行测试。电路具有功能完善,结构稳定的优点,为基于CMUT阵列的超声成像系统的应用提供了硬件支持。     

Applications of airborne ultrasound in human–computer interaction

Airborne ultrasound is a rapidly developing subfield within human–computer interaction (HCI). Touchless ultrasonic interfaces and pen tracking systems are part of recent trends in HCI and are gaining industry momentum. This paper aims to provide the background and overview necessary to understand the capabilities of ultrasound and its potential future in human–computer interaction. The latest developments on the ultrasound transducer side are presented, focusing on capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducers, or CMUTs. Their introduction is an important step toward providing real, low-cost multi-sensor array and beam-forming options. We also provide a unified mathematical framework for understanding and analyzing algorithms used for ultrasound detection and tracking for some of the most relevant applications.     

Structural health monitoring using polymer-based capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs)

Transducers based on a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) design have been fabricated using a rapid prototyping technique. This results in a device that is constructed principally from polymers, in a process which is simple and inexpensive. The resultant devices can be attached to the surfaces of solids. Their peak sensitivity is in the 80–100 kHz range, making them ideal for applications such as acoustic emission and structural health monitoring. Good low frequency sensitivity leads to applications in vibration monitoring.     

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) with isolation posts

In this paper, an improved design of a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) is presented. The design improvement aims to address the reliability issues of a CMUT and to extend the device operation beyond the contact (collapse) voltage. The major design novelty is the isolation posts in the vacuum cavities of the CMUT cells instead of full-coverage insulation layers in conventional CMUTs. This eliminates the contact voltage drifting due to charging caused by the insulation layer, and enables repeatable CMUT operation in the post-contact regime. Ultrasonic tests of the CMUTs with isolation posts (PostCMUTs) in air (electrical input impedance and capacitance vs. bias voltage) and immersion (transmission and reception) indicate acoustic performance similar to that obtained from conventional CMUTs while no undesired side effects of this new design is observed.