Characteristics of SAW UV sensors based on a ZnO/Si structure using third harmonic mode

This paper describes the characteristics of surface acoustic wave (SAW) ultraviolet (UV) sensors fabricated from a ZnO thin film using the third harmonic mode. A ZnO thin film was used as an active layer for UV detection, and a piezoelectric layer was sputtered using magnetron sputtering. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed that the ZnO sputtered onto Si(100) was highly (002)-oriented and had good optical properties. The two-port SAW resonator was based on an inter-digital transducer (IDT)/ZnO/Si structure and was fabricated and exposed under UV light at a wavelength of 380 nm. As a result, under a UV intensity of 3 mW/cm², the SAW UV sensor was greatly shifted by 400 kHz at the third harmonic mode compared to a frequency shift of 10 kHz in the fundamental mode.     

A digital transducer and digital microphone using an optical technique

A transducer is devised to measure pressure, displacements or angles by optical means. This transducer delivers a digital output without relying on interferometry techniques or analogue-to-digital converters. This device is based on an optical scanner and an optical detector. An inter-digital photoconductive detector (IDPC) is employed that delivers a series of pulses, whose number depends on the scan length. A pre-objective scanning configuration is used that allows for the possibility of a flat image plane. The optical scanner provides scanning of IDPC and the generated scan length is proportional to the measurand.     

Design of piezoelectric actuators using a multiphase level set method of piecewise constants

This paper presents a multiphase level set method of piecewise constants for shape and topology optimization of multi-material piezoelectric actuators with in-plane motion. First, an indicator function which takes level sets of piecewise constants is used to implicitly represent structural boundaries of the multiple phases in the design domain. Compared with standard level set methods using n scalar functions to represent 2ⁿ phases, each constant value in the present method denotes one material phase and 2ⁿ phases can be represented by 2ⁿ pre-defined constants. Thus, only one indicator function including different constant values is required to identify all structural boundaries between different material phases by making use of its discontinuities. In the context of designing smart actuators with in-plane motions, the optimization problem is defined mathematically as the minimization of a smooth energy functional under some specified constraints. Thus, the design optimization of the smart actuator is transferred into a numerical process by which the constant values of the indicator function are updated via a semi-implicit scheme with additive operator splitting (AOS) algorithm. In such a way, the different material phases are distributed simultaneously in the design domain until both the passive compliant host structure and embedded piezoelectric actuators are optimized. The compliant structure serves as a mechanical amplifier to enlarge the small strain stroke generated by piezoelectric actuators. The major advantage of the present method is to remove numerical difficulties associated with the solution of the Hamilton–Jacobi equations in most conventional level set methods, such as the CFL condition, the regularization procedure to retain a signed distance level set function and the non-differentiability related to the Heaviside and the Delta functions. Two widely studied examples are chosen to demonstrate the effectiveness of the present method.     

Design and optimization of carbon nanotube/polymer actuator by using finite element analysis

In recent years,actuators based on carbon nanotube(CNT) or graphene demonstrate great potential applications in the fields of artificial muscles,smart switches,robotics,and so on.The electrothermal and photothermal bending actuators based on CNT/graphene and polymer composites show large bending actuations,which are superior to traditional thermaldriven actuators.However,the influence of material parameters(thickness,temperature change,etc.) on the actuation performance needs to be further studied,because it is a critical point to the design and fabrication of high-performance actuators.In this work,finite element analysis(EEA) is employed to simulate the actuation performance of CNT/polymer actuator,which has a bilayer structure.The main focus of this work is to design and to optimize material parameters by using computational method.FEA simulation results show that each layer thickness of actuator has an important influence on the actuation deformation.A maximum curvature of 2.7 cm~(-1) is obtained by simulation,which is much larger than most of the actuator curvature reported in previous experiments.What is more,larger temperature change and larger difference of coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE) between two layers will result in larger bending actuation.This study is expected to provide valuable theoretical reference for the design and realization of CNT-based thermal actuator with ultra-large actuation performance.     

Rectangular plate with velocity feedback loops using triangularly shaped piezoceramic actuators: experimental control performance

This paper presents experimental results on the implementation of decentralized velocity feedback control on a new smart panel in order to produce active damping. The panel is equipped with 16 triangularly shaped piezoceramic patch actuators along its border and accelerometer sensors located at the top vertex of the triangular actuators. The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate the vibration and sound radiation control using the new smart panel. Narrow frequency band experimental results highlight that the 16 control units can produce reductions up to 15 dB at resonance frequencies between 100 and 700 Hz in terms of both structural vibration and sound power radiation.     

Dielectric elastomer switches for smart artificial muscles

Some of the most exciting possibilities for dielectric elastomer artificial muscles consist of biologically inspired networks of smart actuators working towards common goals. However, the creation of these networks will only be realised once intelligence and feedback can be fully distributed throughout an artificial muscle device. Here we show that dielectric elastomer artificial muscles can be built with intrinsic sensor, control, and driver circuitry, bringing them closer in capability to their natural analogues. This was achieved by exploiting the piezoresistive behaviour of the actuator’s highly compliant electrodes using what we have called the dielectric elastomer switch. We developed suitable switching material using carbon loaded silicone grease and experimentally demonstrated the primitives required for self-sensing actuators and digital computation, namely compliant electromechanical NAND gates and oscillator circuits. We anticipate that dielectric elastomer switches will reduce the need for bulky and rigid external circuitry as well as provide the simple distributed intelligence required for soft, biologically inspired networks of actuators. Examples include many-degree-of-freedom robotic hearts, intestines, and manipulators; wearable assistive devices; smart sensor skins and fabrics; and ultimately new types of artificial muscle embedded, electromechanical computers.     

Semicylindrical acoustic transducer from a dielectric elastomer film with compliant electrodes

A semicylindrical acoustic transducer was constructed using a dielectric elastomer film with compliant electrodes that is an electroactive polymer composed of a polyurethane elastomer base and polyethylene dioxythiophene/polystyrene sulfonate electrodes. The use of this dielectric elastomer is advantageous because polyurethane is a common material that keeps its shape without any rigid frame. Because the dielectric elastomer films are essentially incompressible, electric-field-induced thickness changes are usually translated into much larger changes of the film area and side length. Here it is proposed that this change in side length can be utilized for sound generation when the film is bent into a semicylindrical shape. Accordingly, a semicylindrical acoustic transducer was fabricated using a film of thickness of 300 μm and its acoustic characteristics were investigated. The transducer can be operated at low applied voltages by reducing the film thickness, as long as the film is thick enough to generate sufficient force to overcome sound radiation impedance. The second harmonic distortion of the transducer was also investigated as a function of the ratio of the direct current bias voltage to the alternating current audio signal amplitude.     

Dynamic performance of dielectric elastomers utilized as acoustic actuators

We report on the frequency dependent behavior of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA). The introduced smart material actuators consist of 3M^???s elastomer VHB^?4905 (9469) and a compliant, sputtered copper electrode on each side. The presented experiments on these compounds contain the active tuning of their resonance frequency and their application as acoustic actuators. We are able to decrease the membranes?? eigenfrequency by?30% with an electrical offset potential. Alternatively, if an alternating signal is applied, sound pressure levels up to 130?dB in an enclosed volume of 28?ccm are achieved. In order to verify the results, a numerical simulation is introduced incorporating the two physical fields involved: electrical and mechanical.     

染料敏化TiO2/WO3薄膜电池的光电变色

用光电化学方法研究了染料Ru(П) (4, 4′di COOEt 2, 2′bpy)2 (2, 2′bpy 4, 4′di CONH L tyrosineethylester) (PF6)2 (简写为Ru4)敏化TiO2 纳米结构电极的光电转换过程,同时,在导电玻璃上电沉积得到WO3 薄膜.结果表明,染料敏化的TiO2 多孔膜具有光电转换性能, WO3 薄膜具有良好的电致变色效应,将前者与电沉积得到的WO3 薄膜组成电池,在白光照射下可产生显著的颜色变化,有望用于自供电源的电色灵巧窗(Self poweredsmartwindow).     

PZT厚膜及高频超声换能器的研究

近年来,基于PZT厚膜的超声换能器研究受到了广泛的重视。本文综述了PZT厚膜制备技术的发展情况,简要介绍了水下声纳和医用超声领域中PZT厚膜型高频超声换能器的应用研制进展。     

Static and dynamic characterization of AlN-driven microcantilevers using optical interference microscopy

We have developed an optomechanical methodology, combining interferometric deflection data, the nanoindentation technique and analytical modeling to perform the characterization of piezoelectrically driven microcantilevers operating as MEMS actuators. Here, the association of standard Twyman–Green interferometry (TGI) with time averaged and stroboscopic techniques permits the evaluation of the 3-D out-of-plane deflections of microdevices and provides feedback of measurements that helps us to optimize MEMS structures and improve the reliability and stability of microcantilevers.The goal of the presented study was investigation of high-quality cantilevers composed from silicon beam and a transducer including the aluminum nitride (AlN) layer. It is a material with piezoelectric properties, which can be an alternative for PZT films in micromachining technology. After presenting the fabrication process of the testing devices, the rest of the paper will focus on non-contact measurements of cantilevers deflection by interferometry: static data (e.g., initial shape, deformation, stress) and dynamic parameters of samples (e.g., resonance frequency and amplitude distributions in vibration modes). On the basis of these experimental data, parameters such as piezoelectric coefficient d₃₁ have been calculated taking into account multiple film stacking.     

Optimal vibration control of smart fiber reinforced composite shell structures using improved genetic algorithm

In the present article, an improved genetic algorithm (GA) based optimal vibration control of smart fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite shell structures has been presented. Layered shell finite elements have been formulated and the formulation has been validated for coupled electromechanical analysis of curved smart FRP composite structures having piezoelectric sensors and actuators patches. An integer-coded GA-based open-loop procedure has been used for optimal placement of actuators for maximizing controllability index and a real-coded GA-based linear quadratic regulator (LQR) control scheme has been implemented for optimal control of the smart shell structures in order to maximize the closed-loop damping ratio while keeping actuators voltages within the limit of breakdown voltage. Results obtained from the present work show that this combined GA-based optimal actuators placement and GA-based LQR control scheme is far superior to conventional active vibration control using LQR schemes and simple placement of actuators reported in literatures. Results also show that the present improved GA-based combined optimal placement and LQR control scheme not only leads to increased closed-loop damping ratio but also shows a drastic reduction in input/actuation voltage compared to the already published results.     

Nanocrystalline SnO2–TiO2 thin film deposited on base of equilateral prism as an opto-electronic humidity sensor

Present paper reports the synthesis of SnO₂–TiO₂ nanocomposite, its characterization and performance as opto-electronic humidity sensor. Nanocrystalline SnO₂–TiO₂ film was deposited on the base of an equilateral prism using a photo resist spinner and the as prepared film was annealed at 200 °C for 2 h. The crystal structure of the prepared film was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Minimum crystallite size of the material was found 7 nm. Surface morphology of the film was investigated by Scanning electron microscope (SEM LEO-0430, Cambridge). SEM image shows that the film is porous. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of as synthesized material shows two exothermic peaks at about 40 and 110 °C, respectively which are due to the evaporation of chemical impurities and water. Further the prepared film was investigated through the exposure of humidity and relative humidity (%RH) was measured directly in terms of modulation in the intensity of light recorded on a digital power meter. The maximum sensitivity of sensor was found 4.14 μW/%RH, which is quite significant for sensor fabrication purposes.     

Graphene oxide thin film coated quartz crystal microbalance for humidity detection

In this paper, we demonstrated that chemically derived graphene oxide (GO) thin film as a humidity sensitive coating deposited on quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs) for humidity detection. By exposing GO thin film coated QCMs to various relative humidity (RH) environments at room temperature, the humidity sensing characteristics of the QCMs such as sensitivity and linearity, response and recovery, humidity hysteresis were investigated. The experiment results show that GO thin film coated QCMs exhibit an excellent humidity sensing performance. Moreover, the possible humidity sensing mechanism of GO thin film coated QCMs was also investigated by monitoring the crystal's motional resistance change. It is suggested that the frequency response of the QCMs is dependent on water molecules adsorbed/desorbed masses on GO thin film in the low RH range, and on both water molecules adsorbed/desorbed masses on GO thin film and variations in interlayer expansion stress of GO thin film derived from swelling effect in the high RH range.     

盐水中强载重超疏水钢网小船的制备.

通过简单的涂覆方法,结合宏观粗糙的表面和处理的低表面能材料制备超疏水钢薄片．海水的接触角高达130.16o,新的卡西-巴克斯特方程从理论上预测了这种新型材料的接触角,得到的预测 结果与实验吻合．表征了超疏水钢网小船的装载能力．最大载重约为17.50 g,这种微型钢网小船经过含量为2%的三甲氧基硅烷溶液处理．小船优异的负载能力可能归因于钢丝网表面的空气膜的作用．     

Nanoscale analysis of degradation processes of cellulose fibers

Mapping the morphological and nano-mechanical properties of cellulose fibers within paper sheets or textile products at the nano-scale level by using atomic force microscopy is a challenging task due to the huge surface level variation of these materials. However this task is fundamental for applications in forensic or cultural heritage sciences and for the industrial characterization of materials. In order to correlate between nano-mechanical properties and local nanometer scale morphology of different layers of cellulose fibers, a new strategy to prepare samples of isolated cellulose fibers was designed. This approach is based on immobilizing isolated fibers onto glass slides chemically pretreated so as to promote cellulose adhesion. The experiments presented here aim at the nano-scale characterization of fibers in paper samples aged under different external agents (relative humidity, temperature) in such a way as to promote hydrolysis and oxidation of polymers. The observed variability of local mechanical properties of paper fibers was related to varying degrees of cellulose polymerization induced by artificial aging.     

High frequency broadband PZT thick film ultrasonic transducers for medical imaging applications

A modified sol-gel method is used to prepare PZT thick film on Pt-coated silicon substrate. A new method of vacuum filling sol-gel precursor solution is introduced to improve film quality. The effects of the filling on PZT thick film structure and ferroelectric properties are discussed. The fabrication of a high frequency transducer with the PZT film as the actuating layer is described. The performance of the transducer is measured and results show that the transducer backed by E-Solder without a matching layer has a center frequency of 103 MHz and a bandwidth of 70%. Beam profile measurements show that the transducer has an axial resolution of 9.2 microm and a lateral resolution of 33 microm.     

Thermo-and photo-driven soft actuators based on crosslinked liquid crystalline polymers

Crosslinked liquid crystalline polymers(CLCPs) are a type of promising material that possess both the order of liquid crystals and the properties of polymer networks.The anisotropic deformation of the CLCPs takes place when the mesogens experience order to disorder change in response to external stimuli; therefore,they can be utilized to fabricate smart actuators,which have potential applications in artificial muscles,micro-optomechanical systems,optics,and energyharvesting fields.In this review the recent development of thermo-and photo-driven soft actuators based on the CLCPs are summarized.     

Synthesis and characterization of highly triboluminescent doped europium tetrakis compounds

One of the most intriguing properties involving crystals is their ability to emit light when fractured. While this property was discovered over 200 years ago, no one has ever been able to come up with a complete theory that can predict the physical principles associated with triboluminescence. However, this has not stopped scientists from coming up with various uses for these materials. One such application is to use these materials as the active element for smart impact sensors that can warn of catastrophic impacts. If these sensors are to become a reality however, the material must emit a bright light when fractured. One of the brightest triboluminescent materials found thus far is europium dibenzoylmethide triethylammonium (EuD₄TEA). This material was discovered by Hurt in 1966 and is bright enough to be seen in daylight. In 2011, the authors discovered that synthesizing EuD₄TEA using europium nitrate instead of chloride significantly increased the triboluminescence yield and made the synthesis much easier and more consistent. However, to date, there are few investigations into the effects of dopants on the triboluminescence of EuD₄TEA. This paper reports the investigation of the effects of various dopants on: (1) The triboluminescent light yield, (2) Crystal size and structure, (3) Synthesis time, and (4) Prompt decay time. Results show that inclusion of dopants during synthesis increases the triboluminescence emission of EuD₄TEA by 55%, significantly reduces the synthesis time, and controls the decay time. All of these properties can be useful for constructing the first prototype of a customized impact sensor.     

Dissolution and Regeneration in Films of Natural Luffa in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium Chloride

Regenerated cellulose film was successfully prepared from natural luffa, a new cellulose raw material. A pretreatment of natural luffa was carried out by an alkali and hydrogen peroxide mixed solution. The dissolution process of the pretreated luffa in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM]C1) was observed by polarized optical microscope. The structures and properties of the luffa films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric (TGA), and porosity measurements. The results showed that the luffa fibers were transformed to fibrils after the pretreatment. [BMIM]Cl was a good non-derivatizing solvent for the luffa cellulose. The solution conditions were 80°C and 10 h for a 15% solution. After being regenerated, as films, from the luffa/[BMIM]Cl solution, the crystalline structure of the luffa film was transformed completely from cellulose I to cellulose II. The film showed the strong characteristic functional groups of cellulose in FTIR results. The surface of the film was smooth with a compact structure. The porosity of the film was 66.2% and the average pore size was 17.8 nm. It was thermally stabile up to 280°C.