We present a two-stage energy extraction circuit for a piezoelectric energy harvester, powering an asset-tracking system. Exploiting non-sinusoidal accelerations generated by many logistic transport devices, e.g., pushcarts, forklifts, assembly belts or cars, we are able to harvest sufficient electrical energy to transmit radio signals, which will allow to track the object when it is moving. By using the proposed energy extraction circuit, the energy extraction efficiency could be improved by at least 30% compared to a single-stage solution for sinusoidal excitations. In the practical use-case, the two-stage energy extraction network performs more than four times better compared to the single staged on. Full article

Integration of metal oxide nanowires in metal oxide gas sensors enables a new generation of gas sensor devices, with increased sensitivity and selectivity. For reproducible and stable performance of next generation sensors, the electric properties of integrated nanowires have to be well understood, since the detection principle of metal oxide gas sensors is based on the change in electrical conductivity during gas exposure. We study two different types of nanowires that show promising properties for gas sensor applications with a Scanning Probe Microscope—Scanning Electron Microscope combination. Electron Beam Induced Current and Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy measurements with a lateral resolution in the nanometer regime are performed. Our work offers new insights into the dependence of the nanowire work function on its composition and size, and into the local interaction between electron beam and semiconductor nanowires. Full article

According to LaMer diagram, a clearly separate of nucleation and grows step is required to synthesis of monodisperse nanoparticles. However, a critical mixing time T_c until the growth process is started, is not clear experimentally. In this paper, we prepared gold nanoparticles (GNPs) by liquid-phase reduction using citric acid on microfluidics with different flow rates. From relationship of the diameter of the prepared nanoparticle and the mixing time, T_c for the preparation of monodisperse GNPs was found for the first time. Full article

The implementation of additive manufacturing technology (e.g., digital printing) to the electronic packaging segment has recently received increasing attention. In almost all types of Fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP), redistribution layers (RDLs) are formed by a combination of photolithography, sputtering and plating process. Alternatively, in this study, inkjet-printed RDLs were introduced for FOWLP. In contrast to a subtractive method (e.g., photolithography), additive manufacturing techniques allow depositing the material only where it is desired. In the current study, RDL structures for different embedded modules were realized by inkjet printing and further characterized by electrical examinations. It was proposed that a digital printing process can be a more efficient and lower-cost solution especially for rapid prototyping of RDLs, since several production steps will be skipped, less material will be wasted and the supply chain will be shortened. Full article

We have been developing a sheet type shear force sensor. It has a unique structure consisting of two flexible electrode films, a rubber ring, and a liquid electrolyte. One of the electrode films has a central electrode and the other film had four symmetrically arranged electrodes. The diameter of the sensor head was 10 mm and the thickness was about 0.7 mm. We also developed mobile measurement circuit and software for the computer. This system can handle up to four sensors simultaneously. Furthermore, we obtained experimental data by attaching the sensor to a human body using a double‐sided adhering tape. Full article

The introduction and evaluation of a novel sensor design for a soil moisture sensor that can be manufactured on a PCB. The PCB acts as a capacitor, which uses the fringe effect to allow changes in permittivity of its surrounding medium to be identified, and this capacitance is measured via relatively simple charge and discharge times between two voltages through a series resistor. The system is implemented in a low-cost microcontroller, and coupled with being printable on a PCB, has the potential to make a highly cost-effective sensor. A custom Android Bluetooth application was produced to provide communication with and configuration of the sensor. Full article

Silver (Ag+) doped phosphate glass after exposure to ionizing radiation has an intense luminescence by stimulating with ultra-violet light. This phenomenon is called radiophotoluminescence (RPL). The RPL intensity was increased linearly with increasing X-ray irradiation dose up to about 1000 Gy. Small amount of bead-type RPL glass as large as about 0.05mm was well prepared with a jet flame system. It was confirmed that the RPL glass beads could be used as passive-type radiation dosimeters. Visualization and monitoring system of radiation dose distribution utilizing RPL phenomenon in the Ag+-doped phosphate glass are developed in this study. In the presentation, the basic luminescence properties are reported as well as the application of Ag+-doped phosphate glass beads to radiation dose distribution monitoring. Full article

Micro-milling is one of the commonly used methods of fabrication of microfluidic devices necessary for cell biological research and application. Commercial micro-milling machines are expensive, and researchers in developing countries can’t afford them. Here, we report the design and the development of a low-cost (<130 USD) micro milling machine and asses the prototyping capabilities of microfeatures in plastic materials. We demonstrate that the developed machine can be used in fabricating the plastic based microfluidic device. Full article

In this paper, a novel capacitive tactile sensing device has proposed and demonstrated to solve coupling problem within the normal force and shear force by the unique design of electrode shape. In addition, the tactile sensor was added in the measuring capability of torsion sensing compared with traditional capacitive sensor. The perceptive unit of tactile sensor, which was consist of five sensing electrodes to detect three-axial force. The complete tactile sensor composed of a top electrode, a bottom electrode, and a spacer layer. Each capacitive sensing unit comprised a pair of the concentric-shape but different size electrodes (top electrode and bottom electrode). In the future, the proposed tactile sensor can be utilized in the wearable devices, flexible interface, and bionic robotic skins. Full article

A ruthenium oxide (RuOx) electrode is being developed as potentiometric pH sensor for organs-on-chip applications. Open-circuit potential (OCP) of the RuOx electrode showed a response of −58.05 mV/pH, with no cross-sensitivity to potentially interfering/complexing ions (tested were lithium, sulfate, chloride, and calcium ions). Similar response was observed in complex biological medium. The electrode stored in liquid had a long-term drift of −0.8 mV/hour (corresponding to ΔpH of 0.013/hour) and response time in complex biological medium was 3.7 s. Minimum cross-sensitivity to oxygen was observed as the OCP shifted ~3 mV going from deoxygenated to oxygenated solution. This response is one magnitude lower than previously reported for metal- oxide pH sensors. Overall, the RuOx pH sensor has proven to be a suitable pH sensor for organs- on-chip applications. Full article

A novel coupling of a pair of identical two-contact (2C) magnetoresistors transformed into an in-plane sensitive Hall device is presented. The ohmic contacts are cross-linked, also adding a load resistor bridge, providing for constant current mode of operation and eliminating the inevitable parasitic offset. This silicon configuration, apart from its simplified layout, has linear and odd output voltage as a function of the magnetic field and current. The quadratic and even magnetoresistance in the two parts of this innovative device is completely compensated, which ensures high measurement accuracy alongside with identification of the magnetic field polarity. The experimental prototypes feature sensitivity of 110 V/AT. The mean lowest detected magnetic induction B at supply current of 3 mA over frequency range f ≤ 100 Hz at a signal-to-noise ratio equal to unity is Bmin ≈ 10 μT. Тhe high performance and the complete electrical, temperature and technological matching of the parts of this unusual Hall device make it very promising for many practical applications. Full article

A new 2D (two-dimensional) in-plane sensitive Hall-effect sensor comprising two identical n-Si Greek-crosses is presented. Each of the crosses contains one central square contact and, symmetrically to each of their four sides, an outer contact is available. Outer electrode from one configuration is connected with the respective opposite contact from the other configuration, thus forming four parallel three-contact (3C) Hall elements. These original connections provide pairs of opposite supply currents in each of the cross-Hall structure. Also the obligatory load resistors in the outer contacts of 3С Hall elements are replaced by internal resistances of crosses themselves. The samples have been implemented by IC technology, using four masks. The magnetic field is parallel to the structures’ plane. The couples of opposite contacts of each Greek-cross are the outputs for the two orthogonal components of the magnetic vector at sensitivities S ≈ 115 V/AT whereas the cross-talk is very promising, reaching no more than 2.4%. The mean lowest detected magnetic induction B at a supply current I_s = 3 mA over the frequency range f ≤ 500 Hz at a signal to noise ratio equal to unity, is B_min ≈ 14 μT. Full article

We present a simple equivalent circuit model for the transfer function of an optomechanical MEMS transducer capable of distortion-free electric field strength measurements. This model allows not only to qualitatively understand the characteristics of the transducer but also takes into account parasitic effects and material properties. Such parasitic effects have been observed while evaluating the first results of electric field measurements performed with the sensor. The model helped to identify and diminish these parasitic effects. Full article

A novel in-plane sensitive Hall arrangement consisting of two identical n-Si three-contact (3C) elements and realized in a common technological process, is presented. In the solution, the minimization of the offset and its temperature drift is achieved by cross-coupling of the outer device contacts. This terminals’ connection provides equalizing currents between the two substrates which strongly compensate the inevitable difference in the electrical conditions in the two parts of the arrangement. As a result, the residual offset of both integrated Hall elements at the output V_out(0) and its temperature drift are strongly minimized. The residual offset is about 160 times smaller than the single-configuration one. The obtained output voltage-to-residual offset ratio at sensitivity of S_RI ≈ 98 V/AT is very promising, reaching 6 × 10³ at temperature T = 40 °C and induction 1 T. As a result, increased metrological accuracy for numerous applications is achieved. For a first time through the novel arrangement a suppression of sensitivity in the presence of external magnetic field could be achieved in order to obtain permanent offset information. This is one of the key results in the Hall device investigation. Full article

The effect of water wave impacts and breakdown on the output performance of Water-Dielectric Single Electrode Mode Triboelectric Nanogenerators (WDSE-TENG) has been evaluated. When water contacts a TENG consisting of a hydrophobic dielectric layer, the triboelectric effect is generated with a net negative charge on the dielectric material and net positive charge on the water surface. The hydrophobic dielectric materials, which show the highest electrical output performance in contact with water, were FEP, silicone rubber and polyimide. The average output power of each sample for a load resistance of 10 MΩ was found to be in the range 14.69 to 19.12 µW. The results demonstrate that WDSE-TENG devices can work as an alternative energy harvesting mechanism by using water as a triboelectric material. Full article

We present a displacement-sensitive sensor comprising a microelectromechanical (MEMS) chip and organic optoelectronic components capable of measuring the heart and respiration rate on humans. The MEMS sensor relies on the inertial deflection of a small silicon oscillator. The readout of the deflection is optical and works via modulation of the light flux passing through the MEMS. Organic optoelectronics are used as light source and detector, since these offer a homogeneous light distribution and a more compact package in a future integration. Two types of MEMS, differing in their resonance frequency, were designed and characterised in combination with both organic and inorganic optoelectronics prior to measuring heart and respiration rate. Subsequently, by measurements on the neck, pulse and respiration rate were successfully measured. Full article

As an example of the applicable process chain, a concave grating (1175 grooves/mm) with an active area of approx. 24 mm to 24 mm has been replicated by means of electroplating and further by injection moulding with polycarbonate, resulting in a surface accuracy even below 4 µm peak-to-valley (PV). The obtained moulds were further metallised with bare aluminium to obtain components for optical applications. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such a large nanostructured nonplanar surface has been manufactured by injection moulding in such an accuracy. Full article

In this paper, the out-gassing from PolyEthylene (PE) film is studied under nuclear irradiation for the design and fabrication of passive MEMS dosimeters. The fabrication of sensor needs high temperature process that leads to specific constraints on the PE film. Radiation chemical yield of hydrogen production (G_H2) from PE under gamma irradiation is verified by mass spectroscopy after temperature annealing in vacuum up to 400 °C. Prototypes are fabricated to validate the fabrication of the sensor and then irradiated with high energy gamma radiation (with dose of 20 kGy). Measurements of membrane deflections after irradiation validate the G_H2 factor, showing low pollution level of PE during sensor fabrication. Full article

This work presents the investigation on a MEMS based optomechanical transducer for displacements or vibration regarding its cross-sensitivities to multidirectional input excitations. The principle of the optomechanical transducer is based on the modulation of the light flux passing through one static and one movable micromechanical aperture. This kind of transducer is of increasing interest for MEMS sensors since it has inherent benefits and can compete with state-ofthe- art readout concepts regarding its resolution. We have experimentally proven that the sensitivities of the device is 3.3 × 10⁷ V/m in x-direction, 8.23 × 10⁶ V/m in y-direction, while it is negligible in z-direction. Full article

We present our investigation on the gasochromic reaction of E141 (ii) towards the toxic gas nitrogen dioxide (NO2). E141 (ii) is a chlorophyllin-based food additive, typically used as green coloring for nearly all kinds of sweets. In this presentation we show an alternative approach for using E141 (ii) as optical gas indicator. All solid samples are prepared by multi-layer screen printing on different substrates like paper and PE-foil. Gas measurements are performed using an UV/Vis spectrometer. The influence of the substrate and according layer thickness is shown. Full article

This work investigates different geometries for fully screen-printed self-actuated self-readout microcantilevers made using a sacrificial layer process. The microcantilevers are made of PZT sandwiched between two gold electrodes. Q-factors as high as 1300 are reported. Promising theoretical sensitivities are reported (1000 Hz/µg at 620 kHz) and applications as humidity, temperature and particles sensor are explored in this work. Full article

Preparation and characterization of a WO₃-based thin film gas sensor are reported. The WO₃ film was prepared on a polished alumina substrate by a sol-gel method using an aqueous mixture solution of ammonium metatungstate hydrate and poly-vinyl alcohol, and fabricated into the gas sensor by forming interdigital electrodes on the surface. The characterization was conducted by measuring the electrical resistance change in NO, H₂, and NH₃ ambient as a function of gas concentration. It is revealed that the sensor has a specific sensitivity to NO, NO is detected as oxidizing gas although it is expected to be reducing gas, and the resistance changes with gas concentration in accordance with the Langmuir isotherm plot. Full article

The functional principle of an optical gradient magnetic field sensor consisting of two independent laterally oscillating masses on a single chip is reported. These oscillations are caused by the Lorentz forces resulting from an alternating current through the masses interacting with a static magnetic field. Light is modulated by relative in-plane movement of the masses and a fixed frame and subsequently detected by two photodiodes. Evaluation of magnitude and phase of the output signal reveals information about the uniformity of the magnetic field. The sensor is capable of detecting uniaxially strength and direction of magnetic gradient fields, offset gradient fields and homogeneous fields. Full article

Equivalent circuit-based analytical open-circuit sensitivity modelling of a capacitive-type MEMS acoustic sensor for Internet of things (IoT) application is presented. It can not only evaluate simply the characteristic of the sensitivity on wafer level, but also improve the accuracy of the sensitivity due to including the fringing field between the diaphragm and each etching hole in the back-plate. The effective capacitor model is obtained by applying the approximately linearized electric-field method (ALEM), resulting in the equivalent circuit-based dynamic model. From the sensor with a 325 µm-radius diaphragm, the effective radius and the effective residual stress of the diaphragm were extracted to be 299 µm and +23.0 MPa, respectively. With the pull-in voltage of. 12.0 V and the pad capacitance of 0.23 pF; the open-circuit sensitivity was modelled to 11.3 mV/Pa at 1 kHz in the bias of 10 V. Full article

The development of new ultra-fast sensors for pressure air blast monitoring requires taking into account the very short rise time of pressure occurring during explosion. Simulations show here that the dynamic mechanical behavior of membrane-based sensors depends significantly on this rise time when the fundamental mechanical resonant frequency of the membrane is higher than 10 MHz. Full article

In this work we present the experimental characterization of a vertical-cavity enhanced resonant detector (VERD) optimized for detection in the mid-infrared. We demonstrate that the VERD shows a 7.1 times higher absorption and responsivity at 4.26 µm compared to a bare metal absorber. As such this design can be easily optimized and integrated to specifically enhance the absorption around the design wavelength. Full article

We investigate the properties of highly confined Love modes in a phononic crystal based on an array of holes made in SiO₂ deposited on ST-cut Quartz substrate. An optimal choice of the geometrical parameters of the holes enables us to obtain wide stop-bands frequency for shear wave’s modes. The introduction of defect by removing lines of holes leads to nearly flat modes within the band gap and consequently paves the way to implement advanced design of electroacoustic filters and high-performance cavity resonators based on shear wave modes. The calculations are performed using finite element method based on the commercial software (COMSOL-Multiphysics). For transmission spectra, piezoelectric excitations are applied by considering the interdigital transducers, with results corroborating well the band structure predictions and the position of defects modes within the band gap. Full article

Passive and wireless SAW sensors can operate in extreme environment. However, there is no mass-market application for this technology yet, due notably to the lack of an adequate sensor housing solution. Package-less SAW sensors are therefore promising. Here, guided waves that propagate in a protective multilayer structure are used, instead of SAWs. However, issues will arise from the use of a multilayer structure. In particular, thermo-mechanical effects will impact the behavior of the devices. A solution must also be found to embed the antenna in the stack. We present here the results of a numerical study of the thermo-mechanical effects, in two package-less structures. One possible antenna design is proposed and evaluated. Full article

We present, for the first time, the design, development and testing of a portable ultra-low
velocity flow sensor with a disposable architecture for use in medical applications. 3Dmicroprinting
technique was used to fabricate high aspect ratio microscopic hair-like structures
from conducting polymers, in particular, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene-sulfonate
(PEDOT:PSS). These high aspect ratio micro-hairs are flexible and conductive that can respond to
air flowing over them. A disposable and portable flow sensor with a modular design that allows
tuning of measurement range was developed, for integration with an automated neonatal
resuscitator to provide closed-loop feedback. The developed portable sensor architecture is capable
of real-time indication of the air flow velocity range down to few millimeters/second. Full article

Demand for highly stretchable mechanical sensors for use in the fields of soft robotics and wearable sensors has been constantly rising. Carbon based materials as piezo-resistive material are low-cost and have been widely used. In this paper instead of using the controversial carbon-nanotubes, carbon black nano-particles mixed with Ecoflex^® as piezo-resistive nanocomposite are used and measure strain up to 100%. Two fabrication techniques incorporating the printing (namely-“layer-upon-layer” and “embedded”) of the carbon black nanocomposite will be explored and the performances of the sensors made from these techniques will be evaluated. Full article

In this paper, the behavior of a piezoelectric stack generator subject to a direct mechanical force, such as that experienced by pedestrian loads, is characterized and modelled. A lumped element model is developed that describes the electrical output of piezoelectric stack generators for quasi-static, off-resonance and random input conditions which are typical of underfloor or supporting structure energy harvesters. This research demonstrates the ability for accurate predictions of output voltage and current based on the material properties and geometry of the piezoelectric stack. The behavior of real-world random loading patterns is incorporated in the model, pairing mechanical input with interfacing circuitry requirements in order to maximize energy transfer. The developed model facilitates time-efficient design by reducing the simulation time to the order of seconds. Full article

Detection of dissolved methane and volatile hydrocarbons in water is a problem met in
leakage localization during exploitation of underwater pipelines, oil and oil product spill over water
surface, geological exploration work for the localization of oil and gas fields under water, etc. This
problem can be solved by the application of detection system based on tubular selective membrane
permeable for volatile organics and impenetrable for liquid water. Carrier gas (air) flowing through
this tube is saturated with dissolved gas and then gas concentration is measured using
semiconductor or other gas sensor. The system prototype was tested under laboratory conditions
and demonstrated low limit of gas detection (~20 ppb by mass of dissolved methane in water) and
short response time (~10 s). Full article

We have fabricated a custom quartz tuning fork (QTF) with a reduced fundamental frequency, a larger gap between the prongs and the best quality factor in air at atmospheric conditions ever reported. Acoustic microresonators have been added to the QTF, these were optimized through experiments. We demonstrate a normalized noise equivalent absorption of 3.7 × 10⁻⁹ W·cm⁻¹·Hz^−1/2 for CO₂ detection at atmospheric pressure. Influence of the inner diameter and length of the microresonators has been studied as well as the penetration depth between the QTF prongs. Full article

The online control of natural gas quality is important for customers, because for them the important value is calorific value of consumed gas, but not its volume. The application of thermoconductometric sensor gives simple possibility to fabricate imbedded intellectual plug-and-play device for this control. The ceramic MEMS sensor based on a combination of this ceramic LTCC membrane and aerosol jet printed platinum microheater was used as a sensing element of this unit. The electronic unit controlling the sensor was designed to stabilize the temperature of the microheater and to measure power necessary to maintain this temperature at different concentrations of N₂and CO₂ in natural gas. The application of this unit enables the measurement of admixtures of nitrogen and CO₂ with detection limit of about 1 vol. % sufficient for the application in gas meter instruments. Full article

We prepared platinum nanoparticle ink usable for the fabrication of MEMS microheaters
of high-temperature gas sensors and thermoresistors operating up to 450 °C and present some
preliminary results on the application of the ink in sensor microheater manufacturing. The ink
consists of platinum particles (3–8 nm) suspended in ethylene glycol solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone.
The ink is usable in both InkJet and AerosolJet printers. The annealing at temperature of about 600 °C
leads to the formation of uniform microheater structure. The experiments on microheater aging
confirm the stability of the printed microstructure at 450 °C for at least one year of operation. The
substrates used for printing were thin alumina and LTCC ceramics with thickness of 12–20 μm. Full article

We present a detailed study of Si-based optical waveguides, which can be used as evanescent field sensors for the quantitative analysis of various gases and liquids. Direct quantitative comparison of simulation with experimental results of directional coupling structures allows fine-tuning the material parameters and provides important input for future sensor design. Full article

We report on the growth of ZnO thin films by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition as a function of substrate temperature. The method to ensure self-limiting growth with precise thickness control is discussed and the effect of temperature on the texture of the thin films is presented. Switching the texture from (100) to (002) by increasing the substrate temperature is a key property for functional devices. The ZnO thin films with tailored properties could find applications in a wide range of sensors and actuators. Full article

Here we report the first PCB-implemented electrochemical glucose biosensor using
covalently immobilized glucose oxidase (GOx) on the commercially fabricated PCB electrode
surface, taking particular care on the electrode surface characteristics and their effect on sensor
performance. Based on the results, this assay exhibits a highly linear response from 500 μM to 20
mM (R = 0.9961) and a lower limit of detection of 500 μM. Full article

We present a reference-electrode free sensor able to measure both pH and conductivity
based on impedance spectroscopy. The electrode is made of a layer of indium-tin-oxide (ITO). The
impedance of this electrode at low frequencies depends on its double layer capacity, which varies
with pH due to modification of oxide groups at the ITO surface. At high frequencies, the impedance
is determined by the resistance in the system, which corresponds to the inverse conductivity of the
solution. Because no reference electrode is needed for this technique, miniaturization of the pH
sensor is simple. We demonstrate a proof-of-principle experiment of the sensor for human plasma
pH measurements. Full article

This paper presents an optimized way of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) deposition in order
to selectively grow three different (100/001), (110), and (111) crystal orientation in two different
thickness ranges, thinner and thicker than 400 nm. The thickness of the PZT layer is also optimized
to not diminish the generated bending moment more than 10%. A 1μm PZT layer with (100/001)
dominant crystal orientation and highly columnar crystal structure is deposited and used in the
fabrication of a circular PMUT. The PMUT has a 410 μm diameter and resonates at 462 kHz with
the displacement of 1200 nm/V. Full article

We developed and optimized a new fiber optic sensor using palladium foils attached to optical fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) for hydrogen measurements. Fifteen in parallel processed sensors were characterized and qualified in two custom tailored experimental set ups and their response to a 5% hydrogen/nitrogen gas mixture and the same gas bubbled trough transformer oil was measured. The hydrogen response is similar for both medium and close to the theoretical maximum sensitivity, but the response time was found to be very different, much slower in oil than in gas. A theoretical comparison of hydrogen diffusion trough palladium and hydrogen absorption on the palladium surface as well as a measurement of the hydrogen uptake and diffusion trough the oil to the sensor have been done to investigate the origin of the different response time. They indicate that the response time determining step is the absorption of hydrogen on the palladium surface and that this process is slowed down in oil compared to a pure gas environment. Full article

The integration of strand-based pressure sensors directly into woven textiles is a promising strategy to maintain textile properties, such as the flexibility, and to functionalize fabrics. The development of capacitive sensing elements is often based on the construction of laminates, which adversely affect the flexibility and thickness of textiles. In this paper, we present two alternative approaches by manufacturing cylindrical, pressure-sensitive, variable capacitors and twisted strand-based capacitive sensors. They lead to an easy integration method, where sensors can either be embedded or used to construct the body of textiles. In the cause of these studies, SBR/gelatin has been found to be a very useful pressure sensitive insulation system for the production of low cost capacitive sensors. Full article

Droplet dosing devices for liquid medicine are widely spread in self-medication for prevention or in the event of illness. This paper presents investigations on the often unnoticed process of bubble formation in droplet dosing devices for liquid medicine which is decisive for the whole functionality of these systems. To obtain information about this process and how it affects the dosage, drip operations with an exemplary device have been evaluated. Based on these evaluations the bubble formation is explained qualitatively. Finally a mathematical approach to predict critical changes in the bubble formation process is presented. Full article

Hybrid System-in-Foil exploits the complementary benefits of integrating embedded silicon chips with on-foil passive and active electronic components. In this work, the design, fabrication and characterization of three on-foil components, namely a humidity sensor, near field communication antenna and organic thin-film transistors, are investigated. Full article

We present a SPAD-based LiDAR sensor fabricated in an automotive certified 0.35 µm CMOS process. Since reliable sensor operation in high ambient light environment is a crucial factor in automotive applications, four SPADs are implemented in each pixel to suppress ambient light by the detection of photon coincidences. By pixel individual adjustment of the coincidence parameters to the present ambient light condition, an almost constant measurement performance is achieved for a wide range of different target reflectance and ambient illumination levels. This technique allows the acquisition of high dynamic range scenes in a single laser shot. For measurement and demonstration purpose a LiDAR camera with the developed sensor has been built. Full article

Colloidal photonic crystals have attracted much attention of the scientific world due to their unique optical properties and potential applications in sensing, displays, optoelectronics, controlled superwetting and other fields. Here we report the fabrication of spherical colloidal photonic crystals featured with well-ordered nanopatterns from silica nanoparticles (SiO₂NPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) through a droplet-based microfluidic approach. The colloidal crystals show both the photonic band gaps (PBG) and surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) properties. These proposed hierarchically composite ‘superballs’ will have an excellent performance in sensing applications, due to the fast response (the scattering color change) to the dielectric properties of the surrounding medium. A robust and efficient strategy is proposed and demonstrated to fabricate the composite superballs with multifunctional properties, broadening the perspective of their applications by the advantages of precise control over the size of the particles and flexible change of the fluid composition. Full article

Recent developments in multispectral cameras have demonstrated how compact and low-cost spectral sensors can be made by monolithically integrating filters on top of commercially available image sensors. In this paper, the fabrication of a RGB + NIR variation to such a single-chip imaging system is described, including the integration of a metallic shield to minimize crosstalk, and two interference filters: a NIR blocking filter, and a NIR bandpass filter. This is then combined with standard polymer based RGB colour filters. Fabrication of this chip is done in imec’s 200 mm cleanroom using standard CMOS technology, except for the addition of RGB colour filters and microlenses, which is outsourced. Full article

Mid-infrared (MIR) on-chip sensing on Si has been a progressive topic of research in the recent years due to excitation of vibrational and rotational bands specific to materials in this range and their immunity against visible light and electromagnetic interferences. For on-chip applications, integration of all the optical components including the MIR source is crucial. In this work, we introduce a slab photonic crystal (PhC) thermal source where the birthplace and the filtering of the photons occur in the same region. Due to the forbidden frequency bands and high density of states in the band edge, it provides electric efficiency and filtering performance. Full article

The effect of Rh loading on CO sensing was studied for the case of In₂O₃. This was done by performing measurements with sensors based on loaded and unloaded materials that were performed at an operation temperature of 300 °C in the presence of low background oxygen concentration according to an experimental procedure that was demonstrated to help clarify the reception/transduction functions of loaded Semiconducting Metal Oxides (SMOX). The experimental investigation methods were DC resistance and Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The results indicate that in the case of Rh₂O₃ loaded In₂O₃ the reaction primary takes place on the Rh2O3 cluster and the electrical properties of the In₂O₃ are controlled by the pinning of the SMOX Fermi-level to the one of the Rh₂O₃ cluster. Full article

A mathematical model is developed to describe the 2? in-plane flexural response of supported ring-based Coriolis Vibrating Gyroscopes (CVGs) as the ring is driven into large amplitude vibration. Whilst the 2? degenerate modes have same resonance frequency in the linear regime, mechanical non-linearity within the support structure induces a frequency split as the vibration amplitude increases. The origins and effects of geometrical non-linearity are investigated using the proposed analytical model. Full article

Within this work we developed a universal integrated photodetector platform for the detection, amplification and digitalization of various optical data signals. The concept features two internal plus two external photodiodes, signal amplification and output stages each. For each application a combination of the optimal input detector, the suitable amplifier plus gain setting and the appropriate output stage can be combined individually. Full article

Hydrogel thin films containing temperature sensitive chemical functionalities (such as N-isopropylacrylamide, NIPAAm) are particularly interesting for sensor and actuator setups. Complex 3D structures can be conformally coated by the solvent free technique initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition, with precise control over chemical composition and film thickness. In this study, NIPAAm-based thin films with film thicknesses ranging from tens to several hundreds of nanometers and with different amounts of cross-linking were deposited. Above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), these films repel out water and hence shrink. The amount of cross-linking and the deposited film thickness were successfully identified to both affect shape and position of the LCST transition of these systems: a promising basis for tuning response properties. Full article

V₂O₅ thin films were deposited onto insulating support (either fused silica or alumina) by means of rf reactive sputtering from a metallic vanadium target. Argon-oxygen gas mixtures of different compositions controlled by the flow rates were used for sputtering. X-ray diffraction at glancing incidence (GIXD) and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) were used for structural and phase characterization. Optical transmittance and reflectance spectra were recorded with a Lambda 19 Perkin-Elmer double spectrophotometer. Thickness of the films was determined from the profilometry. It has been confirmed by GIXD that the deposited films are composed of V₂O₅ phase. The estimated optical band gap was ca. 2.5 eV. The gas sensing properties of V₂O₅ thin films were investigated at RT-690 K towards NO₂ gas of 0–20 ppm. The results indicated that material exhibited good response and reversibility towards nitrogen dioxide. Full article

Growing evidence suggests that endocannabinoid levels are modulated during pathological conditions affecting both central and peripheral nervous system. In the present study, a novel approach (patent pending) based on an innovative liquid biosensor has been used to analyze two relevant endocannabinoid molecules with calibration purposes: N-arachidonoylethanolamine and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. The system was able to predict both compound concentrations with a Root Mean Square Error in Cross Validation (RMSECV) of 6.61 nM and 23.50 nM, respectively. Full article

Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorder. Despite its high prevalence, the factors responsible for the onset of the clinical symptoms are not clear yet. Recently, there was growing evidence the origin of IBS resides in a number of fermentable short-chain carbohydrates called FODMAPs. The present study assessed the possibility of using a multisensory system to detect the presence of FODMAPs in foods. Full article

Phthalocyanines and their analogs have practical interest at development devices with low consumption because these materials are known to considerably modify their electrophysical properties on adsorption of the active gases at low temperatures. The conductivity, resistance-temperature relationship, sensor properties relative to NO, O₂ and H₂S of films based on oligo-(OPc) and polyphthalocyanines (PPc) containing Co, Cu, Fe and Mn were investigated in the present work. Polymeric films were deposited on the test structures with a pair of interdigital metal electrodes. The sensor’s active area was 4.0 × 4.0 mm, and electrode gap was egual 0.08 mm. The sensitive layers were formed by two methods. The soluble OPcs were deposited from their saturated dimethylformamide solutions and insoluble PPcs were deposited by the thermal sputtering in vacuum. The investigations were carried out under the sensor thermal stabilization conditions in the range 50–250 °C with the constant values of the heater resistance. Full article

This paper experimentally demonstrates the stray-field robustness capability of a novel Hall-based rotary position sensor concept (Huber, S., et al, 2018). The sensor targets safety-related automotive applications, for example powertrain and power steering. In these applications, the safety requirement specifies a maximum stray-field induced error of 0.4°. Therefore, the robustness in corner cases needs to be assessed. We demonstrate the stray-field immunity in multiple corner cases for temperature from −40 °C up to 160 °C and over lifetime. The impact of a uniform 5 mT stray field over all conditions (3σ) is shown to be less than 0.25°. The fully-integrated automotive-qualified sensor is implemented in a 0.18-μm CMOS technology, and achieves 0.7° of angular accuracy. Full article

Among sensors using magnetic fluids, inclinometers are seriously addressed by the scientific community. This paper deals with an optical inclinometer exploiting a ferrofluid (FF) mass, a magnetic shaping system and an InfraRed (IR) readout strategy. A dedicated paradigm is also proposed, with the aim of defining a calibration model relating the inclinometer output quantity to the imposed tilt. The working range of the inclinometer is [−15°–15°]; the sensor accuracy and resolution are 0.61° and 0.005°, respectively. Moreover, the device shows a span-to-resolution ratio of 6 × 10³. Full article

The technological development of the last few years in the field of integrated electronic components has encouraged the use of wearable electronic devices. In the biomedical field, this improvement allows the registration and analysis of numerous values, starting from environmental parameters up to the vital parameters of a subject, without interfering with the normal daily activities of the individual. In this context, the present work is focused on the design, development and evaluation of a low power wearable and wireless electronic interface able to acquire and transmit signals generated by a gas sensor, based on electrochemical technology, to monitor air quality through the measurement of O2 and CO2 concentration. Among the existing wireless technologies, it was decided to use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) as it allows data transmission to multiple types of external devices, such as PCs and smartphones with low power consumption. Full article

The authors have developed a wireless fluorescence imaging capsule endoscope, potentially capable of detecting early signs of disease in the human intestine which can be missed by white-light imaging (WLI) capsule endoscopy (Figure 1). Intestinal fluorescence imaging exploits variations in tissue autofluorescence between healthy and diseased areas in response to illumination, or application of fluorescent labels which preferentially bind to diseased sites. To validate the capsule’s capability to image fluorescently-labelled tissue, a small area of a sample of ex vivo porcine small intestine was sonicated with 6 nm CdZnMg fluorescent quantum dots, and the labelled area clearly differentiated from surrounding tissue by the fluorescence imaging capsule. Full article

We demonstrate a compact electromagnetic power sensor based on force effects of electromagnetic radiation onto a highly reflective mirror surface. Unlike the conventional power measurement approach, the photons are not absorbed and can be further used in the investigated system. In addition, the exerted force is frequency-independent, yielding a wide measurement frequency span being practically limited by the wavelength-dependent mirror reflection coefficient. The mechanical arrangement of two sensing elements in tandem suppresses the influence of gravity and vibrations on the power reading. We achieve a noise floor of about 1 W/√Hz and speed of 100 ms, being practically limited by sensor’s dynamics and lock-in amplifier filter settling time. Full article

We present an always-on acoustic wake-up sensor interface, designed for prolonging the autonomy of energy-hungry hardware for underwater acoustic surveillance. Proposed design enables the detection of a passing ship by simultaneous listening up to three arbitrarily defined frequency-bands within the 2.5 kHz range, and generates a wake-up signal upon finding a match with a digitally preset template describing signal’s discriminatory time-frequency features. In this paper, we propose the architecture of such fully programmable, multichannel, mixed-signal wake- up circuit. We show the implementation of a PCB prototype, characterize its sensitivity, analyze its current consumption, and verify its response on real-world hydrophone recordings. It is demonstrated that the design consumes only 6.4 µA per channel (in total <20 µA) with ultra-low- power COTS components, while listening. Full article

Different published colorimetric sensors were investigated with the ultimate goal to develop a colorimetric sensor for a closed livestock farm, applicable in a rough environment. The methods were investigated to improve the lack of sensitivity, roughness, and reproduction of colorimetric sensors. The methods investigated varied from changing matrices, changing substrates, treatment of the substrates, and investigation of the distribution by camera of the chemical thin layer and investigation on temperature, water and cross interference of several other gases in the livestock gas matrix. Results showed that with changing several important parameters, other than only the choice of a color indicator results in a serious improvement of the sensor specification and an improved performance necessary for the rough circumstances in livestock farming. Full article

Mixed potential ammonia gas sensors were fabricated by using two sensing materials of Ni₃V₂O₈ and Au-V₂O₅ as working electrodes, YSZ as electrolyte and platinum as reference electrode. The results have shown that the Ni₃V₂O₈ sensors show cross-sensitivity toward NO gas. However, Au-V₂O₅ working electrodes displayed a high sensitivity to NH₃ as well as fast response and recovery times at high temperatures. Furthermore, the results indicate that the selectivity of Au-V₂O₅ sensors increases by increasing temperature. Full article

A new microsystem, designed to detect and measure in real time the enthalpy of mixing of two fluid-constituents is presented. A preliminary approach to arrange miniaturized batch-cells allowing detecting enthalpy of dilution or mixing is first discussed. Then, a coherent rationale leading to structure devices operating in real time is formulated, considering the straightforward assessment of heat flux transducers (HFTs) capability. Basic thermodynamic observations regarding analogy between thermal and electrical systems are highlighted prior consideration of practical examples involving mixing of water and alcohols. Fundamentals about HFTs design are highlighted before presenting an adequate way to integrate both functions of mixing and measuring the entailed heat exchange as two continuously flowing fluids interact with each other. Then, a prototype of such a dedicated device is discussed with its relevant expected performance. Full article

This study implements the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) type gas sensor using the TSMC 0.35 μm 2P4M process. The gas concentration is detected based on the resistance change measured by the proposed sensor. This design has three merits: (1) low-cost post-CMOS process using metal/oxide wet etching, (2) composite sensing material based on ZnO-SnO₂ coating on the CMOS-MEMS structure, (3) vertical integration of heater and ZnO-SnO₂ gas-sensing films using CMOS-MEMS and drop casting technologies. Proposed design significantly increase the sensitivity at the high operating temperature. In summary, the sensitivity of presented sensor increased from 0.04%/% (O₂/N₂) at near room operating temperature to 0.2%/%(O₂/N₂) at near 140 °C for the range of 5–50% oxygen concentration. Full article

This document deals with a new approach to the system level modeling of open photo-acoustic gas sensors (PAS) for CO₂ sensing applications. The complex nature of the sensor calls for a flexible co-simulation environment which combines diverse domains and physical quantities such as pressure, temperature, voltage and electrical power. After validation against laboratory measurements, the system model can be used to investigate different package or hardware options, to evaluate the impact of different types of coupling (e.g., electrical or acoustic) and explore new algorithms and signal processing methods for more accurate gas concentration estimates. Full article

CMOS-based devices and the control of the materials properties by nanotechnology enabled significant progresses in the field of metal chemiresistors for gas sensing applications both in terms of miniaturization and performances (e.g., gas sensitivity). In this regard, ink-jet printing is a powerful technique to achieve high-volume production and meet the emerging consumer market demands. The paste formulation is an obvious aspect to consider for achieving a viscosity range suitable for ink-jet printing. More importantly, it is often an underestimated task which impacts the gas response of the resulting chemiresistors in terms of sensitivity, cross-sensitivity and baseline drift. In this manuscript, the effects on the film morphology and gas response upon removing ethyl-cellulose from the paste formulation is reported. Improvements in terms of sensitivity and baseline drift were observed. Full article

Nondispersive infrared (NDIR) CO₂ gas sensor was developed by using White-cell structure and tried to compensate the temperature effects in order to monitor CO₂ concentrations without hindering the temperature variations. However, the absorptions of infrared light depend on not only the temperatures but also CO₂ concentrations. Thus, a single Beer-Lambert law couldn’t properly describe the tendency of voltage decrements within full scale input (FSI, 0 to 5000 ppm) because it was affected by both parameters. In this article, the absorbance of infrared light is defined according to the concentrations of CO₂ gas. Then, a new temperature compensation algorithm has been implemented into micro-controller unit (MCU), the measurement errors were within ±3.6% as the temperature-dependent absorbance was chosen at 1450 ppm CO₂ concentrations. Full article

This study focuses on the thermal characterization of porous gallium nitride (GaN) using
an extended 3ω method. Porous semiconductor materials provide a solution to the need for on-chip
thermal insulation, a fundamental requirement for low-power, high-speed and high-accuracy
thermal sensors. Thermal insulation is especially important in GaN devices, due to the intrinsically
high thermal conductivity of the material. The results show one order of magnitude reduction in
thermal conductivity, from 130 W/mK to 10 W/mK, in line with theoretical predictions for porous
materials. This achievement is encouraging in the quest for integrating sensors with opto-, powerand
RF-electronics on a single GaN chip. Full article

There are presented the generalized results of studies of performance degradation of hydrogen sensors based on MISFET with structure Pd-Ta₂O₅-SiO₂-Si. It was shown how responses’ parameters change during long-term tests of sensors under repeated hydrogen impacts. There were found two stages of time-dependence response’ instability, the degradation degree of which depends on operating conditions, hydrogen concentrations and time. To interpret results there were proposed the models, parameters of which were calculated using experimental data. These models can be used to predict performances of MISFET-based devices for long-time operation. Full article

Carbon dots (CDs) derived from chitosan via a solvothermal method were covalently
linked to an indium tin oxide (ITO) surface and showed a direct photoelectrochemical response.
We attribute the photocurrent of the ITO-silane-CD surface to a photogenerated electron-transfer
process by CDs under illumination. The ITO-silane-CD surface was successfully used for
ac-photocurrent imaging. This opens up new applications for CDs as biocompatible and
light-addressable electrochemical sensors in bioimaging applications. Full article

A thin-film thermoelectric generator (TEG) applying a novel folded design where both the heat flux and current flow are in the plane of the thin-film is presented. The performance of the first fabricated devices is demonstrated and the results compared with the computational ones. The produced power is analyzed against the power requirements of a wireless sensor node and it is shown that a thermoelectric module of the area of <1 m² consisting of the novel TEG units is able to power a wireless sensor node of various sensors applicable e.g., to environmental monitoring of a building. The integration of energy-autonomous sensors for multifunctional smart windows providing the required temperature gradient is anticipated. Full article

flat circular transmission-line based 300 MHz resonator is implemented for the noncontact
assessment of burn depths in biological tissue. Used as a transmit-and-receive sensor, it is
placed here at a 2 mm distance from organic material test samples (pork fillet samples) which have
been previously heated on one face in various heating conditions involving various temperatures,
durations and procedures. Data extracted from the sensor by means of a distant monitoring coil
were found to clearly correlate with the depth of burn observed on the tissue samples (up to 40%
sensor output changes for a 7 mm burn depth) and with the heating conditions (around 5% sensor
output changes for 5.5 mm burn depth obtained at 75 °C or 150 °C). These results open the way to
the development of easy to implement burn assessment and monitoring techniques, which could be
integrated in wearable medical dressing-like monitoring devices. Full article

In this paper, the deterioration of statistical fault classification of a hydraulic system and an electromechanical cylinder EMC due to reduced sampling rates of sensor nets is shown. As a result, two types of faults can be distinguished: On the one hand, degradation processes which primarily show static symptoms over the whole working cycle and, thus, are less susceptible to reduced time resolution; on the other hand, the detection of faults with symptoms localized in time, e.g., during transients, is significantly degraded. Furthermore, the EMC example shows the importance of data representation that needs to be adapted to the sampling rate. Full article

We demonstrated the possibility of selective detection of hydrogen, ethanol, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, methane and ammonia gas using metal oxide gas sensor operating in non-stationary thermal regime. This non-stationary regime consists in fast heating of the sensing layer to high temperature followed by temperature stabilization at lower temperature. The analysis of the shape of the curve describing the sensor resistance as a function of time during this measurement cycle enables the quantitative analysis of gas mixture. The investigation of kinetics of the process in non-stationary regime permits to understand the mechanism of the processes on the surface of sensing material. Full article

This paper reports a novel 3D printed MEMS magnetometer with optical readout, which demonstrates the advantages of 3D printing technology in terms of rapid prototyping. Low-cost and fast product development cycles favour 3D printing as an effective tool. Sensitivity measurement with such devices indicate high accuracy and good structural performance, considering material and technological uncertainties. This paper is focusing on the novelty of the rapid, 3D-printing prototyping approach and verification of the working principle for printed MEMS magnetometers. Full article

This paper reports a novel 3D-printed MEMS resonant magnetometer with optical readout which features a mechanical conversion of a vertical oscillation into a horizontal one. This demonstrates the advantages of 3D-printing technology in terms of rapid prototyping, low costs and fast product development cycles. In addition, 3D-printing enables ‘true’ three-dimensional MEMS structures in contrast to the traditional MEMS technology which allows only two dimensional structures. The measurement approach comprises a hybrid implementation of an optical modulator, an LED and a photodetector. Full article

In preliminary studies it could be shown that single crystalline silicon carbide wafers can be porosified with metal assisted photochemical etching. Furthermore, the generation of porous areas which are locally defined is possible with this method. By adjusting the etching parameters, a highly porous layer (degree of porosity of 90%) can be formed which is under-etched by a line of breakage. By depositing a compressively stressed amorphous SiC:H thin film on top of a porous region, the a-SiC:H film can be locally separated from the substrate, resulting in a buckled membrane configuration. Such membranes might open up potential applications in MEMS design concepts. Full article

Love-wave (LW) sensors based on gas sensitive polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles (NPs) and their modification with different gold (Au) loads are developed in this work. The research is focused on the fabrication process of the gas sensor devices and their sensing properties to ammonia (NH₃). Full article

Nitric oxide (NO₂) is one of the air pollutants that pose serious environmental concerns over the years. In this study, SnO₂ nanowires were synthesized by evaporation-condensation method and graphene oxide were synthesized using modified Hummers method for low temperature NO₂ detection. Drop cast method was used to transfer graphene oxide (GO), to form composite GO-metal oxide p-n junctions. With integration of reduce graphene oxide (rGO), the UV light absorption was enhanced. This metal oxide composite has shown a reversible response in detecting low concentrations of NO₂ under UV irradiation, with a working temperature range of 50–150 °C. Pure SnO₂ shows 20% response to NO₂ (4 ppm) in dark conditions, while the response increasesupto60%usingUVirradiationat50°C.Furthermore, SnO₂/rGOshowsa40%ofresponse in dark, while the response increases to 160% under UV light illumination. This composite exhibits excellent recovery and maintains the baseline under UV light at low temperatures, which effectively overcome the drawbacks of low recovery typically shown by metal oxide gas sensors at low temperature. Full article

This paper reports on a novel, miniaturized magnetomechanical transducer/sensor made of borosilicate glass with wide dynamic range. The prototype is manufactured with laser micromachining and ablation techniques. Compared to state of the art, borosilicate glass substrate offers the highest thermal shock resistance and is best suited for MEMS magnetometers, for aerospace and space applications or magnetic monitoring systems for diagnostics and plasma stability control of nuclear fusion experiments, where thermal shock resistance is a critical requirement. Full article

A hydrogel coated fibre grating-based pH sensor for biomedical applications has been realised, where Graphene Oxide (GO) had been used to enhance the bonding between the coating and the fibre. Two methods of deposition of GO were analysed i.e., evaporation and co-electroplating. The paper concludes that the system of GO evaporated on the fibre + the hydrogel has a sensitivity much higher, (6.1 ± 0.5) pm/pH, than the system of Cu and GO co-electroplated + the hydrogel, (1.9 ± 0.1) pm/pH, for a pH range between 2 to 10. The other conclusion is that the first system has a less coating bonding energy with the optical fibre whereas the second system has a stronger bonding energy, with better durability. Full article

Gas microsensors based on tungsten oxide (WO_3-x) nanowires (NWs) silanized with APTES (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane) are developed in this work. These surface modified microsensors are highly sensitive to ethanol at room temperature (RT) via photoactivation and show enhanced selectivity towards other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including acetone and toluene. Full article

We have fabricated a new type of LSPR sensor featuring immobilized liposome or phospholipid single layer. LSPR principally shows an ultrahigh sensitivity on surface dielectric environmental change due to interaction with target, but little has been reported so far on applying phospholipid membranes and/or liposomes as model cell membrane. We newly tried to investigate biosensing capabilities using the membranes of the both structures on Au nanostructures of LSPR sensor chip. As a result, it was confirmed that the phospholipid single layer is more effective to improve the sensitivity than the liposome. Finally, we have clearly detected 100 nM target protein of CAB and estimated a possible detection of 10 nM range from wavelength resolution by interaction with the phospholipid single layer. Full article

In this research, we present the development of 3D printed, highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensors using Graphene based composites. Graphene, a 2D material with unique electrical and piezoresistive properties, has already been used to create highly sensitive strain sensors. In this new study, by co-printing Graphene based Polylactic acid (PLA) with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensor based on Graphene composites can be 3D printed for the first time in strain sensors. The fabrication process of all materials is fully compatible with fused deposition modeling (FDM) based 3D printing method, which makes it possible to rapidly prototype and manufacture highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensors. The mechanical properties, electrical properties, sensitivity of the 3D printed sensors will be presented. Full article

This paper reports a calorimetric micro-sensor designed for aerodynamic applications. Measuring both the amplitude and the sign of the wall shear stress at small length-scale and high frequencies, the micro-sensor is particularly suited for flow separation detection and flow control. The micro-sensor was calibrated in static and dynamic in a turbulent boundary layer wind tunnel. Several micro-sensors were embedded in various configurations for measuring the shear stress and detecting flow separation. Specially, one was embedded inside an actuator slot for in situ measurements and twelve, associated with miniaturized electronics, were implemented on a flap model for active flow control experiments. Full article

A silicon microring-resonator (MRR) hydrogen sensor which utilizes platinum-loaded tungsten oxide (Pt/WO₃) thin film was fabricated and evaluated. The uniform film was deposited on MRR portion by using sol-gel technique. By the exposure to pure hydrogen gas, the sensor devise showed the large resonant wavelength shift at room temperature. It is suggested that the change in the optical properties of hydrogen sensitive layer results in this response. Full article

Integrated silicon photonics in the mid-infrared is a promising platform for cheap and miniaturized chemical sensors, including gas and/or liquid sensors for environmental monitoring and the consumer electronics market. One major challenge in integrated photonics is the design of an integrated detector sensitive enough to detect minimal changes in light intensity resulting from, for example, the absorption by the analyte. Further complexity arises from the need to fabricate such detectors at a high throughput with high requirements on fabrication tolerances. Here we analyze and compare the sensitivity of three different chip-integrated detectors at a wavelength of 4.17 µm, namely a resistance temperature detector (RTD), a diode and a vertical-cavity enhanced resonant detector (VERD). Full article

Conductivity is a routinely measured parameter to assess impurities in water. Changing the geometry from parallel plate electrodes to planar microfabricated dual-band or interdigitated electrodes, these sensors could be miniaturized. Based on this approach, we designed 2-electrode conductivity sensors and compared their performance with a commercially available device. Adding another electrode pair (either as dual-band or meandering between interdigitated electrodes), a 4-electrode sensor was formed for which the measuring range could be enhanced to 3 × 10⁻⁶–12 × 10⁻³ S/cm. Full article

A back-illuminated time-of-flight (ToF) image sensor based on a 0.2 µm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS detector technology using fully-depleted substrate is developed for the light detection and ranging (LiDAR) applications. A fully-depleted 200 µm-thick bulk silicon is used for the higher quantum efficiency (QE) in a near-infrared (NIR) region. The developed SOI pixel structure has a 4-tapped charge modulator with a draining function to achieve a higher range resolution and to cancel background light signal. A distance is measured up to 27 m with a range resolution of 12 cm at the outdoor and average light power density is 150 mW/m²@30 m. Full article

Sensing of gases is a promising area for applications of photonic sensor devices that operate in the mid-infrared spectral range. We present a numerical investigation of slot waveguides for evanescent field sensing of CO₂. The sensor platform is a poly-silicon slot waveguide on silicon dioxide, where both layers are deposited on a standard silicon substrate. The evanescent field ratio, which is a crucial parameter for the sensing performance of the waveguides, was determined and values as high as 42% were obtained. Full article

In this contribution, we demonstrate the realization and application of a low-cost, flexible, small and fast hyperspectral imaging approach operating in the midinfrared fingerprint region where most molecules exhibit their fundamental vibrations. Following this approach, the recording of chemical images of macroscopic-sized samples at standoff distances in reflection geometry is possible. The optical setup is based on spectral identification by means of a MEMS-based Fabry-Pérot interferometer combined with 2D-snapshot spatial resolution using a bolometer camera. Results show the successful spatially resolved (resolution below 500 µm) chemical identification of different samples deposited on a metal surface (FOV = 6 × 5 cm) at a working distance of 35 cm. Full article

In this work, we have succeeded in synthesizing monoclinic and hexagonal La₂O₂CO₃ using two different routes and revealed that both of them are sensitive to CO₂ to the same degree. Moreover, we observed that the resistance of the sensor based on hexagonal phase is much higher and more stable than the one of the sensors based on the monoclinic phase. Using Operando and time resolved XRD measurements, we have also demonstrated that the resistivity of the sensor based on monoclinic La₂O₂CO₃ increases because of the material transformation into the hexagonal phase during an exemplarily aging process. Full article

This work presents a thermocouple that is fully screen printed and consists exclusively of carbon black conductors. Two different carbon black inks were printed to form a thermocouple, which has been characterized regarding its output voltage. For reference, each of the carbon black inks was used in combination with gold to form two further thermocouples. These have also been characterized and the output voltage used to predict the output of the associated thermocouple consisting of pure carbon black conductors. The results have been compared with the measurement results and show that the output of the pure carbon black thermocouple is roughly 10% lower than expected. Full article

This work deals with the realization of a fully printed thermocouple-array on a flexible substrate for condition monitoring applications. The thermocouple-array consisting of carbon black and silver was fabricated on PET-foil in a screen printing process and characterized up to a junction temperature of 150 °C. To ensure that no spurious voltages of the thermocouple occur due to deformations of the flexible substrate, the cross-sensitivity to deformation of the foil was investigated as well. Finally, as a test case, the temperature gradient of a plastic bar heated on a single end was measured with the thermocouple-array. Full article

We present a fast method to monitor hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in ambient air based on a visible color change. Therefore, an immobilized copper(II) complex of the azo dye 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphtol (H-PAN) was synthesized and prepared in a matrix for screen printing. Different materials, reaching from opaque paper to transparent foils served as substrate. The reaction of the copper(II) complex (Cu-PAN) to the target gas H₂S was measured in reflection via UV/VIS spectroscopy. Full article

Mobile measurement of particle number concentration (PN) in the exhaust of motor vehicles has recently become an integral part of emission legislation. Charge-based sensing techniques for the examination of PN, like Diffusion Charging (DC), represent a promising alternative to condensational particle counters (CPCs) as established PN sensors, because they enable to build robust, compact and energy efficient systems. However, due to the charging process, particle properties like size and morphology have a big impact on the sensor’s PN response. For particles of different size and shape we experimentally investigated those impacts using own-built charging-based sensors. The PN response of the DC sensor showed desired behavior for compact NaCl particles, but less satisfying behavior for combustion aerosol standard (CAST) particles, which is a widely used test aerosol for automotive applications. With a photoelectric charger, the PN response of CAST particles was significantly better. Full article

A novel strategy to design piezoelectric sensor clusters suited for direction of arrival (DoA) estimation of Lamb waves is presented in this work. The designed clusters are composed by three piezoelectric patches (P1, P2 e P3) to be bonded on the structure to be inspected. In particular, by exploiting the Radon Transform, the proposed sensor design procedure computes the shape of P2 given the shape of P1 so that the difference in time of arrival (DToA) of the Lamb waves at the two patches is linearly related to the DoA. Such properties allow to minimize the DoA uncertainty. The sensor P3 is designed to perform the estimation of DoA without knowing the actual wave velocity. Numerical results show that DoA is extremely robust. Full article

Autonomous sensors are of interest in all cases where a continuous power source is not available or difficult to realize. Besides harvesting of electrical energy for a complex storage system, it is of interest to directly store an event in a non-electrical storage, but in a way that allows a later electrical read-out. Therefore, a miniaturized micromechanical binary counter is presented, which enables counting of threshold events, such as exceeding temperature limits or high mechanical shocks. An electro-mechanical digital-to-analog converter integrated in the binary counter is demonstrated as an option for monolithic electrical read-out of the mechanically stored information. Full article

Assistant robots need a tactile sensing system. We propose a tactile sensor head with a nerve-net sensing system which measures force, temperature and heat flow with a heater simultaneously on a robot finger. For accurate heat flow measurements, it is necessary to stabilize the contact conditions between the sensor head and an object. A sensor stick which consists of the sensor head and an actuator was fabricated to control applied force. Heat flow measurements in three materials of different thermal conductivities such as polyethylene, glass and Aluminum were made with the sensor stick. As a result, three materials were discriminated clearly by heat flow peak values, saturations values and time constants. The tactile sensor stick with temperature measurement and force control is useful to discriminate materials of objects. Full article

Contactless magnetic position sensors are used in countless industrial and automotive applications. However, as a consequence of the electrification trend the sensors can be exposed to parasitic magnetic stray fields, and their desired robustness may be compromised. In this paper we publish for the first time how this challenge is addressed and constructively solved using a complete paradigm change leaving conventional magnetic field measurement behind and entering into the realm of magnetic field gradient measurement. Our novel sensor system consists of an integrated Hall sensor realized in 0.18 μm CMOS technology with magnetic concentrators and a four-pole permanent magnet. The intrinsic angular accuracy was assessed comparing the rotary position of the permanent magnet with the sensor output showing angle errors below 0.3°. Additional end-of-line calibration can be applied using built-in memory and processing capability to further increase the accuracy. Finally, we demonstrate the immunity against stray fields of 4000 A/m which led to errors below 0.1°, corresponding to 0.06% of the sensors fullscale angular range. In conclusion, this novel sensor system offers a compact and flexible solution for stray-field immune rotary position measurement in harsh environment. Full article

This contribution outlines the design and manufacturing of a biosensor for retrieval and detection of bacteria RNA. The device is fully made of Cyclo-Olefin Copolymer (COC), which features low auto-fluorescence, biocompatibility and manufacturability by hot-embossing. The RNA retrieval is carried on after bacteria heat-lysis by an on-chip micro-heater. Two additional carbon resistive temperature sensors printed on the biochip sealing film monitor the heating process. RNA is hybridized with capture probes on the reaction chamber surface and identification is achieved by detection of fluorescence tags. The application of the mentioned techniques and materials facilitates the development of low-cost, disposable albeit multi-functional microfluidic system, performing heating, temperature sensing and chemical reaction processes in the same device. By proving its effectiveness, this device contributes a reference to show the potential of fully thermoplastic devices as biosensors. Full article

We designed and realized a low cost relative humidity (RH) capacitive sensor having an interdigitated transducer coated with a cheap sensing material working at room temperature (polyimide). Thermally perturbed diffusion of water molecules into the polyimide layer is studied by heating the sensor locally and measuring the sensor capacitance change. The swelling and deswelling model is applied to determine the time constant of involved processes. This simple method, using an evaluation kit developed by our group, to measure the sensor capacitance and to study the diffusion process of water molecules into polyimide could be generalized to analyze the gas diffusion processes into polymer based sensing layer generally used in the field of gas chemical sensors. Full article

Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP) technique has been used to generate a line pattern on the surface of WO₃ thin films, due to the interference of two coherent laser beams, modifying its surface morphology and physical properties. Gas sensing devices based on WO₃ thin films annealed at 600 °C and nanostructured by DLIP have been fabricated and compared to samples simply annealed at the same temperature. The sensors processed by DLIP present a great enhancement on the response in NO₂ atmospheres indicating possible modifications on the composition, aside from the morphological one. Full article

Neural probes can be equipped with light for optogenetics applications. Different approaches are used for delivering light to the tissue: an optical fiber coupled to the probe, a µLED or a waveguide integrated on the probe. Small probe dimensions, adequate optical power for photostimulation and good tissue penetration for in-vivo experiments are critical requirements. Thus, integrating a waveguide is a promising solution. This work shows the design and simulation of a SU-8 based waveguide for integration in a neural probe. The waveguide contains 3 apertures, spaced by 0.5 mm, which will allow the photostimulation of different brain regions simultaneously. Full article

The influence of substrate type in boosting thermoelectric properties of co-evaporated Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 films (with 400 nm-thick) is here reported. Optimized power factor values are 2.7 × 10⁻³ W K⁻² m⁻¹ and 1.4 × 10⁻³ W K⁻² m⁻¹ for flexible Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 films, respectively. This is an important result as it is at least 2 times higher than the power factor found in the literature for flexible Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 films. A flexible infrared thermopile sensor was developed with high detectivity (2.50 × 10⁷ cm √HzW⁻¹). Full article

In the past decade the significant progress in the cellular stress response was witnessed. Nevertheless, the development of the minimally-invasive and accurate sensing tools for the identification of the increasing number of potentially relevant species in clinical diagnostics, using smaller sample volumes is a major challenge. Herein, the potential of the electroplated nanomaterials towards biomedical sensing and diagnostics is summarized. The key factors affecting the surface functionality, dimensionality, S/N ratio and analytical response of the prepared chips are highlighted. Furthermore, the application of electroplated chips as a fast “read out” platform for profiling of clinical samples was demonstrated. Full article

Amorphous carbon in ultra-thin thicknesses shows amazing mechanical properties that make it particularly interesting for MEMS, especially as a vibrating membrane. We present the experimental results obtained on devices comprising composite membranes of a few nanometers thick suspended above cavities of 1 to 2 μm in width. The behaviors in quasi-static mode—at low frequency—and also in resonant mode were observed and measured. Resonances frequencies of 20 MHz to 110MHz depending on the geometry were measured. Full article

Azelaic Acid (AzA) is a signaling molecule that plays a role in plant immune response when these are infected with pathogens, such as Botryitis cinerea, making its early detection in the field critical in the monitoring and prevention of large spread infection in crops. In this work, a microfluidic platform for the rapid detection of AzA in grapes is presented. AzA detection is achieved via an enzyme-enabled colorimetric reaction performed in a microfluidic chip coupled to a thin-film silicon photodiode. The detection of nM concentrations of AzA in buffer was achieved and initial results for AzA measurements in artificially spiked grape juice show potential for detection in realistic sample conditions. Full article

In this paper, we report the significant role played by the testing chamber for measuring the true gas sensor responses. Two different designs were studied and compared. The first one has a cross-shape in which the direction of gas flow is perpendicular to the sensor surface. The second one has a boat-shape in which the gas flow is tangential to the sensor surface. The results demonstrated that contrarily to the cross-shape chamber, the gas concentration is highly homogenous and equal to the set point in the boat-shape chamber. Additionally, the sensor responses are much stable, faster and higher. Besides, all the mathematical modeling and simulation results are in a good agreement with the experimental studies, which allow the validation of the proposed boat-shape chamber model. Full article

We present novel microelectromechanical chemical sensors for the detection of volatile organic compounds based on electrostatically actuated, nanometer-thin, freestanding membranes of organically cross-linked gold nanoparticles. The sensors employ quasi-static deflection amplitudes or resonance frequency shifts of the membranes as highly sensitive sensing signals and are capable of detecting analytes at concentrations down to the low ppm range. We show that the devices can further be utilized for analyte discrimination. Additionally, we demonstrate that freestanding GNP membranes can be used for the fabrication of highly sensitive resistive pressure sensors. Full article