Artificial Q-Grader: Machine Learning-Enabled Intelligent Olfactory and Gustatory Sensing System.

Portable and personalized artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sensors mimicking human olfactory and gustatory systems have immense potential for the large-scale deployment and autonomous monitoring systems of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In this study, an artificial Q-grader comprising surface-engineered zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films is developed as the artificial nose, tongue, and AI-based statistical data analysis as the artificial brain for identifying both aroma and flavor chemicals in coffee beans. A poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)/ZnO thin film transistor (TFT)-based liquid sensor is the artificial tongue, and an Au, Ag, or Pd nanoparticles/ZnO nanohybrid gas sensor is the artificial nose. In order to classify the flavor of coffee beans (acetic acid (sourness), ethyl butyrate and 2-furanmethanol (sweetness), caffeine (bitterness)) and the origin of coffee beans (Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Colombia-decaffeine), rational combination of TFT transfer and dynamic response curves capture the liquids and gases-dependent electrical transport behavior and principal component analysis (PCA)-assisted machine learning (ML) is implemented. A PCA-assisted ML model distinguished the four target flavors with >92% prediction accuracy. ML-based regression model predicts the flavor chemical concentrations with >99% accuracy. Also, the classification model successfully distinguished four different types of coffee-bean with 100% accuracy.

Spectro-Microscopic Perceptions into Oxidation Behavior of Large-Scale Molybdenum Disulfide and its Photoelectrical Correlation.

Despite the encouraging properties and research of 2D MoS2 , an ongoing issue associated with the oxidative instability remains elusive for practical optoelectronic applications. Thus, in-depth understanding of the oxidation behavior of large-scale and homogeneous 2D MoS2 is imperative. Here the structural and chemical transformations of large-area MoS2 multilayers by air-annealing with altered temperature and time via combinatorial spectro-microscopic analyses (Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy) are surveyed. The results gave indications pertaining to temperature- and time-dependent oxidation effects: i) heat-driven elimination of redundant residues, ii) internal strain stimulated by the formation of MoO bonds, iii) deterioration of the MoS2 crystallinity, iv) layer thinning, and v) morphological transformation from 2D MoS2 layers to particles. Photoelectrical characterization of the air-annealed MoS2 is implemented to capture the link between the oxidation behavior of MoS2 multilayers and their photoelectrical properties. The photocurrent based on MoS2 air-annealed at 200 °C is assessed to be 4.92 µA, which is 1.73 times higher than that of pristine MoS2 (2.84 µA). The diminution in the photocurrent of the photodetector based on MoS2 air-annealed above 300 °C in terms of the structural, chemical, and electrical conversions induced by the oxidation process is further discussed.

Wafer-Scale Production of Two-Dimensional Tin Monoselenide: Expandable Synthetic Platform for van der Waals Semiconductor-Based Broadband Photodetectors.

A synthetic platform for industrially applicable two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors that addresses the paramount issues associated with large-scale production, wide-range photosensitive materials, and oxidative stability has not yet been developed. In this study, we attained the 6 in. scale production of 2D SnSe semiconductors with spatial homogeneity using a rational synthetic platform based on the thermal decomposition of solution-processed single-source precursors. The long-range structural and chemical homogeneities of the 2D SnSe layers are manifested using comprehensive spectroscopic analyses. Furthermore, the capability of the SnSe-based photodetectors for broadband photodetection is distinctly verified. The photoresponsivity and detectivity of the SnSe-based photodetectors are 5.89 A W-1 and 1.8 × 1011 Jones at 532 nm, 1.2 A W-1 and 3.7 × 1010 Jones at 1064 nm, and 0.14 A W-1 and 4.3 × 109 Jones at 1550 nm, respectively. The minimum rise times for the 532 and 1064 nm lasers are 62 and 374 µs, respectively. The photoelectrical analysis of the 5 × 5 SnSe-based photodetector array reveals 100% active devices with 95.06% photocurrent uniformity. We unequivocally validated that the air and thermal stabilities of the photocurrent yielded from the SnSe-based photodetector are determined to be >30 d in air and 160 °C, respectively, which are suitable for optoelectronic applications.

Impact of a Diverse Combination of Metal Oxide Gas Sensors on Machine Learning-Based Gas Recognition in Mixed Gases.

A challenge for chemiresistive-type gas sensors distinguishing mixture gases is that for highly accurate recognition, massive data processing acquired from various types of sensor configurations must be considered. The impact of data processing is indeed ineffective and time-consuming. Herein, we systemically investigate the effect of the selectivity for a target gas on the prediction accuracy of gas concentration via machine learning based on a support vector machine model. The selectivity factor S(X) of a gas sensor for a target gas "X" is introduced to reveal the correlation between the prediction accuracy and selectivity of gas sensors. The presented work suggests that (i) the strong correlation between the selectivity factor and prediction accuracy has a proportional relationship, (ii) the enhancement of the prediction accuracy of an elemental sensor with a low sensitivity factor can be attained by a complementary combination of the other sensor with a high selectivity factor, and (iii) it can also be boosted by combining the sensor having even a low selectivity factor.

Chemical Patterning of Graphene via Metal-Assisted Highly Energetic Electron Irradiation for Graphene Homojunction-Based Gas Sensors.

To gain the target functionality of graphene for gas detection, nonfocused and large-scale compatible MeV electron beam irradiation on graphene with Ag patterns is innovatively adopted in air for chemical patterning of graphene. This strategy allows the metal-assisted site-specific oxidation of graphene to realize monolithically integrated graphene-chemically patterned graphene (CPG)-graphene homojunction-based gas sensors. The size-tunable CPG patterns can be mediated by regulating the size of Ag prepatterns. The impacts of highly energetic electron irradiation (HEEI) on graphene are summarized as follows: (i) the selective p-type doping and the defect generation of graphene by the HEEI-induced oxidation, (ii) the resistance of the homojunction devices manipulated by the HEEI dose, (iii) the band gap opening of graphene as well as the lowering of the Fermi level, (iv) the work function values for pristine graphene and CPG corresponding to 4.14 and 4.88 eV, respectively, and (v) graphene-CPG-graphene homojunction for NO2 gas, revealing an 839% enhanced gas response compared with that of the pristine graphene-based gas sensor.

Proton Conducting Perhydropolysilazane-Derived Gate Dielectric for Solution-Processed Metal Oxide-Based Thin-Film Transistors.

Perhydropolysilazane (PHPS), an inorganic polymer composed of Si-N and Si-H, has attracted much attention as a precursor for gate dielectrics of thin-film transistors (TFTs) due to its facile processing even at a relatively low temperature. However, an in-depth understanding of the tunable dielectric behavior of PHPS-derived dielectrics and their effects on TFT device performance is still lacking. In this study, the PHPS-derived dielectric films formed at different annealing temperatures have been used as the gate dielectric layer for solution-processed indium zinc oxide (IZO) TFTs. Notably, the IZO TFTs fabricated on PHPS annealed at 350 °C exhibit mobility as high as 118 cm2 V-1 s-1, which is about 50 times the IZO TFTs made on typical SiO2 dielectrics. The outstanding electrical performance is possible because of the exceptional capacitance of PHPS-derived dielectric caused by the limited hydrolysis reaction of PHPS at a low processing temperature (<400 °C). According to our analysis, the exceptional dielectric behavior is originated from the electric double layer formed by mobile of protons in the low temperature-annealed PHPS dielectrics. Furthermore, proton conduction through the PHPS dielectric occurs through a three-dimensional pathway by a hopping mechanism, which allows uniform polarization of the dielectric even at room temperature, leading to amplified performance of the IZO TFTs.

High energy electron beam stimulated nanowelding of silver nanowire networks encapsulated with graphene for flexible and transparent electrodes.

Low-dimensional nanostructures and their complementary hybridization techniques are in the vanguard of technological advances for applications in transparent and flexible nanoelectronics due to the intriguing electrical properties related to their atomic structure. In this study, we demonstrated that welding of Ag nanowires (NWs) encapsulated in graphene was stimulated by flux-optimized, high-energy electron beam irradiation (HEBI) under ambient conditions. This methodology can inhibit the oxidation of Ag NWs which is induced by the inevitably generated reactive ozone as well as improve of their electrical conductivity. We have systematically explored the effects of HEBI on Ag NWs and graphene. The optimized flux for HEBI welding of the Ag NWs with graphene was 150 kGy, which decreased the sheet resistance of the graphene/Ag NWs to 12 Ohm/sq. Following encapsulation with graphene, the initial chemical states of the Ag NWs were well-preserved after flux-tuned HEBI, whereas graphene underwent local HEBI-induced defect generation near the junction area. We further employed resonant Raman spectroscopy to follow the structural evolution of the sacrificial graphene in the hybrid film after HEBI. Notably, the sheet resistance of the welded Ag NWs encapsulated with graphene after HEBI was well-maintained even after 85 days.

Complementary Dual-Channel Gas Sensor Devices Based on a Role-Allocated ZnO/Graphene Hybrid Heterostructure.

Here, we present a new approach to dual-channel gas sensors on the basis of a role-allocated graphene/ZnO heterostructure, formed by the complementary hybridization of graphene and a ZnO thin film. The method enables cyclic and reproducible gas response as well as high gas response. The role allocation of graphene and ZnO was verified by studying the electrical transport properties of the heterostructure. The results indicated that the ZnO top layer and graphene bottom layer act as a gas adsorption layer and a carrier conducting layer, respectively. The charge interactions of the heterostructures were systematically explored by monitoring changes in transfer characteristics at room temperature and elevated temperature ( T = 250 °C) after introducing 20 ppm NO2. These results can be understood in terms of the dual-channel effect of the graphene/ZnO heterostructures. Remarkably, an abrupt and reliable gas response under periodic NO2 gas injection was unambiguously achieved by the heterostructure-based gas sensors and as ∼30 times higher than those of a graphene-based gas sensor. These proposed heterostructures represent a fundamental building block of a complementary hybrid gas sensor with highly sensitive and reproducible gas response.

Conformational modulation of influenza virus hemagglutinin: characterization and in vivo efficacy of monomeric form.

Mutational changes that mostly occur at the head region of hemagglutinin (HA) lead to the emergence of new epidemic influenza viruses, whereas HA antigens have been modified to generate broadly neutralizing antibodies toward highly conserved epitopes in the HA stem. Interestingly, a recent analysis of serum antibody repertoires showed that broadly neutralizing antibodies bind to HA monomer at a conserved region occluded at the intermonomer interface of HA trimer and confer protection in animal models. We showed previously that the recombinant HA ectodomain from a pandemic strain A/Korea/01/2009 was monomeric in solution and crystal structure. In order to examine the potential antigenicity of a monomeric form, we designed HA monomer that incorporates mutations to destabilize trimer conformations. Starting with the HA trimer from a seasonal strain A/Thailand/CU44/2006, mutations were introduced at the intermonomer interface, Ser199 of HA1 and Gly47, Arg75, Phe88, Val91, and Arg106 of HA2. Two mutants, F88E and V91W, were characterized to form a monomer and their double mutant F88E/V91W monomer was selected as an antigen. Animal studies showed that the HA monomer induced protective immunity in vivo, comparable to the trimer, albeit low antibody titers in sera.

Control of Multilevel Resistance in Vanadium Dioxide by Electric Field Using Hybrid Dielectrics.

We investigate the effect of electric field on VO2 back-gated field effect transistor (FET) devices. Using hybrid dielectric layers, we demonstrate the highest resistance modulation on the order of 102 in VO2 at a positive gate bias of 80 V (1.6 MV/cm). VO2 FET devices are prepared on SiO2 substrates of different thicknesses (100-300 nm) and hybrid dielectric layers of Al2O3/SiO2 (500 nm). For thicknesses less than 300 nm, no electric-field effects are observed, whereas for a 300 nm thickness, a small decrease in resistance is observed under a 0.2 MV/cm electric field. Under the electrostatic effect, the carrier concentration increases in VO2 devices, decreasing the resistance and the transition temperature from 66.75 to 64 °C. The leakage analysis shows that the interface quality of VO2 films on hybrid dielectric layers can be further improved. These studies suggest a multilevel fast resistance switching with the electric field and give an insight into the gate-source leakage current, which limits the phase transition in VO2 in an electric field.

Antiviral Effects of Black Raspberry (Rubus coreanus) Seed and Its Gallic Acid against Influenza Virus Infection.

Influenza is a serious public health concern worldwide, as it causes significant morbidity and mortality. The emergence of drug-resistant viral strains requires new approaches for the treatment of influenza. In this study, Rubus coreanus seed (RCS) that is left over from the production of wine or juice was found to show antiviral activities against influenza type A and B viruses. Using the time-of-addition plaque assay, viral replication was almost completely abolished by simultaneous treatment with the RCS fraction of less than a 1-kDa molecular weight (RCSF1). One of the polyphenols derived from RCSF1, gallic acid (GA), identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, showed inhibitory effects against both influenza type A and B viruses, albeit at relatively high concentrations. RCSF1 was bound to hemagglutinin protein, inhibited hemagglutination significantly and disrupted viral particles, whereas GA was found to only disrupt the viral particles by using transmission electron microscopy. In BALB/c mice infected with influenza virus, oral administration of RCSF1 significantly improved the survival rate and reduced the viral titers in the lungs. Our results demonstrate that RCSF1 and GA show potent and broad antiviral activity against influenza A and B type viruses and are promising sources of agents that target virus particles.