Smaller Output Beam Divergence in the Slowly Opened Q-Switch Operation

The mechanism of the slowly opened Q-switch operation was investigated thoroughly. Maximum energy extraction from the resonator could be optimized, and the smallest output beam divergence could be achieved. In this article, we present a detailed analysis that has numerically verified the mode-selection mechanism in the slowly opened Q-switch operation, and the degree of the smaller output laser beam divergence that has been achieved. The mechanism of the slowly opened Q-switch operation is the inherent advantage of the passive saturable absorber in this operation. We can use the maximum energy extraction and the smallest output beam divergence results of the slowly opened Q-switch operation to design and optimize various passive saturable absorbers: plastic dye sheets, LiF:F₂⁻ color center crystals, Cr4⁺: YAG crystals, RG1000 color glass filters, and the single crystal semiconductor saturable absorber wafers that are in developed in our microchip laser systems.     

In‐line monitoring of UV photopolymerization with a quartz crystal resonator

An in‐line monitoring device using a quartz crystal resonator for thin film polymerization was proposed, and its performance has been evaluated by implementing in the UV polymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate with a photoinitiator of 1‐chloroanthraquinone. Because the variation of resonant resistance of the resonator is proportional to the square root of viscosity change that is closely related to the polymerization degree, the resistance can be used as a measure of the polymerization degree. The resistance measurements were compared with the outcome of instrumental analyses of polymerization degree using an FTIR spectrometer and a gel permeation chromatograph. The experimental results showed that the resistance measurements were consistent with the experimental outcome of the instrumental analyses, and this indicates the effectiveness of the proposed device. Owing to the simplicity and availability of the resonator system, its wide utilization in the monitoring of a variety of film polymerization processes, including photoresistor application, is expected. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2428–2439, 2006     

Meshless simulation of equilibrium swelling/deswelling of pH‐sensitive hydrogels

Hydrogels have been widely used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and Bio‐MEMS devices. In this article, the equilibrium swelling/deswelling of the pH‐stimulus cylindrical hydrogel in the microchannel is studied and simulated by the meshless method. The multi‐field coupling model, called multi‐effect‐coupling pH‐stimulus (MECpH) model, is presented and used to describe the chemical field, electric field, and the mechanical field involved in the problem. The partial differential equations (PDEs) describing these three fields are either nonlinear or coupled together. This multi‐field coupling and high nonlinear characteristics produce difficulties for the conventional numerical methods (e.g., the finite element method or the finite difference method), so an alternative—meshless method is developed to discretize the PDEs, and the efficient iteration technique is adopted to solve the nonlinear problem. The computational results for the swelling/deswelling diameter of the hydrogel under the different pH values are firstly compared with experimental results, and they have a good agreement. The influences of other parameters on the mechanical properties of the hydrogel are also investigated in detail. It is shown that the multi‐field coupling model and the developed meshless method are efficient, stable, and accurate for simulation of the properties of the stimuli‐sensitive hydrogel. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 326–337, 2006     

SiGe: An attractive material for post-CMOS processing of MEMS

This work gives an overview of the different developments for silicon germanium (Si_1−xGe_x) from a MEMS post-processing perspective. First, the maximum processing temperature that does not introduce any damage or degradation into the standard characteristics of the CMOS driving electronics is specified. Then, the optimal type of silicon and germanium gas sources and deposition technique that results in an economical process are identified. Next, the selection criteria for a low thermal budget doping method and doping species are discussed. Finally, the advantage and disadvantage for the different approaches implemented for enhancing the physical properties of poly Si_1−xGe_x at a CMOS backend compatible temperature are highlighted. It is shown that the optimal method depends on the application requirements and the CMOS technology used for realizing the driving electronics.     

Magnetic resonance in amorphous metals based on Fe in the millimeter radiowave range

The research technique of amorphous magnetics is described. The paper gives the experimental data obtained by a multifunctional low-temperature radiospectrometer Buran in the mm radiowave range and presents their analysis.     

GaPO4 high temperature crystal microbalance demonstration up to 720°C

Quartz-homeotypic gallium (ortho-) phosphate, GaPO₄, is of special interest for resonator applications asking for temperature compensated cuts with higher electro-mechanical coupling than quartz and operational temperatures up to 970°C. The crystal microbalance technique, well known for quartz (QCM) which can be used only at moderate temperatures, can now be extended to much higher temperatures using GaPO₄ crystals, benefiting from all three advantages mentioned above. Two different experiments were done to demonstrate the advantages of a crystal microbalance based on GaPO₄. First, the GaPO₄ resonator was used for film thickness determination and compared with a commercial QCM. This experiment demonstrated that the measuring range can be extended by using GaPO₄ resonators instead of quartz. The second experiment demonstrates the possibility for thermogravimetric analysis up to 720°C by using a new concept for resonator mounting.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

激光谐振腔内倾斜误差的自适应校正

我们设计制作了一种性能良好的倾斜镜,试验了两种校正系统:微机控制的试探爬山法系统和高频振动爬山法系统。实验结果表明,这两种校正系统,都可以成功地校正腔内倾斜误差。最后,比较了两种校正系统的优缺点。     

自加热非晶锗热电阻MEMS流速传感器的制造与测试

为扩大流速传感器的测量范围并降低功耗,制造并测试了一种基于自加热非晶锗薄膜热电阻的MEMS流速传感器,它是由嵌入氮化硅薄膜的四个非晶锗热敏电阻和一对环境测温补偿电阻组成。四个非晶锗热电阻同时作为自加热热源和测温元件,相互连接以形成惠斯通电桥。给出了MEMS工艺流程,微加工制造了尺寸为8.9 mm×5.6 mm×0.4 mm的流速传感器芯片。搭建了低流速和高流速气流通道实验装置,对传感器的惠斯通电桥施加50μA的恒定电流(CCA),实现了0～50 m/s范围内的流速测量。结果表明,传感器在低流速(0～2 m/s)时的灵敏度约为81.6 mV/(m/s),在高流速(2～50 m/s)时的灵敏度约为51.9 mV/(m/s),最大功耗仅约为1.03 mW。     

一种L~E波段的A型上电极MEMS单刀三掷开关设计

针对单刀多掷开关(SPMT)在相控阵雷达、宽带收发器中用于切换滤波器和传输线时需要满足宽频带、高隔离度的性能需求,设计了一种宽频带、高隔离度的MEMS单刀三掷开关(SP3T)。通过ANSYS电磁仿真软件中的HFSS模块对MEMS SP3T开关进行优化,利用COMSOL软件对上电极的机械性能进行仿真。仿真结果表明,所设计的MEMS SP3T开关可工作在1~90 GHz的频带内,且插入损耗小于1 dB@90 GHz,隔离度大于35 dB@90 GHz,其整体体积约为0.75 mm³。     

On-chip Diamond MEMS Magnetic Sensing through Multifunctionalized Magnetostrictive Thin Film

Electrically integrable, high-sensitivity, and high-reliability magnetic sensors are not yet realized at high temperatures (500 °C). In this study, an integrated on-chip single-crystal diamond (SCD) micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) magnetic transducer is demonstrated by coupling SCD with a large magnetostrictive FeGa film. The FeGa film is multifunctionalized to actuate the resonator, self-sense the external magnetic field, and electrically readout the resonance signal. The on-chip SCD MEMS transducer shows a high sensitivity of 3.2 Hz mT⁻¹ from room temperature to 500 °C and a low noise level of 9.45 nT Hz^−1/2 up to 300 °C. The minimum fluctuation of the resonance frequency is 1.9 × 10⁻⁶ at room temperature and 2.3 × 10⁻⁶ at 300 °C. An SCD MEMS resonator array with parallel electric readout is subsequently achieved, thus providing a basis for the development of magnetic image sensors. The present study facilitates the development of highly integrated on-chip MEMS resonator transducers with high performance and high thermal stability.