Influence of water vapor adsorption on the <Emphasis Type="Italic">C-V</Emphasis> characteristics of heterostructures containing porous silicon

Porous silicon (por-Si) is prepared by the electrochemical etching of single-crystal n-silicon in an aqueous-alcoholic solution of hydrofluoric acid in the presence of hydrogen peroxide oxidizer. The dependence of the high-frequency C-V characteristics of Al/por-Si/Si heterostructures on the relative humidity is studied. A model of capacitor structure is proposed, and a method of analyzing its capacitance as a function of the water vapor partial pressure in terms of the adsorption isotherm is elaborated. Within the framework of this model, the porosity of the material, the effective fraction of silicon dioxide in the por-Si, the fraction of intercommunicating porosity, the micropore-to-mesopore volume ratio, and the mesopore size distribution are determined. The porous silicon prepared in this work seems promising as a sensitive layer in capacitance-type humidity sensors.     

基于Nafion-结晶紫传感膜的光纤湿度传感器研究

通过研究基于荧光和可见光吸收的两种湿度传感方法,从数种湿度分子探针中优选出结晶紫为分子识别器,包埋于Nafion溶胶中,制备成基于可见光吸收原理的光纤化学湿度传感膜。该传感膜与电荷耦合二极管阵列检测器等构成的光纤湿度传感器,于640 nm波长处对30%～100%范围内的相对湿度(relative humidity, RH)具有较快的响应时间(＜2 min)、较高的灵敏度(≤5%RH)、选择性和良好的可逆性(RSD≤2.6%)。     

(Quasi 3D) Numerical simulation of operation of a capacitive type nanoparticle counter

Operation of a nanoparticle counter is based on condensation of water on nanoparticles forming water droplets which are fed to a capacitive type detector. Impaction of a water droplet onto the water filled detector causes formation of a crater resulting in change of capacitance that is measured by associated electronics. Numerical simulation of electric field distribution during droplet impaction has been performed in order to analyze the suitability of the approach and to estimate the magnitude of change of detector capacitance during droplet impaction. A single impinging droplet is able to cause capacitance change in the femtofarad range.     

红外光谱差减技术扣除水汽吸收干扰的局限性

红外光谱差减技术在扣除背景组份干扰方面得到广泛应用,但其扣除空气中水汽效果却不尽如人意。研究了不同湿度的水汽光谱与光谱差减效果的关系,以探究光谱差减技术在水汽扣除领域局限性的原因。结果表明：(1)相对湿度改变,水汽的红外光谱也发生变化,不管如何小心地选择比例系数f,从相对湿度x%的水汽光谱A_x,也不能完全扣除相对湿度为y%的水汽光谱A_y,即fA_x≠A_y。(2)相对湿度改变,水分子团簇(H₂O)_n的相对组成也会发生变化,这是导致光谱差减技术局限性的主要原因。(3)将湿度为x%和y%的两水汽光谱A_x和A_y进行线性组合,则可以高度近似地模拟出介于两者之间的湿度的水汽光谱。比如用40%水汽谱和30%水汽谱,可以模拟得到32%或35%或37%的水汽谱。实验结果表明这是扣除水汽干扰效果更好的路径。(4)论证了水汽补偿湿度滴定法具有高效性的原因。     

Faujasite zeolites as solid electrolyte for low temperature fuel cells

In this work, the potential use of faujasite zeolites as a solid electrolyte material was evaluated with a particular focus on their endurance in acid environment, and on the influence played by the zeolites' chemical and textural properties on the degree of hydration and proton conductivity. Three faujasites with different initial Si/Al ratio were exposed to 6 mol dm⁻³ HCl solution and the exposure time was varied up to 7000 h for selected samples. Faujasite dealumination is a very fast process occurring mainly within 24 h of exposure. X-ray diffraction patterns show the faujasite structure was preserved, although N₂ sorption measurements indicate a possible partial collapse of the pore structure for samples dealuminated for 4500 and 7000 h.The proton conductivity of the faujasites is in the order of 10⁻⁸ S cm^-1 at 10% relative humidity, 10⁻⁶ S cm^-1 at 90% relative humidity, and 10⁻⁴ S cm^-1 for samples immersed in liquid water. The correlation between the proton conductivity and the zeolites' properties shows the predominant influence of the Al content at low relative humidity, and of the water content and micropore and mesopore volumes at high relative humidity. In particular, the expected increase of the proton conductivity with the mesopore volume at high relative humidity and for samples saturated with water was not observed.     

相对误差最小二乘法的TDLAS气体浓度标定曲线拟合

可调谐半导体激光光谱技术（TDLAS）是光谱检测技术的一个分支,具有高灵敏度、高分辨率、实时监测、便携性好、小型化等优点,在工业环保、医疗检测、气象监测等领域得到了广泛应用。TDLAS气体传感器的测量精度与标定曲线密切相关,标定时,常用最小二乘法对标定曲线进行多项式拟合,但最小二乘法是以绝对误差的最小平方和作为评价标准,无法对相对误差进行约束,在低浓度量程下TDLAS气体传感器的标定曲线相对误差偏大,限制了标定量程。推导了光强透射率对数与气体浓度关系式作为目标函数,提出了基于相对误差意义下的最小二乘法,迭代方法采用高斯-牛顿迭代法（Gauss-Newton iteration method）,实验以雅士林DHS-100恒温恒湿箱来产生大量程范围的水汽标定浓度,Vaisala HMT337在线湿度检测仪的测量值作为标定浓度,自主研发的TDLAS湿度传感器选择波数为7 306.752 1 cm-1的水汽吸收峰,气室的光路长为50 mm,对1%~50%VOL的水汽浓度进行了拟合标定,对比了最小二乘法与相对误差最小二乘法的标定拟合结果。实验结果表明：采用最小二乘法拟合时,在低浓度量程下会出现较大的相对误差,高浓度量程下相对误差逐渐减小,无法保证整个大量程下测量精度要求;采用相对误差最小二乘法拟合时,在整个大量程范围下的相对误差波动比较小,相对误差分布曲线比较平稳,最大相对误差和相对误差标准差都远小于最小二乘法的拟合结果;以Ratio-C关系式作为目标函数,采用相对误差最小二乘法进行拟合标定时,最大相对误差为0.049 4,相对误差标准差为0.023 7,远优于最小二乘法的拟合结果,符合TDLAS传感器测量精度要求,验证了相对误差最小二乘法的标定算法可靠性,提高了TDLAS气体传感器的测量精度。     

Low capacitance CMOS silicon photodetectors for optical clock injection

We have studied the response of CMOS compatible detectors fabricated in a silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) process, operated under short pulse excitation in the blue. These high speed, low capacitance detectors would be suitable for very precise, surface-normal clock injection with silicon CMOS. We characterize the capacitance of the detector structure through a combination of experimental techniques and circuit-level and electromagnetic simulations. The transit-time-limited response of the detectors is validated through pump–probe experiments. Detector response times of ∼35 ps have been measured, and devices have capacitance as low as ∼4 fF.     

碳氢烧蚀层的厚度对聚乙烯醇薄膜阻气性能的影响

 以ICF实验塑料靶丸保气的需求为背景,研究了水蒸气在低压等离子体聚合碳氢（CH）膜、聚乙烯醇（PVA）膜、聚苯乙烯（PS）膜中的扩散渗透行为。根据实验数据,算出在40℃ 90%相对湿度下,水蒸气在三种样品膜中的渗透系数分别为1.906×10^-13,5.950×10^-15,.432×10 ^-14mol·m/(m²·s·Pa),并借助多层复合膜模型的近似算法,算出在40 ℃ 90%相对湿度的外界环境下,类似多层塑料微球结构的三层复合膜中,PVA阻气层所处环境的相对湿度为53.06%,推导出PVA所处环境的相对湿度与外层CH层厚度的关系式。研究表明：CH烧蚀层越厚,PVA所处环境的相对湿度越小,保气性能越好。     

Proton conductivity of phosphoric acid derivative of fullerene

The proton conductive property of methano [60] fullerene diphosphoric acid has been investigated under various humidity conditions at the temperature range between 15 and 45 °C. It shows proton conductivity as high as 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ at 25 °C under relative humidity of 95%. Thermal analyses including TG–DTA and thermal desorption mass spectroscopy (TDS) confirm that the compound is thermally stable up to 200 °C. Proton conduction of the compound depends very much on humidity or water content. The logarithmic conductivity at 25 °C is increased linearly with increasing relative humidity. The activation energy (E_a) estimated from the slope of log(σT) vs. 1/T is decreased from 1.08 to 0.52 eV, as the relative humidity is increased from 40% to 75%. The humidity dependence of conductivity is discussed in the light of the observed hydration isotherm.     

Systematic parametric investigation on the CVD process of polysiloxane nano- and microstructures

Amorphous polysiloxane nano- and microstructures with different shapes can be synthesized from trifunctional organosilane precursors. In the present study, various polysiloxane nano- and microstructures have been produced via a chemical vapor deposition process using ethyltrichlorosilane as precursor. The structure formation and shape are the result of a delicate interplay between temperature, absolute amount of water, and relative humidity. The impact of these reaction parameters during a chemical vapor deposition process has been examined. Experiments have been performed to find a correlation between the reaction conditions and the final shape. Scanning electron microscopy data show that different structures like polysiloxane microrings, microrods, sprouts, nanofilaments, and mixtures of them can be synthesized depending on the reaction conditions. Furthermore, the in-depth comparison of the nanofilament diameters illustrates the dominating influence of relative humidity on structure formation. There is a general trend that at a higher value of relative humidity, structures with a larger diameter are formed independent from the temperature. Here, we clearly differentiate between relative humidity as major and absolute amount of water and temperature as minor important adjusting screws defining the thickness and shape of the resulting nano- and microstructures. Based on these observations, we proof the mechanism of the initial step of structure formation. It is shown that nano- and micro-sized water droplets formed on the substrate surface are likely to act as starting points for structure formation. All results described here strongly confirm the recently published droplet assisted growth and shaping mechanism.     

Experimental study on the effect of high humidity environments on the response of long-term exposed nuclear track detectors

In Spain, a recent modification in the regulations of protection against ionizing radiation obligates to determine radon levels in particular workplaces like spas, mines and caves. Most of these workplaces may present extreme measurement conditions like high aerosol content, temperature, and humidity that can affect the radon detector response. In our laboratory we use to determine mean radon activity concentration in air with the nuclear track detector Makrofol DE covered with an aluminized Mylar foil and placed within the FzK FN diffusion chamber with a glass fibre filter. We have compared detector response using different filter configurations in common laboratory ambient conditions. The configuration with a better response (polyethylene filter) and our reference configuration took part in a study of the effect of different temperature and humidity on our detector response carried out in the INTE radon chamber. Results obtained did not show a significant difference between detector responses with both filters. However, when we exposed them for long periods to real environmental conditions at underground sites we could observe Mylar deterioration. To look in detail into a possible effect of long-term high-humidity exposures we exposed nine sets of detectors with three different polyethylene bags, first five sets under controlled conditions in the INTE radon chamber and then four sets in long-term exposures at high humidity environments. We have seen that the Mylar foil can be damaged depending on the duration of exposure. In a radon chamber exposure time is normally limited to a few days for practical and financial reasons; therefore, results do not show if humidity affects the glass fibre filter and detectors response. To analyse it we exposed detectors in a real humid environment up to a month where we already observed Mylar deterioration due to humidity but the possible impact on track density is hidden by the scattering of the results found, so a clear conclusion cannot be stated.     

Effect of PVA functionalization on hydrophilicity of Y-junction single wall carbon nanotubes

Hydrophilic surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are of great interest for various applications including chemical and biological sensing. Surface functionalization of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) mats with a biocompatible polymer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was studied. PVA modification induced a drastic change in water wettability of the SWNT surface transforming it from hydrophobic to highly hydrophilic. These PVA modified SWNTs mats have also demonstrated increasing impedance variation in relative humidity compared to the pristine nanotubes. An appreciable change in conductivity of Y-junction SWNT mats as a function of relative humidity indicates its potential application as humidity sensor. This higher sensitivity for humidity variation shown in Y-junction SWNT mats could be attributed to the greater portion of semiconducting nanotubes in these mats revealed by Raman analysis. A possible conductance changing mechanism of surface modified SWNTs mats is discussed.     

Water vapour sorption by mim systems

In studying the properties of the sandwich system Al-Al₂O₃-Au(Al) the capacitance of the system was found to depend on the humidity of the environment. The humidity induced capacitance change is reversible and can be explained assuming a process of physical sorption of water vapours by Al₂O₃ dielectric film. The sorption rate is independent of the oxide film thickness, which leads to a conclusion that mainly the sorption in the surface layer of the oxide is involved in the process. The sorption rate is, however, decreasing with increasing thickness of the upper evaporated electrode, which can be taken as an evidence of the fact that the water molecules penetrate to the oxide films through the upper metal layer whose coverage is not complete due to the porosity of the oxide film underneath.On the basis of our experimental results we come to a conclusion that even when the Al₂O₃ films are prepared by oxidation in a 3% solution of tartaric acid, their structure is porous. Proceeding from a simplified picture of the dielectric structure we propose an equivalent electrical scheme of the Al-Al₂O₃-Au Al system. The frequency characteristics measured at different environment humidities correspond to the dependences calculated for the proposed equivalent circuit.     

Humidity sensor based on a single-mode hetero-core fiber structure

Using a small-core single-mode fiber (SCSMF), a novel relative humidity (RH) sensor based on an SMF28-SCSMF-SMF28 fiber structure was proposed in this paper. By depositing a humidity sensitive material, such as poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) on the bare SCSMF fiber, the proposed structure can act as an RH sensor with high sensitivity. Experiments demonstrated that the proposed RH sensor with PEO coating can achieve a sensitivity of 430 nm per relative humidity unit (RHU) in the RH range from 80% to 83% RH and a sensitivity of 50 nm per RHU in the RH range from 83% to 95% RH.     

一种新型高灵敏度光学微环湿度传感器

提出了以聚酰亚胺（PI）为感湿材料的三耦合点单微环新型湿度传感器。外界湿度变化使得聚酰亚胺SOI微环谐振特性发生变化,最终通过谐振波长的漂移量确定湿度值。讨论了不同部位感湿时系统的传感特性,并且选择了最佳湿敏元件。数值模拟结果表明：与传统的单微环传感器相比,新型传感器具有较高灵敏度和测量范围,Through端口的自由频谱范围可提高3倍。三耦合点单微环谐振器整体结构可作为最佳湿敏元件,该传感器在10%RH~80%RH相对湿度范围内,灵敏度可达到0.98 nm/%RH,该结构为制备高灵敏度可集成微型湿度传感器件提供了一定的理论依据。     

A passive radon dosimeter based on the combination of a track etch detector and activated charcoal

The aim of this work is to test a combination of a Makrofol track detector with a new type of charcoal (Carboxen-564) to design a personal radon dosimeter. The intention is to use this dosimeter as a personal radon dosimeter to measure the monthly radon exposure in workplaces, especially when the occupancy is not ecactly known. The proposed combination was exposed to low and high concentrations of radon in a large range of relative humidity (RH). For the optimal layer thickness, a charcoal bed of 2.2 mm, a specific track density of 5.1 tracks cm⁻²/kBq h m⁻³ was obtained. For a monthly working exposure (170 h) at an average radon concentration of 100 Bq/m³, this means 87 tracks/cm² or 10 times the background of the Makrofol detector, with a statistical uncertainty of 15%.     

Humidity and aggregate content correction factors for air-coupled ultrasonic evaluation of concrete

This paper describes the use of non-contact ultrasound for the evaluation of concrete. Micromachined capacitance transducers are used to transmit ultrasonic longitudinal chirp signals through concrete samples using air as the coupling medium, and a pulse compression technique is then employed for measurement of time of flight through the sample. The effect on the ultrasonic wave speed of storing concrete samples, made with the same water/cement ratio, at different humidity levels is investigated. It is shown that there is a correlation between humidity and speed of sound, allowing a correction factor for humidity to be derived. A strong positive linear correlation between aggregate content and speed of sound was then observed; there was no obvious correlation between compressive strength and speed of sound. The results from the non-contact system are compared with that from a contact system, and conclusions drawn concerning coupling of energy into the samples.     

Effect of granular media on the vibrational response of a resonant structure: theory and experiment

The acoustic response of a structure that contains a cavity filled with a loose granular material is analyzed. The inputs to the theory are the effective masses of each subsystem: that of the empty-cavity resonating structure and that of the granular medium within the cavity. This theory accurately predicts the frequencies, widths, and relative amplitudes of the various flexural mode resonances observed with rectangular bars, each having a cavity filled with loose tungsten granules. Inasmuch as the dominant mechanism for damping is due to adsorbed water at the grain-grain contacts, the significant effects of humidity on both the effective mass of the granular medium as well as on the response of the grain-loaded bars are monitored. Here, depending upon the humidity and the preparation protocol, it is possible to observe one, two, or three distinct resonances in a wide frequency range (1-5 kHz) over which the empty bar has but one resonance. These effects are understood in terms of the theoretical framework, which may simplify in terms of perturbation theories.     

基于U型波导耦合单微环结构的高灵敏度湿度传感器

首次提出了一种基于U型波导耦合的新型单微环结构湿度传感器,该传感器以聚酰亚胺(polyimide,P1)作为感湿材料,当外界环境相对湿度变化时,引起感湿部位折射率的相应变化,导致传感器的输出光谱发生漂移。根据传输矩阵法推导U型波导耦合单微环结构的传递函数,重点讨论了不同感湿部位对输出光谱的影响,通过Matlab理论仿真,确定以U型波导耦合单微环结构整体作为最佳感湿部位。当U型波导的两个耦合点间的距离为微环周长的整数倍时,相比于传统的单微环结构,自由光谱范围(FSR)实现加倍。外界相对湿度从10%RH变化到100%RH时,传感器的输出光谱漂移量在0.027～0.191 μm之间变化,灵敏度高达0.001 8 μm/%RH,相比于具有高灵敏度的光纤光栅类湿度传感器,灵敏度提高了10~100倍,实现了在高灵敏度感湿的同时兼顾谐振峰两侧大范围的滤波选频。     

Sliding behavior of water drops on sol-gel derived hydrophobic silica films

Control on the wettability of solid state materials is a classical and key issue in surface engineering. Optically transparent methyltriethoxysilane (MTES)-based silica films with water sliding angle as low as 9° were successfully prepared by two-step sol-gel co-precursor method. The emphasis is given to the effect of trimethylethoxysilane (TMES) as a co-precursor on water sliding behavior of silica films. The coating sol was prepared with molar ratio of methyltriethoxysilane (MTES), methanol (MeOH), acidic water (0.01 M, oxalic acid) and basic water (12 M, NH₄OH) kept constant at 1:12.73:3.58:3.58 respectively, and the molar ratio of TMES/MTES (M) was varied from 0 to 0.22. The static water contact angle as high as 120° and the water sliding angle as low as 9° was obtained by keeping the molar ratio (M) of TMES/MTES at 0.22. When the modified films were cured at temperature higher than 280 °C, the films became superhydrophilic. Further, the humidity study was carried out at a relative humidity of 90% at 30 °C over 60 days. We characterized the water repellent silica films by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), % of optical transmission, humidity tests and static and dynamic water contact angle (CA) measurements.