On-chip Diamond MEMS Magnetic Sensing through Multifunctionalized Magnetostrictive Thin Film

Electrically integrable, high-sensitivity, and high-reliability magnetic sensors are not yet realized at high temperatures (500 °C). In this study, an integrated on-chip single-crystal diamond (SCD) micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) magnetic transducer is demonstrated by coupling SCD with a large magnetostrictive FeGa film. The FeGa film is multifunctionalized to actuate the resonator, self-sense the external magnetic field, and electrically readout the resonance signal. The on-chip SCD MEMS transducer shows a high sensitivity of 3.2 Hz mT⁻¹ from room temperature to 500 °C and a low noise level of 9.45 nT Hz^−1/2 up to 300 °C. The minimum fluctuation of the resonance frequency is 1.9 × 10⁻⁶ at room temperature and 2.3 × 10⁻⁶ at 300 °C. An SCD MEMS resonator array with parallel electric readout is subsequently achieved, thus providing a basis for the development of magnetic image sensors. The present study facilitates the development of highly integrated on-chip MEMS resonator transducers with high performance and high thermal stability.     

Ultrathin Organic Electrochemical Transistor with Nonvolatile and Thin Gel Electrolyte for Long‐Term Electrophysiological Monitoring

Skin‐based electrical‐signal monitoring is one of the basic and noninvasive diagnostic methods for observing vital signals that contain valuable information about the dynamic status of the inner body. Soft bioelectronic devices are developed for the acquisition of high‐quality biosignals by taking advantage of their inherent thin and soft bodies. Among these devices, the organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) is a promising local transducing amplifier because of its key advantages, such as low operating voltage, high transconductance, and biocompatibility. However, the transistor's direct electrolyte‐gated operation limits its ability to measure biosignals only when the electrolyte exists. Here, an ultrathin OECT‐based wearable electrophysiological sensor based on a thin (≈6 µm) and nonvolatile gel electrolyte is reported, which can operate on dry biological surfaces. This sensor can measure biopotentials with a high mechanical stability and high signal‐to‐noise ratio (24 dB) even from dry surfaces of the human body and also shows stable performance during long‐term continuous monitoring and multiple reuse in a test that lasted more than a week.     

Durable Ultraflexible Organic Photovoltaics with Novel Metal‐Oxide‐Free Cathode

Flexible and stretchable organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are promising as a power source for wearable devices with multifunctions ranging from sensing to locomotion. Achieving mechanical robustness and high power conversion efficiency for ultraflexible OPVs is essential for their successful application. However, it is challenging to simultaneously achieve these features by the difficulty to maintain stable performance under a microscale bending radius. Ultraflexible OPVs are proposed by employing a novel metal‐oxide‐free cathode that consists of a printed ultrathin metallic transparent electrode and an organic electron transport layer to achieve high electron‐collecting capabilities and mechanical robustness. In fact, the proposed ultraflexible OPV achieves a power conversion efficiency of 9.7% and durability with 74% efficiency retention after 500 cycles of deformation at 37% compression through buckling. The proposed approach can be applied to active layers with different morphologies, thus suggesting its universality and potential for high‐performance ultraflexible OPV devices.     

High-speed operation in printed organic inverter circuits with short channel length

We have demonstrated fast operation of printed organic inverter circuits. We employ a soluble organic semiconducting material which has high field-effect mobility and ink-jet printed source/drain electrodes with short channel length. Appropriate concentration of the semiconducting solution and modification layer of source/drain electrodes improve both mobility and on/off ratio. The fabricated transistors with a short channel length (4 μm) exhibit excellent mobility (1.2 cm²/V s), high on/off ratio (>10⁵) and operational stability. The diode-load inverter with a narrow channel and low parasitic capacitance operate at 8 kHz at 20 V. These results will lead to significant progress in applications of printed organic circuits.     

1/f noise behavior in semiconductor laser degradation

It is experimentally demonstrated that the increase in residual spectral linewidth during device degradation is due to an increase in 1/f noise in a multiple quantum-well (MQW) distributed-feedback (DFB) laser. The origin of 1/f noise and its influence on device characteristics is discussed and clarified by observing the degradation behavior of the spectral linewidth     

Theoretical Evalution of Signatures and CNR Penalties Caused by Modem Impairments in Multilevel QAM Digital Radio Modems

A calculation method for symbol error probability is proposed for multilevel QAM systems. Carrier-to-noise ratio penalties are estimated by this method for seven typical impairment factors, including recovered carrier phase error, timing error, receive filter residual delay, etc. The validity of the method is verified by experiments on penalties caused by recovered carrier phase error and timing error. Based on the new method of analysis, signatures of a 64 QAM modem are estimated theoretically, using a pseudo-two-ray model of multipath fading. The dependence of signatures on the above-mentioned impairment factors is investigated in detail. A qualitative deduction of impairment factors from a measured signature is demonstrated. The measured signature agrees well with a calculated one in which reasonable values of the impairment factors are assumed.     

Fluctuations in Tracer Amounts in a Compartmental System with a Markovian Transition Process

This communication considers a method for evaluating fluctuations in the integral type output of a linear time-invariant compartmental system with a Markovian transition process. First, we derived a mathematical formula to calculate variances and covariances of integral type. outputs, as with radioisotope data, when transition rates are known. Then, an estimate for the upper limits of variances and covariances, i.e., 1/2?initial dose, when the transition rates are not given beforehand, was introduced.     

Grafting of polyesters onto carbon black. III. Polymerization of β-propiolactone initiated by quaternary ammonium carboxylate groups on the surface of carbon black

By use of carbon black containing quaternary ammonium carboxylate (COO^?N⁺R₄) groups as catalyst, the anionic ring opening polymerization of β-propiolactone (PL) was carried out at 50°C. Although carbon black itself was unable to initiate the polymerization of PL, carbon black containing COO^?N⁺R₄ groups, which was prepared by the reaction of carboxyl groups with corresponding quaternary ammonium hydroxide, was found to be able to initiate the polymerization. The carbon black obtained from the polymerization gave a stable colloidal dispersion in an organic solvent, and it was confirmed that the polyester formed was effectively grafted onto the surface. In addition, the effect of quaternary ammonium countercation on the polymerization was investigated.