Coupled Micromachined Magnetic Resonators for Microwave Signal Processing.

In this paper, the theory, micromachining technology, and experimental results of the coupling of integrated magnetic film-based resonators for microwave signal filtering are presented. This is an extended contribution to the field of magnetostatic wave coupled resonators, including details about the technological results, circuit theory, and perspective applications for tunable integrated coupled magnetic resonators. An analytical approach using the magnetostatic wave approximation is used to derive the coupling coefficient between adjacent resonators coupled by the electromagnetic field decaying outside the resonators. Then, micromachining employing hot phosphoric acid etching is presented to manufacture integrated coupled resonators. Finally, circuit modeling and experimental results obtained using the ferromagnetic resonance technique are discussed.

Fabrication of Ultra-Sharp Tips by Dynamic Chemical Etching Process for Scanning Near-Field Microwave Microscopy.

This work details an effective dynamic chemical etching technique to fabricate ultra-sharp tips for Scanning Near-Field Microwave Microscopy (SNMM). The protruded cylindrical part of the inner conductor in a commercial SMA (Sub Miniature A) coaxial connector is tapered by a dynamic chemical etching process using ferric chloride. The technique is optimized to fabricate ultra-sharp probe tips with controllable shapes and tapered down to have a radius of tip apex around ∼1 µm. The detailed optimization facilitated the fabrication of reproducible high-quality probes suitable for non-contact SNMM operation. A simple analytical model is also presented to better describe the dynamics of the tip formation. The near-field characteristics of the tips are evaluated by finite element method (FEM) based electromagnetic simulations and the performance of the probes has been validated experimentally by means of imaging a metal-dielectric sample using the in-house scanning near-field microwave microscopy system.

Movement of giant lipid vesicles induced by millimeter wave radiation change when they contain magnetic nanoparticles.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are used in a rapidly expanding number of research and practical applications in biotechnology and biomedicine. Recent developments in iron oxide nanoparticle design and understanding of nanoparticle membrane interactions have led to applications in magnetically triggered, liposome delivery vehicles with controlled structure. Here we study the effect of external physical stimuli-such as millimeter wave radiation-on the induced movement of giant lipid vesicles in suspension containing or not containing iron oxide maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (MNPs). To increase our understanding of this phenomenon, we used a new microscope image-based analysis to reveal millimeter wave (MMW)-induced effects on the movement of the vesicles. We found that in the lipid vesicles not containing MNPs, an exposure to MMW induced collective reorientation of vesicle motion occurring at the onset of MMW switch "on." Instead, no marked changes in the movements of lipid vesicles containing MNPs were observed at the onset of first MMW switch on, but, importantly, by examining the course followed; once the vesicles are already irradiated, a directional motion of vesicles was induced. The latter vesicles were characterized by a planar motion, absence of gravitational effects, and having trajectories spanning a range of deflection angles narrower than vesicles not containing MNPs. An explanation for this observed delayed response could be attributed to the possible interaction of MNPs with components of lipid membrane that, influencing, e.g., phospholipids density and membrane stiffening, ultimately leads to change vesicle movement.

A broadband toolbox for scanning microwave microscopy transmission measurements.

In this paper, we present in detail the design, both electromagnetic and mechanical, the fabrication, and the test of the first prototype of a Scanning Microwave Microscope (SMM) suitable for a two-port transmission measurement, recording, and processing the high frequency transmission scattering parameter S21 passing through the investigated sample. The S21 toolbox is composed by a microwave emitter, placed below the sample, which excites an electromagnetic wave passing through the sample under test, and is collected by the cantilever used as the detector, electrically matched for high frequency measurements. This prototype enhances the actual capability of the instrument for a sub-surface imaging at the nanoscale. Moreover, it allows the study of the electromagnetic properties of the material under test obtained through the measurement of the reflection (S11) and transmission (S21) parameters at the same time. The SMM operates between 1 GHz and 20 GHz, current limit for the microwave matching of the cantilever, and the high frequency signal is recorded by means of a two-port Vector Network Analyzer, using both contact and no-contact modes of operation, the latter, especially minded for a fully nondestructive and topography-free characterization. This tool is an upgrade of the already established setup for the reflection mode S11 measurement. Actually, the proposed setup is able to give richer information in terms of scattering parameters, including amplitude and phase measurements, by means of the two-port arrangement.

Quantitative sub-surface and non-contact imaging using scanning microwave microscopy.

The capability of scanning microwave microscopy for calibrated sub-surface and non-contact capacitance imaging of silicon (Si) samples is quantitatively studied at broadband frequencies ranging from 1 to 20 GHz. Calibrated capacitance images of flat Si test samples with varying dopant density (10(15)-10(19) atoms cm(-3)) and covered with dielectric thin films of SiO2 (100-400 nm thickness) are measured to demonstrate the sensitivity of scanning microwave microscopy (SMM) for sub-surface imaging. Using standard SMM imaging conditions the dopant areas could still be sensed under a 400 nm thick oxide layer. Non-contact SMM imaging in lift-mode and constant height mode is quantitatively demonstrated on a 50 nm thick SiO2 test pad. The differences between non-contact and contact mode capacitances are studied with respect to the main parameters influencing the imaging contrast, namely the probe tip diameter and the tip-sample distance. Finite element modelling was used to further analyse the influence of the tip radius and the tip-sample distance on the SMM sensitivity. The understanding of how the two key parameters determine the SMM sensitivity and quantitative capacitances represents an important step towards its routine application for non-contact and sub-surface imaging.