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Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications

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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Electronic Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 October 2024) | Viewed by 15428

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Slawomir Wiak

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Guest Editor

Institute of Mechatronics and Information Systems, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Interests: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; advanced numerical methods; CAD; database systems; AI (VR/AR); 5G; expert systems; e-learning systems; MEMS; mechatronic systems; engineering software; advanced software in medical sciences
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Prof. Dr. Paolo Di Barba

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Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: magnetics; mechatronics; MEMS; evolutionary computing; multi-objective optimization; coupled problems; finite-element methods; metamaterials for 5G and 6G systems
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Prof. Dr. Lukasz Szymanski

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Guest Editor

Institute of Mechatronics and Information Systems, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Interests: mechatronics; e-learning systems; MEMS; CAD; information technologies; advanced software in medical sciences; mechatronic systems; 5G and 6G systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue presents a broad overview of methods of both the analysis and design of sensors and actuators, mainly addressed to scientists as well as research students in the area of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, as well as Artificial Intelligence and Mechatronics; special attention is focused on innovative MEMS devices.

In general, the following remarks can be put forward. Progress in the technology of devices for sensing and actuation is boosted by several factors, for instance, the availability of smart materials like magnetic composites, size miniaturization, the impact of power electronics for supply, and a need for energy-saving systems.

In particular, miniaturization techniques make it possible to integrate different physical domains within the same device, the behavior of which is characterized by the interaction of coupled fields. This in turn has an impact on the mathematical and numerical modeling level, because tools for analysis and design more likely than not are supposed to offer facilities for multi-physics non-linear analysis. Correspondingly, sophisticated techniques of measurement are needed for the assessment and testing of prototypes.

Moving from this background, the scope of the Issue is threefold:

-Increasing our awareness of sensors, transducers, and actuators as the most innovative devices in everyday technology;

-Stimulating research projects in areas like, e.g., the exploitation of new materials and the development of multi-physics modeling tools;

-Helping academic teachers to restructure curricula in electrical engineering according to the emerging trends in research.

Because of the multidisciplinary nature of the covered topics, the skills of different authors acting in different areas of science and technology are necessary, and relevant contributions are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Slawomir Wiak
Prof. Dr. Paolo Di Barba
Prof. Dr. Lukasz Szymanski
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sensors and actuators
smart materials
magnetic composites
wireless body area networks
analytical models
field-circuit models
finite-element analysis
inverse problems
multiobjective optimization
neural-network surrogate models
evolutionary computing
artificial intelligence (AI)
computer aided design (CAD)

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 5317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A 6.7 μW Low-Noise, Compact PLL with an Input MEMS-Based Reference Oscillator Featuring a High-Resolution Dead/Blind Zone-Free PFD

by Ahmed Kira, Mohannad Y. Elsayed, Karim Allidina, Vamsy P. Chodavarapu and Mourad N. El-Gamal

Sensors 2024, 24(24), 7963; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24247963 - 13 Dec 2024

Viewed by 4414

Abstract

This article reports a 110.2 MHz ultra-low-power phase-locked loop (PLL) for MEMS timing/frequency reference oscillator applications. It utilizes a 6.89 MHz MEMS-based oscillator as an input reference. An ultra-low-power, high-resolution phase-frequency detector (PFD) is utilized to achieve low-noise performance. Eliminating the reset feedback path used in conventional PFDs leads to dead/blind zone-free phase characteristics, which are crucial for low-noise applications within a wide operating frequency range. The PFD operates up to 2.5 GHz and achieves a linear resolution of 100 ps input time difference (

Δ t_{i n}

), without the need for any additional calibration circuits. The linearity of the proposed PFD is tested over a phase difference corresponding to aa

Δ t_{i n}

ranging from 100 ps to 50 ns. At a 1 V supply voltage, it shows an error of <±1.6% with a resolution of 100 ps and a frequency-normalized power consumption (

P_{n}

) of 0.106 pW/Hz. The PLL is designed and fabricated using a TSMC 65 nm CMOS process instrument and interfaced with the MEMS-based oscillator. The system reports phase noises of −106.21 dBc/Hz and −135.36 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz and 1 MHz offsets, respectively. It consumes 6.709

μ

W at a 1 V supply and occupies an active CMOS area of 0.1095 mm². Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications)

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19 pages, 5043 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Fractional-Order Identification of Gyroscope MEMS Noise Under Various Temperature Conditions

by Dominik Sierociuk, Michal Macias and Konrad Andrzej Markowski

Sensors 2024, 24(23), 7504; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24237504 - 25 Nov 2024

Viewed by 583

Abstract

This paper deals with identifying the fractional-order noise parameters for MEMS gyroscopes under various temperature conditions. The significant contribution of the paper is to investigate the relation between the fractional noise model of MEMS devices and different ambient temperatures. In our paper, variance, correlation, and introduced estimation analysis methods have been meticulously applied to determine noise parameters with fractional-order dynamics. Experimental data were collected precisely under various ambient temperatures, while the MEMS device was located in a climate chamber. The origin of the paper is motivated by a project entitled “Family of optoelectronic heads for guided missiles—SEEKER”, where the IMU sensor is a crucial electronic device used to measure the angular velocity of the optoelectronic head. It is widely known that the IMU measurements built-in MEMS technology often come with a random walk, as well as biases and noises affecting the final results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications)

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11 pages, 2304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Accuracy of Evaluation of the Requirements of the Standards IEC 61000-3-2(12) with the Application of the Wideband Current Transducer

by Ernest Stano and Slawomir Wiak

Sensors 2024, 24(11), 3693; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24113693 - 6 Jun 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 920

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to determine the conversion accuracy of the Danisense DC200IF (Danisense A/S, Taastrup, Denmark) wideband current transducer for its possible application to test electromagnetic compatibility requirements of the standards IEC 61000-3-2 and IEC 61000-3-12 with the digital power meter Yokogawa WT5000 (Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). To obtain this goal for distorted current of main frequency equal to 50 Hz and in the frequencies range of higher harmonics from 100 Hz to 2500 Hz its amplitude error and phase shift are evaluated. Moreover, the measurable level of higher harmonics with the rated accuracy of the used precision power analyzer is also investigated. Finally, the measuring system is applied to determine the RMS values of current harmonics produced by the audio power amplifier in order to assess its compliance with the standard IEC 61000-3-12. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications)

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11 pages, 4158 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Three-Dimensional Numerical Field Analysis in Transformers to Identify Losses in Tape Wound Cores

by Dariusz Koteras and Bronislaw Tomczuk

Sensors 2024, 24(10), 3228; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24103228 - 19 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1099

Abstract

To find the total core losses in 1-phase medium-frequency transformers, a 3D numerical field analysis was carried out. The proposed numerical modeling was based on the extended iterative homogenization method (IHM) developed by the authors. The achieved calculation results were validated by the [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications)

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18 pages, 5949 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Open-Ended Coaxial Probe for Effective Reconstruction of Biopsy-Excised Tissues’ Dielectric Properties

by Eliana Canicattì, Nunzia Fontana, Sami Barmada and Agostino Monorchio

Sensors 2024, 24(7), 2160; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24072160 - 28 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1552

Abstract

Dielectric characterization is extremely promising in medical contexts because it offers insights into the electromagnetic properties of biological tissues for the diagnosis of tumor diseases. This study introduces a promising approach to improve accuracy in the dielectric characterization of millimeter-sized biopsies based on the use of a customized electromagnetic characterization system by adopting a coated open-ended coaxial probe. Our approach aims to accelerate biopsy analysis without sample manipulation. Through comprehensive numerical simulations and experiments, we evaluated the effectiveness of a metal-coating system in comparison to a dielectric coating with the aim for replicating a real scenario: the use of a needle biopsy core with the tissue inside. The numerical analyses highlighted a substantial improvement in the reconstruction of the dielectric properties, particularly in managing the electric field distribution and mitigating fringing field effects. Experimental validation using bovine liver samples revealed highly accurate measurements, particularly in the real part of the permittivity, showing errors lower than 1% compared to the existing literature data. These results represent a significant advancement for the dielectric characterization of biopsy specimens in a rapid, precise, and non-invasive manner. This study underscores the robustness and reliability of our innovative approach, demonstrating the convergence of numerical analyses and empirical validation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications)

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17 pages, 7509 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulations of Transients in a Four-Pole Magnetic Bearing with Permanent Magnets

by Dawid Wajnert and Bronisław Tomczuk

Sensors 2024, 24(5), 1402; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24051402 - 22 Feb 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1156

Abstract

This paper presents the design of and transient time simulations for a four-pole magnetic bearing with permanent magnets. The usage of permanent magnets reduces the consumption of electric energy in comparison to a traditional active magnetic bearing. Permanent magnets are installed in the yoke of the stator core to limit the cross-coupling of the magnetic flux generated by the windings. The first part of this paper presents the design of the magnetic bearing and its finite-element model, while the second part describes the field-circuit indirectly coupled finite-element model for the transient time simulation. The presented simulation model was used to calculate the transient response for the rotor lifting from the starting position, the step change in the rotor position and the change in the rotor position under an external impact force applied along the y-axis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications)

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13 pages, 1684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analytic Continuation, Phase Unwrapping, and Retrieval of the Refractive Index of Metamaterials from S-Parameters

by Giovanni Angiulli, Mario Versaci, Salvatore Calcagno and Paolo Di Barba

Sensors 2024, 24(3), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24030912 - 30 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1607

Abstract

The heuristic homogenization approach is intensively employed to characterize electromagnetic metamaterials (MMs). The effective parameters are extracted within this framework using the Nicolson–Ross–Weir (NRW) method. Special attention must be devoted to handling this procedure because of the branch ambiguity issue affecting it, i.e., [...] Read more.

n_{e f f}

rooted in the use of the multivalued complex logarithm to invert the Airy–Fresnel relation. Over the years, several techniques based on the phase-unwrapping approach have been introduced, but without any theoretical justification. In this paper, we aim to clarify the theoretical connection between the phase unwrapping method and the analytic continuation theory framework. Furthermore, three-phase-unwrapping approaches, which descend directly from the theory we discussed, are compared to identify which approach is best suited to reconstruct the complex refractive index of metamaterials when the NRW method is applicable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications)

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11 pages, 2706 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

A Star Network of Bipolar Memristive Devices Enables Sensing and Temporal Computing

by Juan Riquelme and Ioannis Vourkas

Sensors 2024, 24(2), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24020512 - 14 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1316

Abstract

Temporal (race) computing schemes rely on temporal memories, where information is represented with the timing of signal edges. Standard digital circuit techniques can be used to capture the relative timing characteristics of signal edges. However, the properties of emerging device technologies could be particularly exploited for more efficient circuit implementations. Specifically, the collective dynamics of networks of memristive devices could be leveraged to facilitate time-domain computations in emerging memristive memories. To this end, this work studies the star interconnect configuration of bipolar memristive devices. Through circuit simulations using a behavioral model of voltage-controlled bipolar memristive devices, we demonstrated the suitability of such circuits in two different contexts, namely sensing and “rank-order” coding. We particularly analyzed the conditions that the employed memristive devices should meet to guarantee the expected operation of the circuit and the possible effects of device variability in the storage and the reproduction of the information in arriving signal edges. The simulation results in LTSpice validate the correct operation and confirm the promising application prospects of such simple circuit structures, which, we show, natively exist in the crossbar geometry. Therefore, the star interconnect configuration could be considered for temporal computations inside resistive memory (ReRAM) arrays. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications)

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21 pages, 2922 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extended Higher-Order Elements with Frequency-Doubled Parameters: The Hysteresis Loops Are Always of Type II

by Zdeněk Biolek, Dalibor Biolek, Viera Biolková and Zdeněk Kolka

Sensors 2023, 23(16), 7179; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23167179 - 15 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1589

Abstract

Current MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) can be modeled by state-dependent elements that exhibit hysteretic behavior. Examples include capacitors and inductors whose capacitances and inductances are dependent on the instantaneous state of the electromechanical system, resistors whose resistances exhibit temperature changes when the elements are actually heated, etc. Regardless of the physical background, such hysteresis manifestations can be studied uniformly in the broader framework of generic and extended higher-order elements, in which a classification of hysteretic loops into types I and II is established. The loop type is an important dynamical parameter of an element, having the potential to indicate, for example, its (in)volatility. Thus far, there is no reliable criterion to determine the type of steady loop from the defining relations of an element. This work reports on one special class of extended elements that produces type II loops under all circumstances. The paper presents hitherto unpublished connections between the frequency-doubling parameters of an element and the type of its hysteresis loop. The new findings are expressed by several theorems that allow the type of hysteresis to be inferred from the frequency behavior of the element parameter or state, and vice versa. These procedures are demonstrated with examples and verified by computer simulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Devices and MEMS for Sensing Applications)

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