Indirect stress and air-cavity displacement measurement of MEMS tunable VCSELs via micro-Raman and micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy

We employ micro-Raman spectroscopy to optically infer the stress experienced by the legs of a bridge-type microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) used in high contrast gratings tunable vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs). We then employ micro-photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy to indirectly measure the air cavity displacement of the same MEMS structure. Results from micro-Raman show that electrostatically actuating the MEMS with a DC bias configuration yields increasing residual stress on the endpoints of the MEMS with values reaching up to 0.8 GPa. We simulated a finite element model via Comsol Multiphysics which agrees with the trend we observe based on our micro-Raman data. Our micro-photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy showed that change in the air cavity of the VCSEL structure results in a change in the full width of the PL peak emitted by the layer consisting of 4 pairs of Distributed Bragg Reflectors (DBRs). The change in the full width of the PL peak was due to the change in the optical cavity induced by displacing the MEMS via externally applied bias and agrees with our transfer matrix convolution simulation. These optical characterization tools can be used for failure analysis, MEMS design improvements, and monitoring of MEMS tunable VCSEL devices for mass production and manufacturing.

Goian – Cerveira Footbridge over the Miño River. Spain - Portugal

<p>The Goián - Cerveira footbridge over the Miño river, result of an international competition held in 2017, will connect the Espazo Fortaleza park in Goián-Tomiño, Spain, and the Castelinho park in Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal.</p><p>The proposed footbridge saves a main span of 265m, and is a suspended structure, with two towers located on the riverbanks, avoiding intermediate supports on the riverbed, and only one suspension cable. The towers are located not centered with the axis of the footbridge deck, that adopts a curved layout both in plan and in elevation. The curved layout in plan fits better to the footbridge arrival in both riverbanks, and improves its structural behavior. Indeed, the eccentric location of the suspension cable within the deck generates important horizontal transverse forces, that are supported by the curved deck by behaving as an arch. This configuration is also very convenient for supporting and controlling wind loads. It is a classic bridge type -suspended bridge- but with a singular configuration due to the curved layout of the deck and its arc-like behavior.</p><p>The result is a very subtle and slender structure, a “line over the Miño river”, that highly preserves the environmental values of the river and the landscape.</p>

Calculation and Analysis of Through Concrete Filled Steel Tubular Tied Arch Bridge

In order to understand the stress of small through tied arch bridge. In this paper, the finite element simulation analysis of Lu Shanqu bridge is carried out in the completion stage by using MADIS / civil software, and the tie bars, arch ribs and suspenders of the superstructure are monitored. The results show that the axial force of the arch rib of this bridge is reduced by the balance of the tie rod, and the bending moment of the tie rod is greatly reduced by the action of the suspender. The stress characteristics of the bridge type are internal statically indeterminate and external statically indeterminate structure.

Design of a 3DOF XYZ Bi-Directional Motion Platform Based on Z-Shaped Flexure Hinges

This paper presents a design of a 3DOF XYZ bi-directional motion platform based on Z-shaped flexure hinges. In the presented platform, bridge-type mechanisms and Z-shaped flexure hinges are adopted to amplify its output displacement. Bi-direction motion along the X-axis and Y-axis follows the famous differential moving principle DMP, and the bi-directional motion along the Z-axis is realized by using the reverse arrangement of the Z-shaped flexure hinges along the X-axis and Y-axis. Statics analysis of the proposed platform is carried out by the energy method, compliance matrix method, and force balance principle. Meanwhile, the Lagrange method is used to analyze the dynamics of the platform. A series of simulations are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design. The simulation results show that the average displacements of the platform in the XYZ-axis are ±125.58 μm, ±126.37 μm and ±568.45 μm, respectively.

Design and Optimization of Microwave Sensor for the Non-Contact Measurement of Pure Dielectric Materials

This article presents an optimized microwave sensor for the non-contact measurement of complex permittivity and material thickness. The layout of the proposed sensor comprises the parallel combination of an interdigital capacitor (IDC) loaded at the center of the symmetrical differential bridge-type inductor fabricated on an RF-35 substrate (εr = 3.5 and tanδ = 0.0018). The bridge-type differential inductor is introduced to obtain a maximum inductance value with high quality (Q) factor and low tunable resonant frequency. The central IDC structure is configured as a spur-line structure to create a high-intensity coupled electric field (e-field) zone, which significantly interacts with the materials under test (MUTs), resulting in an increased sensitivity. The proposed sensor prototype with optimized parameters generates a resonant frequency at 1.38 GHz for measuring the complex permittivity and material thickness. The experimental results indicated that the resonant frequency of the designed sensor revealed high sensitivities of 41 MHz/mm for thickness with a linear response (r2 = 0.91567), and 53 MHz/Δεr for permittivity with a linear response (r2 = 0.98903). The maximum error ratio for measuring MUTs with a high gap of 0.3 mm between the testing sample and resonator is 6.52%. The presented performance of the proposed sensor authenticates its application in the non-contact measurement of samples based on complex permittivity and thickness.

Optimal Design for Compliant Mechanism Flexure Hinges: Bridge-Type

Compliant mechanisms’ design aims to create a larger workspace and simple structural shapes because these mechanical systems usually have small dimensions, reduced friction, and less bending. From that request, we designed optimal bridge-type compliant mechanism flexure hinges with a high magnification ratio, low stress by using a flexure joint, and especially no friction and no bending. This joint was designed with optimal dimensions for the studied mechanism by using the method of grey relational analysis (GRA), which is based on the Taguchi method (TM), and finite element analysis (FEA). Grey relational grade (GRG) has been estimated by an artificial neural network (ANN). The optimal values were in good agreement with the predicted value of the Taguchi method and regression analysis. The finite element analysis, signal-to-noise analysis, surface plot, and analysis of variance demonstrated that the design dimensions significantly affected the equivalent stress and displacement. The optimal values of displacement were also verified by the experiment. The outcomes were in good agreement with a deviation lower than 6%. Specifically, the displacement amplification ratio was obtained as 65.36 times compared with initial design.

Strength Analysis of Single-Symmetry Ratio for Single-Symmetry I-Beam

Double-symmetry I-beams are the most common beam cross-sections in structural building. Because that is simpler to design and analyze steel profiles than single-symmetry I-beams. However, with the advancement of economy, the improvement of the quality of life and the cultural standards, large-scale emergence of various large span bridges, special bridge-type landscapes and viaducts. Single symmetrical I-section is better than Double-symmetry I-section to fairly in line with demand characteristics and material economy. This study chooses different Iyc/Iy ratio sections, 0.229, 0.23, 0.3 and 0.5. Iyc/Iy =0.23 is the change point of the sudden drop of the strength of the compressed airfoil. In study, the section is divided into three sections of plasticity, inelasticity and elasticity for analysis and comparison. Considering the different section sizes. If the value of Lb for a small non-elastic interval is too large, the section with a smaller cross-section will reach the elastic interval. Taking all section conditions Lb into consideration, taking 1.4m as a section will reach the non-elastic interval, if the value of the longer Lb is too small, the section with the larger section does not reach the elastic interval. In study, 10m is taken as the section to reach the elastic interval, orientation the AISC ( 2017 ) specification is used to analyze the I-beam. Symmetrical wing plate cross-sections were increased and reduced. The strength of the cross-sections between the compressed side and the tensioned side was discussed, and a single-symmetric I-section with the best cross-sectional efficiency was proposed.