DISTRIBUTED OPTIC－FIBER FORCE SENSOR BASED ON MODE COUPLING EFFECTS IN HIGH－BIREFRINGENT FIBER

An optic-fiber sensor system for measuring distributed forces is presented. The sensor system chooses high-birefringent fiber as sensing e-iement. Based on coupling effects of polarization modes in high-birefringent fiber, the distribution of the force points along the sensing fiber can be measured by detecting mode couplings in the fiber which are caused by external force disturbance. The location and magnitude of the measured forces are determined by a heterodyne interferometry and the technique of optic path scanning. The spatial resolution of the sensor system is better than 0. 15m for a 50m testing fiber.

Sensor array calibration for uniform rectangular array in presence of mutual coupling and sensor gain-and-phase errors

The sensor array calibration methods tailored to uniform rectangular array(URA)in the presence of mutual coupling and sensor gain-and-phase errors were addressed.First,the mutual coupling model of the URA was studied,and then a set of steering vectors corresponding to distinct locations were numerically computed with the help of several time-disjoint auxiliary sources with known directions.Then,the optimization modeling with respect to the array error matrix(defined by the product of mutual coupling matrix and sensor gain-and-phase errors matrix)was constructed.Two preferable algorithms(called algorithm I and algorithm II)were developed to minimize the cost function.In algorithm I,the array error matrix was regarded as a whole parameter to be estimated,and the exact solution was available.Compared to some existing algorithms with the similar computation framework,algorithm I can make full use of the potentially linear characteristics of URA's error matrix,thus,the calibration precision was obviously enhanced.In algorithm II,the array error matrix was decomposed into two matrix parameters to be optimized.Compared to algorithm I,it can further decrease the number of unknowns and,thereby,yield better estimation accuracy.However,algorithm II was incapable of producing the closed-form solution and the iteration operation was unavoidable.Simulation results validate the excellent performances of the two novel algorithms compared to some existing calibration algorithms.

Temperature sensor based on polymer thin film optical waveguide

Based on attenuated total reflection （ATR） and thermo-optic effect, the polymeric thin film planar optical waveguide is used as the temperature sensor, and the factors influencing the sensitivity of the temperature sensor are comprehensively analyzed. Combined with theoretical analysis and experimental investigation, the sensitivity of the temperature sensor is related to the thicknesses of the upper cladding layer, the waveguide layer, the optical loss of the polymer material and the guided wave modes. The results show that the slope value about reflectivity and temperature, which stands for the sensitivity of the polymer thin film temperature sensor, is associated with the waveguide film thickness and the guided wave modes, and the slope value is the highest in the zero reflectance of a certain transverse electric （TE） mode. To improve the sensitivity of the temperature sensor, the sensor＇s working incident light exterior angle α should be chosen under a certain TE mode with the reflectivity to be zero. This temperature sensor is characterized by high sensitivity and simple structure and it is easily fabricated.

DEVELOPMENT OF EXTRINSIC FABRY PEROT FIBER SENSOR AND ITS APPLICATION TO SMART MATERIALS

In the work of developing extrinsic fabry perot interferometric (EFPI), the key technology of polishing fiber optic endfaces and coating the multilayer of dielectric films on them is raised and resolved to settle the disturbance and stability problem of EFPI, which simplifies the sensing system, improves the sensor performance and reduces the cost. In this paper, the relations between the output interferential light intensity and the F P cavity length are calculated based on the theory of mode field coupling. The EFPI fiber optic sensor is adhered to a distributed smart laminate beam to detect vibration frequency and axial strain value, the results coincident with the results tested by PZT.

APPLICATION OF FEA TO THE COLLOCATION OF ACTUATOR/SENSOR IN THE INTELLIGENT STRUCTURES

The piezothermoelectric actuator/sensor collocation for advanced intelligent structure is studied. The quasi-static equations of piezothermoelasticity are used to analyze the coupling effects between the displacement, temperature and electric fields of piezothermoelasticity continua and the governing equations for piezothermoelasticity continua are derived to discuss the effects of coupling factors on the control/sensing performance in intelligent structure. Based on those analyses, a finite element analysis model of distributed piezothertnoelectric continua is developed later. The thermal stress and deformation of a beam are calculated by FEA method so as to determine the optimal actuator/sensor placement. Based on the results of the optimal analysis procedure of actuator/sensor placement, some conclusions of actuator/sensor placement are obtained. Thus, the optimal actuator/sensor placement for piezothermoelectric intelligent structure can be found from the actuator/sensor placements available so that intelligent system will have the best controllability and observability.

Joint 2D-DOA and polarization estimation for sparse nonuniform rectangular array composed of spatially spread electromagnetic vector sensor

In this paper,a sparse nonuniform rectangular array based on spatially spread electromagnetic vector sensor(SNRASSEMVS)is introduced,and a method for estimating 2D-direction of arrival(DOA)and polarization is devised.Firstly,according to the special structure of the sparse nonuniform rectangular array(SNRA),a set of accurate but ambiguous direction-cosine estimates can be obtained.Then the steering vector of spatially spread electromagnetic vector sensor(SSEMVS)can be extracted from the array manifold to obtain the coarse but unambiguous direction-cosine estimates.Finally,the disambiguation approach can be used to get the final accurate estimates of 2DDOA and polarization.Compared with some existing methods,the SNRA configuration extends the spatial aperture and refines the parameters estimation accuracy without adding any redundant antennas,as well as reduces the mutual coupling effect.Moreover,the proposed algorithm resolves multiple sources without the priori knowledge of signal information,suffers no ambiguity in the estimation of the Poynting vector,and pairs the x-axis direction cosine with the y-axis direction cosine automatically.Simulation results are given to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed algorithm.

Integrated sensor based on acoustics-electricity-mechanics coupling effect for wireless passive gas detection

Integrated sensor combines multiple sensor functions into a single unit,which has the advantages of miniaturization and better application potential.However,limited by the sensing platforms of the sensor and the selectivity of the sensitive film,there are still challenges to realize multi-component gas detection in one unit.Herein,a principle integration method is proposed to achieve the multi-component gas detection based on the acoustics-electricity-mechanics coupling effect.The electrical and mechanical properties of the Bi_(2)S_(3)nanobelts materials in different atmospheres indicate the possibility of realizing the principle integration.At the same time,the surface acoustic wave(SAW)sensor as a multivariable physical transducer can sense both electrical and mechanical properties.Upon exposure to 10 ppm NO_(2),NH_(3),and their mixtures,the integrated SAW gas sensor shows a 4.5 kHz positive frequency shift(acoustoelectric effect),an 11 kHz negative frequency shift(mechanics effects),and a reduced 4 kHz negative frequency shift(acoustics-electricity-mechanics coupling effect),respectively.Moreover,we realize wireless passive detection of NO_(2)and NH_(3)based on the SAW sensor.Our work provides valuable insights that can serve as a guide to the design and fabrication of single sensors offering multi-component gas detection via different gas sensing mechanisms.

Optical strong coupling in hybrid metal-graphene metamaterial for terahertz sensing

We propose a terahertz hybrid metamaterial composed of subwavelength metallic slits and graphene plasmonic ribbons for sensing application.This special design can cause the interaction between the plasmon resonances of the metallic slits and graphene ribbons,giving rise to a strong coupling effect and Rabi splitting.Intricate balancing in the strong coupling region can be perturbed by the carrier concentration of graphene,which is subject to the analyte on its surface.Thereby,the detection of analyte can be reflected as a frequency shift of resonance in terahertz transmission spectra.The result shows that this sensor can achieve a theoretical detection limit of 325 electrons or holes per square micrometer.Meanwhile,it also works well as a refractive index sensor with the frequency sensitivity of 485 GHz/RIU.Our results may contribute to design of ultra-micro terahertz sensors.

Independently tunable dual resonant dip refractive index sensor based on metal–insulator–metal waveguide with Q-shaped resonant cavity

A plasmonic resonator system consisting of a metal–insulator–metal waveguide and a Q-shaped resonant cavity is proposed in this paper. The transmission properties of surface plasmon polaritons in this structure are investigated by using the finite difference in time domain(FDTD) method, and the simulation results contain two resonant dips. The physical mechanism is studied by the multimode interference coupled mode theory(MICMT), and the theoretical results are in highly consistent with the simulation results. Furthermore, the parameters of the Q-shaped cavity can be controlled to adjust the two dips, respectively. The refractive index sensor proposed in this paper, with a sensitivity of 1578 nm/RIU and figure of merit(FOM) of 175, performs better than most of the similar structures. Therefore, the results of the study are instructive for the design and application of high sensitivity nanoscale refractive index sensors.

Mid-Range Wireless Power Transfer and Its Application to Body Sensor Networks

It has been reported that, through the evanescent near fields, the strongly coupled magnetic resonance is able to achieve an efficient mid-range Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) beyond the characteristic size of the resonator. Recent studies on of the relay effect of the WPT allow more distant and flexible energy transmission. These new developments hold a promise to construct a fully wireless Body Sensor Network (wBSN) using the new mid-range WPT theory. In this paper, a general optimization strategy for a WPT network is presented by analysis and simulation using the coupled mode theory. Based on the results of theoretical and computational study, two types of thin-film resonators are designed and prototyped for the construction of wBSNs. These resonators and associated electronic components can be integrated into a WPT platform to permit wireless power delivery to multiple wearable sensors and medical implants on the surface and within the human body. Our experiments have demonstrated the feasibility of the WPT approach.

Linear Pulse-Coupled Oscillators Model¬—A New Approach for Time Synchronization in Wireless Sensor Networks

Mutual synchronization is a ubiquitous phenomenon that exists in various natural systems. The individual participants in this process can be modeled as oscillators, which interact by discrete pulses. In this paper, we analyze the synchronization condition of two- and multi-oscillators system, and propose a linear pulse-coupled oscillators model. We prove that the proposed model can achieve synchronization for almost all conditions. Numerical simulations are also included to investigate how different model parameters affect the synchronization. We also discuss the implementation of the model as a new approach for time synchronization in wireless sensor networks.

Finite element simulation of Love wave sensor for the detection of volatile organic gases

The three-dimensional(3D) finite element(FE) simulation and analysis of Love wave sensors based on polyisobutylene(PIB) layers/SiO_(2)/ST-90°X quartz structure are presented in this paper, as well as the investigation of coupled resonance effect on the acoustic properties of the devices. The mass sensitivity of the basic Love wave device with SiO_(2)guiding layers is solved analytically. And the highest mass sensitivity of 128 m^(2)/kg is obtained as h_(s)/λ = 0.175. The sensitivity of the Love wave sensors for sensing volatile organic compounds(VOCs) is greatly improved due to the presence of coupled resonance induced by the PIB nanorods on the device surface. The frequency shifts of the sensor corresponding to CH_(2)Cl_(2),CHCl_(3), CCl_(4), C_(2)Cl_(4), CH_(3)Cl and C_(2)HCl_(3) with the concentration of 100 ppm are 1.431 kHz, 5.507 kHz, 13.437 kHz,85.948 kHz, 0.127 kHz and 17.879 kHz, respectively. The viscoelasticity influence of the sensitive material on the characteristics of SAW sensors is also studied. By taking account of the viscoelasticity of the PIB layers, the sensitivities of the SAW sensors with the PIB film and PIB nanorods decay in different degree. The gas sensing property of the Love wave sensor with PIB nanorods is superior to that of the PIB films. Meanwhile, the Love wave sensors with PIB sensitive layers show good selectivity to C_(2)Cl_(4), making it an ideal selection for gas sensing applications.

Fabrication of Congo Red/Oxidized Porous Silicon (CR/OPS) pH-Sensors

The fabrication of nano porous silicon, nPSi, using alkali etching process has been studied and carried out. The surface chemistry of anisotropic etching of n-type Si-wafer is reviewed and the anisotropic chemical etching of silicon in alkaline solution using wetting agents is discussed. Transformation of crystallographic plane of n-Si (211) to nPSi (100) has occurred on using n-propanol as wetting agent. The rate of pore formation was 0.02478 - 0.02827 μm/min, which was heavily dependent upon the concentration of the etchant containing wetting agents, allowing patterned porous silicon formation through selective doping of the substrate. A particle size of 15 nm for porous nano-silicon was calculated from the XRD data. Porosity of PS layers is about 10%. Pore diameter and porous layer thickness are 0.0614 nm and 16 μm, respectively. The energy gap of the produced porous silicon is 3.3 eV. Furthermore, the combination of PS with Congo Red, which are nanostructured due to their deposition within the porous matrix is discussed. Such nano compounds offer broad avenue of new and interesting properties depending on the involved materials as well as on their morphology. Chemical route was utilized as the host material to achieve pores filling. They were impregnated with Congo Red, which gave good results for the porous silicon as a promising pH sensor.

石油勘探MEMS Sensor生产过程中工艺优化

介绍一种新的电容式石油勘探MEMSSensor生产过程中氧化、光刻、刻蚀主要工艺的选择原则和理论依据。

128×128 element PtSi infrared CCD image sensor

A new 128×128 element PtSi Schottky barrier infrared image sensor with ITCCD readout structure and PtSi thin film optical cavity detector structure has been fabricated,which has 50μm×50 μm pixels,a fill factor of 40 percent,the nonuniformity of 5% or less and the dynamic range of over or equal to 50 dB.The noise equivalent temperature difference is 0.2 K with f/1.0 optics at 300 K background. In this paper,the principle of operation,design consideration and fabrication technology for the device are described.

A High-Sensitivity Refractive-Index Sensor Based on Plasmonic Waveguides Asymmetrically Coupled with a Nanodisk Resonator

A high-sensitivity plasmonic refractive-index sensor based on the asymmetrical coupling of two metal-insulator- metal waveguides with a nanodisk resonator is proposed and simulated in the finite-difference time domain. Both analytic and simulated results show that the resonance wavelengths of the sensor have an approximate linear relationship with the refractive index of the materials which are filled into the slit waveguides and the disk- shaped resonator. The working mechanism of this sensor is exactly due to the linear relationship, based on which tile refractive index of the materials unknown can be obtained from the detection of the resonance wavelength. The measurement sensitivity can reach as high as 6.45 × 10-7, which is nearly five times higher than the results reported in the recent literature [Opt. Commun. 300 （2013） 265]. With an optimum design, the sensing value can be further improved, and it can be widely applied into the biological sensing. Tile sensor working for temperature sensing is also analyzed.

The Design ＆ Implementation of Multimedia Sensor Node and the Building of Multimedia Network in Smart Home

With the requirements of multimedia service increasing in people＇ s life, sensor modules such as microphone, camera are added in the smart home＇ s sensor network, and the acquisition and processing of a large amount of information media such as audio, image and video is becoming a significant characteristics of smart home. The paper focuses on solving the following technical problems： the building of Zigbee multimedia network, the Design and selection of multimedia sensor node. These provide the basic network platform and the core technical support for the building of smart home.

High signal-to-noise ratio sensing with Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor based on auto gain control of electron multiplying CCD

High signal-to-noise ratio can be achieved with the electron multiplying charge-coupled-device（EMCCD） applied in the Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor（S–H WFS） in adaptive optics（AO）.However,when the brightness of the target changes in a large scale,the fixed electron multiplying（EM） gain will not be suited to the sensing limitation.Therefore an auto-gain-control method based on the brightness of light-spots array in S–H WFS is proposed in this paper.The control value is the average of the maximum signals of every light spot in an array,which has been demonstrated to be kept stable even under the influence of some noise and turbulence,and sensitive enough to the change of target brightness.A goal value is needed in the control process and it is predetermined based on the characters of EMCCD.Simulations and experiments have demonstrated that this auto-gain-control method is valid and robust,the sensing SNR reaches the maximum for the corresponding signal level,and especially is greatly improved for those dim targets from 6 to 4 magnitude in the visual band.

A Low-Power CMOS Analog Front-End IC with Adjustable On-Chip Filters for Biosensors

This paper presents a low-power CMOS analog front-end (AFE) IC designed with a selectable on-chip dual AC/DC- coupled paths for bio-sensor applications. The DC-coupled path can be selected to sense a biosignal with useful DC information, and the AC-coupled path can be selected for sensing the AC content of the biosignal by attenuating the unwanted DC component. The AFE IC includes a DC-coupled instrumentation amplifier (INA), two variable-gain 1st-order low pass filters (LPF) with tunable cut-off frequencies, a fixed gain 2nd-order Sallen-Key high-pass filter (HPF) with tunable cut-off frequencies, a buffer and an 8-bit differential successive approximation register (SAR) ADC. The entire AFE channel is designed and fabricated in a proprietary 0.35-μm CMOS technology. Excluding an external buffer needed to properly drive the ADC, the measured AFE IC consumes only 2.37 μA/channel with an input referred noise of ~40 μVrms in [1 Hz, 1 kHz], and successfully displays proper ECG (electrocardiogram) and electrogram (EGM) waveforms for QRS peaks detection. We expect that the low-power dual-path design of this AFE IC can enable it to periodically record both the AC and the DC signals for proper sensing and calibration for various bio-sensing applications.