High Sensitivity UV Photodetectors based on low-cost TiO2 P25-Graphene Hybrids

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zilong Chen ◽  
Zhaowei Zhu ◽  
Liting Huang ◽  
Chuantong Cheng

Abstract Photodetectors (PDs) are the core component of multiple commercial optical sensing systems. Currently, the detection of ultra-weak ultraviolet (UV) optical signals is becoming increasingly important for wide range of applications in civil and military industries. Due to its wide band gap, low cost, and long-term stability, titanium dioxide (TiO2) is an attractive material for UV photodetection. A kind of low-cost TiO2 nanomaterial (named as P25) manufactured by flame hydrolysis is an easily available commercial material. However, a low-cost and high-sensitivity UV PD based on P25 has not been achieved until now. Here, a hybrid UV PD with monolayer CVD graphene covered by a thin film of P25 quantum dots was prepared for the first time, and its responsivity was approximately 105 A/W at 365 nm wavelength. The response time and recovery time of the UV PD were 32.6 s and 34 s, respectively. Strong light absorption and photocontrolled oxygen adsorption of the P25 layer resulted in high UV sensitivity. The UV PDs proposed in this work have great potential for commercialization due to their low cost and high sensitivity.

Applied Nano ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-161
Author(s):  
Katerina Govatsi ◽  
Aspasia Antonelou ◽  
Labrini Sygellou ◽  
Stylianos G. Neophytides ◽  
Spyros N. Yannopoulos

The rational synthesis of semiconducting materials with enhanced photoelectrocatalytic efficiency under visible light illumination is a long-standing issue. ZnO has been systematically explored in this field, as it offers the feasibility to grow a wide range of nanocrystal morphology; however, its wide band gap precludes visible light absorption. We report on a novel method for the controlled growth of semiconductor heterostructures and, in particular, core/sheath ZnO/MoS2 nanowire arrays and the evaluation of their photoelectrochemical efficiency in oxygen evolution reaction. ZnO nanowire arrays, with a narrow distribution of nanowire diameters, were grown on FTO substrates by chemical bath deposition. Layers of Mo metal at various thicknesses were sputtered on the nanowire surface, and the Mo layers were sulfurized at low temperature, providing in a controlled way few layers of MoS2, in the range from one to three monolayers. The heterostructures were characterized by electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) and spectroscopy (XPS, Raman, PL). The photoelectrochemical properties of the heterostructures were found to depend on the thickness of the pre-deposited Mo film, exhibiting maximum efficiency for moderate values of Mo film thickness. Long-term stability, in relation to similar heterostructures in the literature, has been observed.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2406
Author(s):  
Mashaalah Zarejousheghani ◽  
Parvaneh Rahimi ◽  
Helko Borsdorf ◽  
Stefan Zimmermann ◽  
Yvonne Joseph

Globally, there is growing concern about the health risks of water and air pollution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a list of priority pollutants containing 129 different chemical compounds. All of these chemicals are of significant interest due to their serious health and safety issues. Permanent exposure to some concentrations of these chemicals can cause severe and irrecoverable health effects, which can be easily prevented by their early identification. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer great potential for selective adsorption of chemicals from water and air samples. These selective artificial bio(mimetic) receptors are promising candidates for modification of sensors, especially disposable sensors, due to their low-cost, long-term stability, ease of engineering, simplicity of production and their applicability for a wide range of targets. Herein, innovative strategies used to develop MIP-based sensors for EPA priority pollutants will be reviewed.


2006 ◽  
Vol 969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna C. Mandal ◽  
Sung H. Kang ◽  
Michael K. Choi

AbstractThe single crystal growth of layered semiconductors GaSe and GaTe by vertical Bridgman technique using zone refined selenium (Se), tellurium (Te) and high purity (HP) gallium (Ga) have been described. The grown crystals (2.5 cm diameter and ∼10 cm long) have demonstrated efficient broadband tunable THz emission and as sensitive THz detectors. The crystals have shown promising characteristics with good optical quality, high dark resistivity, wide band gap (GaSe-2.01 eV and GaTe-1.66 eV at 300 K), good anisotropic (parallel, p & perpendicular, pa) electrical properties (σ∥ vs σ⊥ and μ∥ vs σ⊥) and long term stability. Different steps involved in processing GaSe and GaTe crystals as THz sources and sensors are described.


Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (15) ◽  
pp. 3379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Travan ◽  
Alexander Bergmann

Graphene is a good candidate for filling the market requirements for cheap, high sensitivity, robust towards contamination, low noise, and low power consumption gas sensors, thanks to its unique properties, i.e., large surface, high mobility, and long-term stability. Inkjet printing is a cheap additive manufacturing method allowing fast, relatively precise and contactless deposition of a wide range of materials; it can be considered therefore the ideal technique for fast deposition of graphene films on thin substrates. In this paper, the sensitivity of graphene-based chemiresistor gas sensors, fabricated through inkjet printing, is investigated using different concentrations of graphene in the inks. Samples have been produced and characterized in terms of response towards humidity, nitrogen dioxide, and ammonia. The presented results highlight the importance of tuning the layer thickness and achieving good film homogeneity in order to maximize the sensitivity of the sensor.


2006 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 1828-1833
Author(s):  
Fabio A. Deorsola ◽  
P. Mossino ◽  
Ignazio Amato ◽  
Bruno DeBenedetti ◽  
A. Bonavita ◽  
...  

Nanostructured semiconductor metal oxides have played a central role in the gas sensing research field, because of their high sensitivity, selectivity and low response time. Among all the processes, developed for the synthesis of nanostructured metal oxides, gel combustion seems to be the most promising route due to low-cost precursors and simplicity of the process. It combines chemical gelation and combustion, involving the formation of a gel from an acqueous solution and an exothermic redox reaction, yielding to very porous and softly agglomerated nanopowders. In this work, nanostructured tin oxide, SnO2, and titanium oxide, TiO2, have been synthesized through gel combustion. Powders showed nanometric particle size and high specific surface area. The so-obtained TiO2 and SnO2 nanopowders have been used as sensitive element of resistive λ sensor and ethanol sensor respectively, realized depositing films of nanopowders dispersed in water onto alumina substrates provided with Pt contacts and heater. TiO2-based sensors showed at high temperature good response, fast response time, linearity in a wide range of O2 concentration and long-term stability. SnO2-based sensors have shown high sensitivity to low concentrations of ethanol at moderate temperature.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 3465
Author(s):  
Jianli Cui ◽  
Xueli Nan ◽  
Guirong Shao ◽  
Huixia Sun

Researchers are showing an increasing interest in high-performance flexible pressure sensors owing to their potential uses in wearable electronics, bionic skin, and human–machine interactions, etc. However, the vast majority of these flexible pressure sensors require extensive nano-architectural design, which both complicates their manufacturing and is time-consuming. Thus, a low-cost technology which can be applied on a large scale is highly desirable for the manufacture of flexible pressure-sensitive materials that have a high sensitivity over a wide range of pressures. This work is based on the use of a three-dimensional elastic porous carbon nanotubes (CNTs) sponge as the conductive layer to fabricate a novel flexible piezoresistive sensor. The synthesis of a CNTs sponge was achieved by chemical vapor deposition, the basic underlying principle governing the sensing behavior of the CNTs sponge-based pressure sensor and was illustrated by employing in situ scanning electron microscopy. The CNTs sponge-based sensor has a quick response time of ~105 ms, a high sensitivity extending across a broad pressure range (less than 10 kPa for 809 kPa−1) and possesses an outstanding permanence over 4,000 cycles. Furthermore, a 16-pixel wireless sensor system was designed and a series of applications have been demonstrated. Its potential applications in the visualizing pressure distribution and an example of human–machine communication were also demonstrated.


2019 ◽  
pp. 5-12

Factibilidad de integrar split-drain MAGFETs con alta sensibilidad en tecnología CMOS Feasibility to integrate high-sensitivity split-drain MAGFETs in CMOS technology Gerard Franz Santillán Quiñonez, Víctor H. Champac Vilela y Roberto S. Murphy Arteaga Departamento de Engenharia Elétrica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus UniversitárioTrindade, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brasil, C.P. 88040900, e-mail: [email protected] Departamento de Electrónica, Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, Sta. Ma. Tonantzintla, Puebla, México, C.P. 72840. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33017/RevECIPeru2011.0015/ RESUMEN La factibilidad de un Split-Drain MAGFET como sensor magnético ha sido explorada con diversas metodologías, pero sin aprovechar más de un efecto galvanomagnético simultáneamente. Unificando trabajos realizados teórica y experimentalmente, modelos analíticos continuos para la relación entre las fuerzas actuando en la dirección de deflexión y el ángulo de Hall, así como criterios de diseño para incrementar la sensibilidad de un Split-Drain MAGFET son presentados. El análisis propuesto muestra que es posible aprovechar los efectos de deflexión de las líneas de corriente y de magnetorresistencia para incrementar la sensibilidad en un Split-Drain MAGFET. Con un Split-Drain MAGFET con canal considerado como plato de Hall corto, sensibilidades de hasta 59 %/T han sido obtenidas experimentalmente midiendo densidades de flujo magnético desde 90 µT hasta 275 µT. Esto es posible debido a la contribución de los dos efectos galvanomagnéticos considerados. Adicionalmente, un macro modelo SPICE para un Split-Drain MAGFET es propuesto para facilitar su uso en circuitos de mayor complejidad. Con respecto a los resultados experimentales obtenidos, el macro modelo SPICE propuesto tiene un error <1.6 % generando el desbalance entre las corrientes de drenaje. Como un Split-Drain MAGFET es compatible con tecnología CMOS, dominante en circuitos integrados, los resultados obtenidos muestran que es factible usarlo como sensor magnético en sistemas integrados CMOS de alta complejidad, lo cual puede abrir un amplio rango de aplicaciones con bajo costo. Descriptores: MAGFET, split-drain MAGFET, efectos galvanomagnéticos, efecto Hall, magnetorresistencia, sensor magnético. ABSTRACT The feasibility of a Split-Drain MAGFET as magnetic sensor has been explored with several methodologies, but without simultaneously advantaging more than one galvanomagnetic effect. Unifying theorically and experimentally developed works, continuous analytical models for the relationship between forces acting in the deflection direction and for the Hall angle, as well as design criteria to increase the sensitivity of a Split-Drain MAGFET are presented. The proposed analysis shows that it is possible to take advantage of the current-lines deflection and magnetoresistance effects in order to increase the sensitivity of a Split-Drain MAGFET. With a Split-Drain MAGFET with a channel considered as a short Hall plate, sensitivities up to 59%/T have been experimentally obtained measuring magnetic flux densities from 90 µT to 275 µT. This is possible due to the contribution of the two considered galvanomagnetic effects. Additionally, a SPICE macro model for a SplitDrain MAGFET is proposed to facilitate its use in more complex circuits. With respect to the obtained experimental results, the proposed SPICE macro model has an error <1.6 % generating the drain current imbalance. Since a Split-Drain MAGFET is compatible with CMOS technology, dominating in integrated circuits, the obtained results show that it is feasible to use it as magnetic sensor in CMOS integrated systems of high complexity, which opens a wide range of low cost applications. Keywords: MAGFET, split-drain MAGFET, galvanomagnetic effects, Hall effect, magnetoresistance, magnetic sensor.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (20) ◽  
pp. 6852
Author(s):  
Fatima Ezahra Annanouch ◽  
Virginie Martini ◽  
Tomas Fiorido ◽  
Bruno Lawson ◽  
Khalifa Aguir ◽  
...  

In this paper, we report the fabrication and characterization of a portable transdermal alcohol sensing device via a human finger, using tin dioxide (SnO2) chemoresistive gas sensors. Compared to conventional detectors, this non-invasive technique allowed us the continuous monitoring of alcohol with low cost and simple fabrication process. The sensing layers used in this work were fabricated by using the reactive radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. Their structure and morphology were investigated by means of X-ray spectroscopy (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The results indicated that the annealing time has an important impact on the sensor sensitivity. Before performing the transdermal measurements, the sensors were exposed to a wide range of ethanol concentrations and the results displayed good responses with high sensitivity, stability, and a rapid detection time. Moreover, against high relative humidity (50% and 70%), the sensors remained resistant by showing a slight change in their gas sensing performances. A volunteer (an adult researcher from our volunteer group) drank 50 mL of tequila in order to realize the transdermal alcohol monitoring. Fifteen minutes later, the volunteer’s skin started to evacuate alcohol and the sensor resistance began to decline. Simultaneously, breath alcohol measurements were attained using a DRAGER 6820 certified breathalyzer. The results demonstrated a clear correlation between the alcohol concentration in the blood, breath, and via perspiration, which validated the embedded transdermal alcohol device reported in this work.


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1423
Author(s):  
Zhen Gu ◽  
Jing-Jing Luo ◽  
Le-Wei Ding ◽  
Bing-Yong Yan ◽  
Jia-Le Zhou ◽  
...  

Digital microfluidic (DMF) has been a unique tool for manipulating micro-droplets with high flexibility and accuracy. To extend the application of DMF for automatic and in-site detection, it is promising to introduce colorimetric sensing based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which have advantages including high sensitivity, label-free, biocompatibility, and easy surface modification. However, there is still a lack of studies for investigating the movement and stability of AuNPs for in-site detection on the electrowetting-based digital microfluidics. Herein, to demonstrate the ability of DMF for colorimetric sensing with AuNPs, we investigated the electrowetting property of the AuNPs droplets on the hydrophobic interface of the DMF chip and examined the stability of the AuNPs on DMF as well as the influence of evaporation to the colorimetric sensing. As a result, we found that the electrowetting of AuNPs fits to a modified Young–Lippmann equation, which suggests that a higher voltage is required to actuate AuNPs droplets compared with actuating water droplets. Moreover, the stability of AuNPs was maintained during the processing of electrowetting. We also proved that the evaporation of droplets has a limited influence on the detections that last several minutes. Finally, a model experiment for the detection of Hg2+ was carried out with similar results to the detections in bulk solution. The proposed method can be further extended to a wide range of AuNPs-based detection for label-free, automatic, and low-cost detection of small molecules, biomarkers, and metal ions.


Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1833
Author(s):  
Shaoyi Xu ◽  
Qiang Peng ◽  
Fangfang Xing ◽  
Hongyu Xue ◽  
Junwen Sun ◽  
...  

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of a compact current sensor based on magnetostrictive composites and resistance strain gauges. Firstly, we designed three kinds of current sensors with different structures, in which the shape of the giant magnetostrictive material (GMM) was cuboid, cylindrical, and semi-cylindrical. A set of finite element method (FEM) simulations were performed to qualitatively guide the design of three prototypes of the current sensor. It was determined that the most ideal shape of the GMM was semi-cylindrical. Secondly, Terfenol-D (TD) powder and epoxy resin were mixed to prepare magnetostrictive composites. In this paper, magnetostrictive composites with different particle size ranges and mass ratio were prepared and tested. The results show that the magnetostrictive composites had the best performance when the particle size range was 149–500 μm and the mass ratio of epoxy resin to TD powder was 1:5. Finally, this paper tested the performance of the sensor. The sensitivity, repeatability, and linear working range of the sensor reached 0.104 με/A, 2.51%, and 100–900 A respectively, when only 0.31 g of TD powder was employed. This means that current measurement with low cost, high sensitivity, and wide range was realized.


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