Design and 3D FEM Analysis of a Flexible Piezoelectric Micromechanical Ultrasonic Transducer Based on Sc-Doped AlN Film.

In this paper, a flexible piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) based on Scandium (Sc)-doped Aluminum Nitride (AlN) film was designed and modeled by the three-dimensional finite element method (3D-FEM). The resonant frequency of 218.1 kHz was reported. It was noticeable that a high effective electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2eff) of 1.45% was obtained when a combination of a flexible PI and a thin Si layer was used as the PMUT supporting structure layer. Compared with a pure Si supporting layer counterpart, the coupling coefficient had been improved by 110.68%. Additionally, the increase of Sc doping concentration in AlN film further enhanced the device electromechanical coupling coefficient and resulted in an improvement for transmitting/receiving sensitivity of the proposed flexible PMUT. When the doping concentration of Sc reached 30%, the emission sensitivity was as large as 1.721 µm/V, which was 2.86 times greater than that of conventional AlN film-based PMUT. The receiving sensitivity was found to be 2.11 V/KPa, which was as high as 1.23 times the performance of an undoped device. Furthermore, the bending simulation result showed that the proposed flexible PMUT device can maintain a good mechanical stability when the bending radius is greater than 1.5 mm. The simulation of sound field characteristics demonstrated that the flexible PMUT based on AlScN could receive stable sound pressure signals under the bending radius of 1.5 cm.

A Novel Transfer Function Based Ring-Down Suppression System for PMUTs.

In this paper, a novel ring-down suppression system based on transfer function is proposed for the first time to suppress the ring-down time and decrease the blind area of PMUTs (Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers). This suppression system includes a transfer function and a simple P (proportion) controller, which can reduce the ring-down time without degrading any performances of PMUTs. The transfer function serves as a virtual PMUT device, feeding its output into the P controller; then, the P controller generates a suppression signal to the actual PMUT device. The ring-down time of a 115-kHz PMUT array is demonstrated to be reduced by up to 93% through the suppression system. In addition, the P controller has been experimentally optimized, reducing the blind area of the PMUT array by about 40%. Moreover, a low ring-down PMUTs system design guideline is established, which is practical and straightforward for industrial scenarios. Finally, the system can be easily integrated into ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

A Low Temperature Drifting Acoustic Wave Pressure Sensor with an Integrated Vacuum Cavity for Absolute Pressure Sensing.

In this paper we demonstrate a novel acoustic wave pressure sensor, based on an aluminum nitride (AlN) piezoelectric thin film. It contains an integrated vacuum cavity, which is micro-fabricated using a cavity silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. This sensor can directly measure the absolute pressure without the help of an external package, and the vacuum cavity gives the sensor a very accurate reference pressure. Meanwhile, the presented pressure sensor is superior to previously reported acoustic wave pressure sensors in terms of the temperature drift. With the carefully designed dual temperature compensation structure, a very low temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) is achieved. Experimental results show the sensor can measure the absolute pressure in the range of 0 to 0.4 MPa, while the temperature range is from 20 °C to 220 °C with a TCF of -14.4 ppm/°C. Such a TCF is only about half of that of previously reported works.

Factors affecting user satisfaction with new energy vehicles: A field survey in Shanghai and Nanjing.

Based on the diffusion of innovation theory (DOI), this paper aims to explore the potential factors that influence user satisfaction with new energy vehicles (NEVs). Furthermore, we introduce the term "personal environmental awareness" (PEA) and attempt to examine its contingent effects. A moderated hierarchical linear regression analysis (MHLRA) method is conducted to analyze the data collected from a field survey of 335 early-drivers of NEVs. Empirical results show that experiences related to usefulness, experience of ease-of-use, total cost, driving range, and infrastructure readiness are important factors that influence user satisfaction with NEVs. In the case of moderating effects, we found that PEA might strengthen the positive effects of experienced usefulness, experienced ease-of-use, driving range, and infrastructure readiness in terms of user satisfaction with NEVs. However, the moderating role of PEA in the relationship between total cost and user satisfaction is not statistically significant. Our research findings might provide some useful insights for market managers, academic researchers and policy makers.

CMOS-compatible all-Si metasurface polarizing bandpass filters on 12-inch wafers.

The implementation of polarization controlling components enables additional functionalities of short-wave infrared (SWIR) imagers. The high-performance and mass-producible polarization controller based on Si metasurface is in high demand for the next-generation SWIR imaging system. In this work, we report the first demonstration of all-Si metasurface based polarizing bandpass filters (PBFs) on 12-inch wafers. The PBF achieves a polarization extinction ratio of above 10 dB in power within the passbands. Using the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible 193nm ArF deep ultra-violet (DUV) immersion lithography and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etch processing line, a device yield of 82% is achieved.

3D FEM Analysis of High-Frequency AlN-Based PMUT Arrays on Cavity SOI.

This paper presents three-dimensional (3D) models of high-frequency piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) based on the finite element method (FEM). These models are verified with fabricated aluminum nitride (AlN)-based PMUT arrays. The 3D numerical model consists of a sandwiched piezoelectric structure, a silicon passive layer, and a silicon substrate with a cavity. Two types of parameters are simulated with periodic boundary conditions: (1) the resonant frequencies and mode shapes of PMUT, and (2) the electrical impedance and acoustic field of PMUT loaded with air and water. The resonant frequencies and mode shapes of an electrically connected PMUT array are obtained with a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). The first resonant frequency difference between 3D FEM simulation and the measurement for a 16-MHz PMUT is reasonably within 6%, which is just one-third of that between the analytical method and the measurement. The electrical impedance of the PMUT array measured in air and water is consistent with the simulation results. The 3D model is suitable for predicting electrical and acoustic performance and, thus, optimizing the structure of high-frequency PMUTs. It also has good potential to analyze the transmission and reception performances of a PMUT array for future compact ultrasonic systems.

Demonstration of color display metasurfaces via immersion lithography on a 12-inch silicon wafer.

The demonstration of a color display metasurface on a 12-inch silicon wafer with critical dimension (CD) below 100 nm by complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible technology is reported for the first time. The 193 nm ArF deep UV immersion lithography is leveraged instead of electron beam lithography (EBL) to pattern the metasurface, which greatly improves the efficiency while keeping a high resolution. The demonstrated metasurface successfully generates the resonant modes and reflects the lights at resonance wavelengths, giving its display in red, green, and blue (RGB) colors. The wafer-level uniformities of CD and reflection characteristic of the metasurface are measured and analyzed. The experimental data show that they are well controlled in the fabrication process. The work provides a promising route towards mass production of dielectric metasurfaces.

Two-dimensional photonic-crystal-based Fabry-Perot etalon.

We demonstrate the design, fabrication, and characterization of a polycrystalline-silicon-based photonic crystal Fabry-Perot etalon, which is aimed to work in the mid-infrared wavelengths. The highly reflective mirrors required in a Fabry-Perot etalon are realized by freestanding polycrystalline-silicon-based photonic crystal membranes with etched circular air holes. A peak reflection of 96.4% is observed at 3.60 µm. We propose a monolithic CMOS-compatible fabrication process to configure two such photonic crystal mirrors to be in parallel to form a Fabry-Perot etalon; a filtered transmission centered at 3.51 µm is observed. The quality factor measured is around 300, which is significantly higher than in existing works. This creates the possibility of using such devices for high-resolution applications such as gas sensing and hyperspectral imaging.

Demonstration of a compact wavelength tracker using a tunable silicon resonator.

Here, we demonstrate a chip-scale integrated optical wavelength tracker with fast response and compact format. By exploiting the electro-optic(EO) effect on a thermally controlled silicon micro-ring resonator filter, the proposed tracker can operate over a wide wavelength range according to the thermo-optic (TO) effect; meanwhile, the tracker's response speed is greatly improved through the EO effect (i.e. tracking within 1 ns), as compared to the traditional TO controlled methods (typical ~10 µs). With the integration of a photodiode onto the photonics chip, the compact chip is with a footprint of 0.5 mm × 1.5 mm. This tracker has potential applications for wavelength tacking in advanced DWDM network systems, tunable laser sources, and high performance optical sensors.

Improved Performance of Acoustically Actuated Magnetoelectric Antenna with FeGa/FeGaB Bilayer.

Acoustically actuated magnetoelectric (ME) antennas utilize acoustic wave resonance to complete the process of receiving and transmitting signals, which promotes the development of antenna miniaturization technology. This paper presents a bilayer magnetostrictive/AlN ME laminated antenna. The proposed laminated antenna uses the FeGa/FeGaB bilayer materials as magnetostrictive materials, which combine the advantages of soft magnetic properties of FeGa and the low loss of FeGaB. First, multiphysics modeling and analysis are performed for the proposed ME laminated antenna by finite element method (FEM). The positive/inverse ME effects and the influences of the volume ratio of the FeGa/FeGaB bilayer on the antenna performance are studied. The results show that the output voltage and ME coefficient of the FeGa/FeGaB bilayer magnetostrictive material with a volume ratio of 1:1 are 3.97 times and 195.8% higher than that of the single FeGaB layer, respectively. The eddy current loss is 52.08% lower than that of single-layer FeGa. According to the surface equivalence principle, the far-field radiation process is simulated. The results show that the gain of the ME antenna is 15 dB larger than that of the same-size micro-loop antenna, and the gain of the ME antenna is about -44.9 dB. The improved performance and magnetic tunability of the proposed bilayer magnetostrictive materials make ME antennas excellent candidates for portable devices and implantable medical devices.

A miniaturized transit-time ultrasonic flowmeter based on ScAlN piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers for small-diameter applications.

Transit-time ultrasonic flowmeters (TTUFs) are among the most widely used devices for flow measurements. However, traditional TTUFs are usually based on a bulk piezoelectric transducer, which limits their application in small-diameter channels. In this paper, we developed a miniaturized TTUF based on scandium-doped aluminum nitride (ScAlN) piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs). The proposed TTUF contains two PMUT-based transceivers and a π-type channel. The PMUTs contain 13 × 13 square cells with dimensions of 2.8 × 2.8 mm2. To compensate for the acoustic impedance mismatch with liquid, a layer of polyurethane is added to the surface of the PMUTs as a matching layer. The PMUT-based transceivers show good transmitting sensitivity (with 0.94 MPa/V surface pressure) and receiving sensitivity (1.79 mV/kPa) at a frequency of 1 MHz in water. Moreover, the dimensions of the π-type channel are optimized to achieve a measurement sensitivity of 82 ns/(m/s) and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) better than 15 dB. Finally, we integrate the fabricated PMUTs into the TDC-GP30 platform. The experimental results show that the developed TTUF provides a wide range of flow measurements from 2 to 300 L/h in a channel of 4 mm diameter, which is smaller than most reported channels. The accuracy and repeatability of the TTUF are within 0.2% and 1%, respectively. The proposed TTUF shows great application potential in industrial applications such as medical and chemical applications.

Nondestructive Wafer Level MEMS Piezoelectric Device Thickness Detection.

This paper introduces a novel nondestructive wafer scale thin film thickness measurement method by detecting the reflected picosecond ultrasonic wave transmitting between different interfacial layers. Unlike other traditional approaches used for thickness inspection, this method is highly efficient in wafer scale, and even works for opaque material. As a demonstration, we took scandium doped aluminum nitride (AlScN) thin film and related piezoelectric stacking layers (e.g. Molybedenum/AlScN/Molybdenum) as the case study to explain the advantages of this approach. In our experiments, a laser with a wavelength of 515 nm was used to first measure the thickness of (1) a single Molybdenum (Mo) electrode layer in the range of 100-300 nm, and (2) a single AlScN piezoelectric layer in the range of 600-1000 nm. Then, (3) the combined stacking layers were measured. Finally, (4) the thickness of a standard piezoelectric composite structure (Mo/AlScN/Mo) was characterized based on the conclusions and derivation extracted from the aforementioned sets of experiments. This type of standard piezoelectric composite has been widely adopted in a variety of Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices such as the Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT), the Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator (FBAR), the Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) and more. A comparison between measurement data from both in-line and off-line (using Scanning Electron Microscope) methods was conducted. The result from such in situ 8-inch wafer scale measurements was in a good agreement with the SEM data.

Beyond fundamental resonance mode: high-order multi-band ALN PMUT for in vivo photoacoustic imaging.

This paper reports on an aluminum nitride (AlN) piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (PMUT) array for photoacoustic (PA) imaging, where the high-order resonance modes of the PMUT are utilized to improve imaging resolution. A flexural vibration mode (FVM) PMUT is fabricated and applied in a photoacoustic imaging (PAI) system. Specifically, the microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based PMUT is suitable for PA endoscopic imaging of blood vessels and bronchi due to its miniature size and high sensitivity. More importantly, AlN is a nontoxic material, which makes it harmless for biomedical applications. In the PAI system, the AlN PMUT array is used to detect PA signals, and the acousto-mechanical response is designed and optimized at the PMUT's fundamental resonance. In this work, we focus on the high-order resonance performance of the PMUT PAI beyond the fundamental resonance. The acoustic and electrical responses of the PMUT's high-order resonance modes are characterized and analyzed. The fundamental and three high-order resonance bandwidths are 2.2, 8.8, 18.5, and 48.2 kHz. Compared with the resolution at the fundamental resonance mode, the resolutions at third- and fourth-order resonance modes increase by 38.7% and 76.9% in a phantom experiment. The high-order resonance modes of the AlN PMUT sensor array provide higher central frequency and wider bandwidth for PA signal detection, which increase the resolution of PAI compared to the PMUT working at the fundamental resonance mode.

Three-Dimensional Finite Element Analysis and Characterization of Quasi-Surface Acoustic Wave Resonators.

In this work, three-dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA) of quasi-surface acoustic wave (QSAW) resonators with high accuracy is reported. The QSAW resonators consist of simple molybdenum (Mo) interdigitated transducers (IDT) on solidly mounted stacked layers of AlN/Mo/Si. Different to the SAW resonators operating in the piezoelectric substrates, the reported resonators are operating in the QSAW mode, since the IDT-excited Rayleigh waves not only propagate in the thin piezoelectric layer of AlN, but also penetrate the Si substrate. Compared with the commonly used two-dimensional (2D) FEA approach, the 3D FEA method reported in this work shows high accuracy, in terms of the resonant frequency, temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF), effective coupling coefficient (keff2) and frequency response. The fabricated QSAW resonator has demonstrated a keff2 of 0.291%, series resonant frequency of 422.50 MHz, and TCF of -23.418 ppm/°C in the temperature range between 30 °C and 150 °C, for the design of wavelength at 10.4 µm. The measurement results agree well with the simulations. Moreover, the QSAW resonators are more mechanically robust than lamb wave devices and can be integrated with silicon-based film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) devices to offer multi-frequency function in a single chip.

Decoding of facial strains via conformable piezoelectric interfaces.

Devices that facilitate nonverbal communication typically require high computational loads or have rigid and bulky form factors that are unsuitable for use on the face or on other curvilinear body surfaces. Here, we report the design and pilot testing of an integrated system for decoding facial strains and for predicting facial kinematics. The system consists of mass-manufacturable, conformable piezoelectric thin films for strain mapping; multiphysics modelling for analysing the nonlinear mechanical interactions between the conformable device and the epidermis; and three-dimensional digital image correlation for reconstructing soft-tissue surfaces under dynamic deformations as well as for informing device design and placement. In healthy individuals and in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, we show that the piezoelectric thin films, coupled with algorithms for the real-time detection and classification of distinct skin-deformation signatures, enable the reliable decoding of facial movements. The integrated system could be adapted for use in clinical settings as a nonverbal communication technology or for use in the monitoring of neuromuscular conditions.

ZnO Nanosheets Abundant in Oxygen Vacancies Derived from Metal-Organic Frameworks for ppb-Level Gas Sensing.

Surmounting the inhomogeniety issue of gas sensors and realizing their reproducible ppb-level gas sensing are highly desirable for widespread deployments of sensors to build networks in applications of industrial safety and indoor/outdoor air quality monitoring. Herein, a strategy is proposed to substantially improve the surface homogeneity of sensing materials and gas sensing performance via chip-level pyrolysis of as-grown ZIF-L (ZIF stands for zeolitic imidazolate framework) films to porous and hierarchical zinc oxide (ZnO) nanosheets. A novel approach to generate adjustable oxygen vacancies is demonstrated, through which the electronic structure of sensing materials can be fine-tuned. Their presence is thoroughly verified by various techniques. The sensing results demonstrate that the resultant oxygen vacancy-abundant ZnO nanosheets exhibit significantly enhanced sensitivity and shortened response time toward ppb-level carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds encompassing 1,3-butadiene, toluene, and tetrachloroethylene, which can be ascribed to several reasons including unpaired electrons, consequent bandgap narrowing, increased specific surface area, and hierarchical micro-mesoporous structures. This facile approach sheds light on the rational design of sensing materials via defect engineering, and can facilitate the mass production, commercialization, and large-scale deployments of sensors with controllable morphology and superior sensing performance targeted for ultratrace gas detection.

Swelling, Mechanics, and Thermal/Chemical Stability of Hydrogels Containing Phenylboronic Acid Side Chains.

We report here studies of swelling, mechanics, and thermal stability of hydrogels consisting of 20 mol % methacrylamidophenylboronic acid (MPBA) and 80 mol % acrylamide (AAm), lightly crosslinked with methylenebisacrylamide (Bis). Swelling was measured in solutions of fixed ionic strength, but with varying pH values and fructose concentrations. Mechanics was studied by compression and hold. In the absence of sugar or in the presence of fructose, the modulus was mostly maintained during the hold period, while a significant stress relaxation was seen in the presence of glucose, consistent with reversible, dynamic crosslinks provided by glucose, but not fructose. Thermal stability was determined by incubating hydrogels at pH 7.4 at room temperature, and 37, 50, and 65 °C, and monitoring swelling. In PBS (phosphate buffered saline) solutions containing 9 mM fructose, swelling remained essentially complete for 50 days at room temperature, but decreased substantially with time at the higher temperatures, with accelerated reduction of swelling with increasing temperature. Controls indicated that over long time periods, both the MPBA and AAm units were experiencing conversion to different species.

Hybrid Photonic Cavity with Metal-Organic Framework Coatings for the Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds with High Immunity to Humidity.

Detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at parts-per-billion (ppb) level is one of the most challenging tasks for miniature gas sensors because of the high requirement on sensitivity and the possible interference from moisture. Herein, for the first time, we present a novel platform based on a hybrid photonic cavity with metal-organic framework (MOF) coatings for VOCs detection. We have fabricated a compact gas sensor with detection limitation ranging from 29 to 99 ppb for various VOCs including styrene, toluene, benzene, propylene and methanol. Compared to the photonic cavity without coating, the MOF-coated solution exhibits a sensitivity enhancement factor up to 1000. The present results have demonstrated great potential of MOF-coated photonic resonators in miniaturized gas sensing applications.

An ultrahigh-accuracy Miniature Dew Point Sensor based on an Integrated Photonics Platform.

The dew point is the temperature at which vapour begins to condense out of the gaseous phase. The deterministic relationship between the dew point and humidity is the basis for the industry-standard "chilled-mirror" dew point hygrometers used for highly accurate humidity measurements, which are essential for a broad range of industrial and metrological applications. However, these instruments have several limitations, such as high cost, large size and slow response. In this report, we demonstrate a compact, integrated photonic dew point sensor (DPS) that features high accuracy, a small footprint, and fast response. The fundamental component of this DPS is a partially exposed photonic micro-ring resonator, which serves two functions simultaneously: 1) sensing the condensed water droplets via evanescent fields and 2) functioning as a highly accurate, in situ temperature sensor based on the thermo-optic effect (TOE). This device virtually eliminates most of the temperature-related errors that affect conventional "chilled-mirror" hygrometers. Moreover, this DPS outperforms conventional "chilled-mirror" hygrometers with respect to size, cost and response time, paving the way for on-chip dew point detection and extension to applications for which the conventional technology is unsuitable because of size, cost, and other constraints.

Improving the hydrogen selectivity of graphene oxide membranes by reducing non-selective pores with intergrown ZIF-8 crystals.

We report the intergrowth of ZIF-8 crystals on ultrathin graphene oxide (GO) membranes, which helps to reduce the non-selective pores of pristine GO membranes leading to gas selectivities as high as 406, 155, and 335 for H2/CO2, H2/N2, and H2/CH4 mixtures, respectively.