Nozzle-printing dispensers, which utilize air pulsation as a dispensing principle, operate by transmitting air pressure to the liquid to push a constant amount of liquid. Nozzle printers have the advantage of precisely controlling energy based on liquid properties, such as viscosity and surface tension, enabling the precise application of liquid at specific locations and quantities. This study introduces a printing process sequence using a nozzle printer equipped with a high-resolution vision alignment system. It compares printing patterns according to key process variables (jet pressure, tip height, and travel speed) that affect coating quality. Experimental results showed that a coating standard deviation of 2.14 μm was achieved at a moving speed of 20 mm/s and a nozzle height of 0.2 mm, resulting in the most stable and uniform coating quality. Through these experiments, optimal conditions were identified based on factors such as coating width, uniformity, and presence of discontinuity, and the effects of these conditions on the precision manufacturing process are discussed.
By introducing curing kinetics and chemo-rheology for the epoxy resin formulation for ultra-high voltage gas insulated switchgear (GIS) Insulating Spacers, a study was conducted to simulate the curing behavior, flow and warpage analysis for optimization of the molding process in automatic pressure gelation. The curing rate equation and chemo-rheology equation were set as fixed values for various factors and other physical property values, and the APG molding process conditions were entered into the Moldflow software to perform optimization numerical simulations of the three-phase insulating spacer. Changes in curing shrinkage according to pack pressure were observed under the optimized process conditions. As a result, it was confirmed that the residence time in the solid state was shortened due to the lowest curing reaction when the curing holding pressure was 3 bar, and the occurrence of deformation due to internal residual stress was minimized.
The gas insulation switchgear, which is a device for protecting a power system, cannot be supported by the insulation gas itself in a charge unit stored in a metal container. Therefore, molding technology is required to manufacture a gas insulation switch spacer. The APG method injection molding simulation was performed by applying the variables obtained through the physical properties of an epoxy composite used for manufacturing an insulating spacer to a moldflow software. After varying the temperature conditions of heater in the simulation, the thermal characteristics and the degree of hardening of the spacer were analyzed, based on which the optimum process conditions are presented.
High pressure deuterium (HPD) annealing is an advancing technology for the fabrication of modern semiconductor devices. In this work, gate-enclosed FETs are fabricated on a silicon substrate as test vehicles. After a cycle for the HPD annealing, the device parameters such as threshold voltage (VTH), subthreshold swing (SS), on-state current (ION), off-state current (IOFF), and gate leakage (IG) were measured and compared depending on the HPD. The HPD annealing can passivate the dangling bonds at Si-SiO2 interfaces as well as eliminate the bulk trap in SiO2. It can be concluded that adding the HPD annealing as a fabrication process is very effective in improving device reliability, performance, and variability.
In this study, a pressure sensor for each displacement was fabricated based on the silicon-based pressure sensor obtained through simulation results. Wires were bonded to the pressure sensor, and a piezoresistive pressure sensor was inserted into the printed circuit board (PCB) base by directly connecting a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor and a readout integrated circuit (ROIC) for signal processing. In addition, to prevent exposure, a non-conductive liquid silicone was injected into the sensor and the entire ROIC using a pipette. The packaging proceeded to block from the outside. Performing such packaging, comparing simple contact with strong contact, and confirming that the measured pulse wavelength appears accurately.
Modern thin film deposition processes require high deposition rates, low costs, and high-quality films. Atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD) meets these requirements. AP-PECVD causes little damage on thin film deposition surfaces compared to conventional PECVD. Moreover, a higher deposition rate is expected due to the surface heating effect of atomic hydrogens in AP-PECVD. In this study, polycrystalline silicon thin film was deposited at a low temperature of 100℃ and then AP-PECVD experiments were performed with various plasma powers and hydrogen gas flow rates. A deposition rate of 15.2 nm/s was obtained at the VHF power of 400 W. In addition, a metal foam showerhead was employed for uniform gas supply, which provided a significant improvement in the thickness uniformity.
A flat-type piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transmitter was successfully fabricated for application in acoustic devices with cone-free diaphragms. The transmitter, possessing a center frequency of 40.6 kHz, exhibited a higher displacement characteristic for a multilayer type compared with a single layer type. Surface roughness treatment of an Al elastic diaphragm influenced a slight increase (1.1 dB) in the sound pressure level (SPL) at 10 Vrms due to the enlarged surface area. The fabricated multilayer piezoelectric ceramic ultrasonic transmitter showed increasing SPL with increasing input voltage, with a maximum SPL of approximately 123.6 dB at 10 Vrms. This implies a doubly increased SPL density of 3.6 dB/mm3, superior to that of a commercial open-type transmitter with a cone.
A pressure sensor is a device that converts an applied physical pressure into an electrical signal. Such sensors have a range of applications depending on the pressure level, from low to high pressure. Sensors that use physical pressure, when compared to those operating under air pressure, are not widely applied as they are inefficient. To solve this problem, graphene oxide, which exhibits good mechanical and electrical characteristics, was used to increase the efficiency of these pressure sensors. Graphene oxide has properties that control the movement of charges within the dielectric. Exploiting these properties, we evaluated the change in electrical characteristics when pressure was applied according to the ratio and thickness of the oxidation graph added to the pressure sensor.
Pb(Sb0.5Nb0.5)x(Zr0.51Ti0.49)1-xO3 (abbreviation: PSN-PZT) ceramics were synthesized, using conventional bulk ceramic processing technology, with various PSN doping contents. The maximum density of PSN-PZT was 97% of the theoretical density in the samples sintered at 1,250℃. The maximum values of the piezoelectric properties achieved using the conventional processes were: kp of 0.625, d33 of 531 pC/N, and g33 of 33 mV·m/N. Finally, we fabricated a piezo-speaker with the optimized PSN-PZT ceramics. The SPL of the speaker was measured at a distance of 1 m, with a driving voltage of 40 Vrms in the frequency range of ~300 Hz to 9 kHz. The measured SPLmax was at a very high level (95 dB), which was superior in quality in comparison with those of other commercial products.
Lithium anodes (13, 15, 17, and 20 wt% Li) were fabricated by mixing molten lithium and iron powder, which was used as a binder to hold the molten lithium, at about 500℃ (discharge temp.). In this study, the effect of applied pressure and lithium content on the discharge properties of a thermal battery’s single cell was investigated. A single cell using a Li anode with a lithium content of less than 15 wt% presented reliable performance without any abrupt voltage drop resulting from molten lithium leakage under an applied pressure of less than 6 kgf/㎠. Furthermore, it was confirmed that even when the solid electrolyte is thinner, the Li anode of the single cell normally discharges well without a deterioration in performance. The Li anode of the single cell presented a significantly improved open-circuit voltage of 2.06 V, compared to that of a Li-Si anode (1.93 V). The cut-off voltage and specific capacity were 1.83 V and 1,380 As g-1 (Li anode), and 1.72 V and 1,364 As g-1 (Li-Si anode). Additionally, the Li anode exhibited a stable and flat discharge curve until 1.83 V because of the absence of phase change phenomena of Li metal and a subsequent rapid voltage drop below 1.83 V due to the complete depletion of Li at the end state of discharge. On the other hand, the voltage of the Li-Si anode cell decreased in steps, 1.93 V → 1.72 V (Li13Si4 → Li7Si3) → 1.65 V (Li7Si3→ Li12Si7), according to the Li-Si phase changes during the discharge reaction. The energy density of the Li anode cell was 807.1 Wh l-1, which was about 50% higher than that of the Li-Si cell (522.2 Wh l-1).
We propose a method for improving the reliability of a solar cell by applying a fluorinated surface coating to protect the cell from the outdoor environment using an atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) treatment. An APP source is operated by radio frequency (RF) power, Ar gas, and O₂gas. APP treatment can remove organic contaminants from the surface and improve other surface properties such as the surface free energy. We determined the optimal APP parameters to maximize the surface free energy by using the dyne pen test. Then we used the scratch test in order to confirm the correlation between the APP parameters and the surface properties by measuring the surface free energy and adhesive characteristics of the coating. Consequently, an increase in the surface free energy of the cover glass caused an improvement in the adhesion between the coating layer and the cover glass. After treatment, adhesion between the coating and cover glass was improved by 35%.
This paper introduces a biocompatible packaging system for implantable medical device having a hermetic sealing, such that a perfect physical and chemical isolation between electronic medical system and human body (including tissue, body fluids, etc.) is obtained. The hermetic packaging includes an electronic MEMS pressure sensor, power charging system, and bluetooth communication system to wirelessly measure variation of capacitance. The packaging was acquired by Quartz direct bonding and CO2 laser welding, with a size of width 6 cm × length 10 cm × height 3 cm. Hermetic sealing of the packaged system was tested by changing the pressure in a hermetic chamber using a precision pressure controller, from atmospheric to 900 mmHg. We found that the packaged system retained the same count or capacitance values with sensor 1 - 25,500, sensor 2 - 26,000, and sensor 3 - 20,800, at atmospheric as well as 900 mmHg pressure for 5 hours. This result shows that the packaging method has perfect hermetic sealing in any environment of the human body pressure.
Among the various physiological information that could be obtained from human body, heartbeat rate is a commonly used vital sign in the clinical milieu. Photoplethysography (PPG) sensor is incorporated into many wearable healthcare devices because of its advantages such as simplicity of hardware structure and low-cost. However, healthcare device employing PPG sensor has been issued in susceptibility of light and motion artifact. In this paper, to develop the real-time heart rate measurement device that is less sensitive to the external noises, we have fabricated an ultra-small wireless LC resonant pressure sensor by MEMS process. After performance evaluation in linearity and repeatability of the MEMS pressure sensor, heartbeat waveform and rate on radial artery were obtained by using resonant frequency-pressure conversion method. The measured data using the proposed heartbeat rate measurement system was validated by comparing it with the data of an commercialized heart rate measurement device. Result of the proposed device was agreed well to that of the commercialized device. The obtained real time heartbeat wave and rate were displayed on personal mobile system by bluetooth communication.
In this paper, in order to quantify the peristalsis occurrence in a guinea pig`s large intestine, a miniaturized air-gap capacitive pressure sensor was fabricated through micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS). The proposed pressure sensor is a two-layered biocompatible polyimide substrate consisting of an air-gap capacitive plates between the substrates. The proposed pressure sensor was designed with a careful consideration of the structure and motility mechanism of the guinea pig`s large intestine. Artificial pellets were mounted on a prototype pressure sensor to provide some redundancies in the form of size and shape of the guinea pig feces. Capacitance of a prototype sensor was recorded to be 2.5 ~ 3 pF. This capacitance value was later converted to count value using a lab fabricated data conversion system. Sensitivity of the pressure sensor was recorded to be below 1 mmHg per atmospheric pressure. During in vivo testing, artificial peristalsis caused by drug injection was measured by inserting the prototype pressure sensor into the guinea pig’s large intestine and pressure data obtained due to artificial peristalsis was graphed using a labview program. The proposed pressure sensor could measure the pressure changes in the proximal, medial, and distal parts of the large intestine. The results of the experiment confirmed that pressure changes of guinea pig`s large intestine was proportional to the degree of drug injection.
In this paper, we fabricated ceramic body and sapphire wafer in order to develop a hydraulic pressure sensor with high sensitivity and high temperature stability. The sapphire wafer was adopted with a membrane of capacitance ceramic pressure sensor. The capacitance value of the sensor for the finite element analysis(FEM) showed a linear pressure characteristics. Membrane was processed with a diameter of 32.4 ㎜ and a thickness of 1 ㎜ by using alumina powders. Ceramic body was processed with a diameter 32.4 ㎜ and a thickness 5 ㎜. The capacitance pressure sensor was made with high heat treatment of the ceramic body and the sapphire wafer. Initially capacitance of the pressure sensor was 50 pF and a capacitance of 110 pF was measured from 5 bar pressure. Output voltage of 5 V was appeared at 5 bar pressure.
Aluminum nitride (AlN) thin film and TiN film as a buffer layer were deposited on INCONEL600 substrate by reactive RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature(R.T.) under 25∼75% N2/Aratmosphere. The as-deposited AlN films at 25∼50% N2/Ar showed a polycrystalline phase of hexagonal AlN, and an amorphous phase. The peak of AlN (002) plane, which was determinant on a performance of piezoelectric transducer, became strong with increasing the N2/Ar ratio. Any change in the preferential orientation of the as-deposited AlN films was not observed within our N2 concentration range. The piezoelectric sensing properties of AlN module were performed using pressure-voltage measurement system. The output signal voltage of AlN module showed a linear behavior between 20∼80 mV in 1∼10MPa range, and the pressure-sensing sensitivity was calculated as 3.6 mV/MPa.
Industrial, medical, environment and agriculture application of pulse power technology have been developing rapidly in many field. In order to make use in the form of pulses is applied to the pulse forming technique. At this time, spark gap is generally used for the pulse forming. Spark gap may bepossible to simulate the shape of the electrode, to know the uniform or non-uniform electric field of the electrode structure. Further, it can be determined using Paschen`s law applied pressure of the insulating gas in accordance with the voltage which is created using the value of the electric field. In this paper, we tried to found using a formula and the simulation process to determine the pressure. The value of the electric field is different according to the shape of the electrode. So, the range of pressure applied also varies. In order to withstand the 100 kV with a gap of 5 ㎜, the nitrogen gas must be applied to about 7 bar in the electrode structure. On the other hand, in the same conditions, Sulfur hexafluoride gas must be applied to about 2 bar. Consequently, the Sulfur hexafluoride gas has a higher insulation properties than nitrogen gas may be applied to low pressure at the same conditions.
In this study, we introduce a polymer(polyimide) based pressure sensor to measure real-time heart beat and blood pressure. The sensor have been designed with consideration of skin compatibility of material, cost effectiveness, manufacturability and wireless detection. The designed sensor was composed of inductor coils and an air-gap capacitor which generate self-resonant frequency when electrical source is applied on the system. The sensor was obtained with metalization, etching, photolithography, polymer adhesive bonding and laser cutting. The fabricated sensor was shaped in circular type with 10mm diameter and 0.45 mm thickness to fit radial artery. Resonant frequencies of the fabricated sensors were in the range of 91∼96 MHz on 760 mmHg pressurized environment. Also the sensor has good linearity without any pressure-frequency hysteresis. Sensitivity of the sensor was 145.5 kHz/mmHg and accuracy was less than 2 mmHg. Real-time heart beat measurement was executed with a developed hand-held measurement system. Possibility of real-time blood pressure measurement was showed with simulated artery system. After installation of the sensor on skin above radial artery, simple real blood pressure measurement was performed with 64 mmHg blood pressure variation.
In this paper, we present a MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) implantable blood pressure sensor which has designed and fabricated with consideration of size, design flexibility, and wireless detection. Mechanical and electrical characterizations of the sensor were obtained by mathematical analysis and computer aided simulation. The sensor is composed of two coils and a air gap capacitor formed by separation of the coils. Therefore, the sensor produces its resonant frequency which is changed by external pressure variation. This frequency movement is detected by inductive coupling between the sensor and an external antenna coil. Theoretically analyzed resonant frequency of the sensor under 760 mmHg was calculated to 269.556 MHz. Fused silica was selected as sensor material with consideration of chemical and electrical reaction of human body to the material. 2 mm × 5 mm × 0.5 mm pressure sensors fitted to radial artery were fabricated on the substrates by consecutive microfabrication processes: sputtering, etching, photolithography, direct bonding and laser welding. Resonant frequencies of the fabricated sensors were in the range of 269∼284 MHz under 760 mmHg pressure.
The effect of oxygen pressure in the synthesis of ZnO nanostructures through thermal evaporation of Zn powder was investigated. The thermal evaporation process was carried out in oxygen ambient for 1 hr at 1,000℃ under different pressures. The oxygen pressure was changed in range of 0.5 ? 900 Torr. Any nanostructure was not formed on the specimens prepared at oxygen pressures lower than 10 Torr. When oxygen pressure was 100 Torr, ZnO nanowires were observed. With increasing the oxygen pressure to 500 Torr, the morphology of ZnO nanostructures changed from wire to tetrapod. For all the samples, room temperature photoluminescence spectra show a strong green emission peak at around 550 nm.
In this work, we study on the effects of the oxygen pressure on the structural and crystalline of MgZnO thin films. MgZnO thin films were deposited on p-Si (111) substrates by using pulsed laser deposition. The X-ray diffraction analysis and energy dispersive X-ray results revealed that as the oxygen pressure increased and Mg content in the MgZnO films decreased. Also Crystal structure was changed from cubic rock salt to hexagonal wurtzite. Alpha step and atomic force microscopy results showed that the thickness of the films are about 100 nm, and it has been found that the MgZnO (002) preferred orientation were deposited with increasing the oxygen pressure. Therefore, the effect of the preferred orientation, the crystallization grew in the form of the columnar; Grain size and RMS of the films were increased with increasing oxygen pressure.
The dependency of processing pressure on the electrical performances in amorphous silicon -zinc-tin-oxide thin film transistors (SZTO-TFT) has been investigated. The SZTO channel layers were deposited by using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method with different partial pressure. The field effect mobility (μFE) increased and threshold voltage (Vth) shifted to negative direction with increasing pressure during deposition processing. As a result, oxygen vacancies generated in SZTO channel layer with increasing partial pressure resulted in negative shift in Vth and increase in on-current.
We have developed an implantable wireless sensor for real time pressure monitoring of blood circulation system. MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) technology was adopted as a sensor development method. The sensor is composed of photolithographically patterned inductors and a distributed capacitor in gap between the inductors. A resulting LC resonant system produces its resonant frequency in range of 269 to 284 MHz at 740 mmHg. To read the resonant frequency changed by blood pressure variation, we developed a custom readout system based on a network analyzer functionality, The bench-top testing of the pressure sensors showed good mechanical and electrical functionality. A sensor was implanted into tibial artery of farm pig, and interrogated wirelessly with accurate readings of blood pressure. After 45 days, the sensor`s electrical response and histopathology were studied with good frequency reading and biocompatibility.
The dependency of sputtering power on the electrical performances in amorphous HIZO-TFT (hafnium-indium-zinc-oxide thin film transistors) has been investigated. The HIZO channel layers were prepared by using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method with different sputtering power at room temperature. TOF-SIMS (time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry) was performed to confirm doping of hafnium atom in IZO film. The field effect mobility (μFE) increased and threshold voltage (Vth) shifted to negative direction with increasing sputtering power. This result can be attributed to the high energy particles knocking-out oxygen atoms. As a result, oxygen vacancies generated in HIZO channel layer with increasing sputtering power resulted in negative shift in Vth and increase in on-current.
The semiconducting material of ZnO in II-VI group was well known as its good application for photo electronics, chemical sensors and field effect transistors due to the remarkable optical properties with wide energy band gap and great ionic reactivities. Up to now the growth of a good quality of ZnO film has been issued for better performances. Even though there were many deposition methods for making ZnO films, pulse laser deposition methods have been preferred for high crystalline films. In this report, the ZnO film was also created by pulsed laser deposition technique which also showed high crystalinity. By controlling several factors when deposited, it was investigated that the optimal condition for ZnO film formation. Mainly, oxygen partial pressures and growth temperatures were changed when ZnO films were synthesized and followed the characterization by HRXRD and AFM.