Fouad Kerrour

Bio: Fouad Kerrour is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Terahertz radiation & Discriminator. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 4 publications receiving 3 citations.

Can WO 3 and SnO 2 be used as acetone gas sensors in exhaled human breath for noninvasive blood glucose monitoring

Abstract: We set up in this work the evidence that an electronic nose system can be used for the noninvasive monitoring of human blood glucose since there is a direct correlation between acetone levels in exhaled breath and the blood glucose concentration. We designed and tested two types of gas sensors, and we present their features in order to develop an e-nose sensitive to the very low acetone concentration, and capable of discriminating the various interferences that may be present in human breath, and which may affect the measurements. In this study SnO2 and WO3 were used as gas sensing materials with a layer thickness of 50nm each, these layers have been deposited on silicon substrates containing platinum contact electrodes. Experimental test measurements and relevant data analyses have been conducted.

Design of a cost-efficient terahertz system for biomedical applications

Abstract: The present study investigates the use of terahertz radiations for non-invasive blood glucose monitoring. In this proposal, we have designed and tested a new cost-efficient device consisting of a THz source and detector that will serve as the first step to develop a noninvasive glucometer. Experimental test measurements have been reported.

Design et simulation d’un nouveau capteur de gaz a oxyde metallique.

Abstract: Nos travaux portent sur la conception et l’evaluation rigoureuse d’une nouvelle conception de capteur de gaz semi-conducteur a oxyde metallique (SMO) avec des differentes formes et tailles, afin d’evaluer la geometrie d’implantation la plus efficace en termes de consommation electrique, la stabilite de la membrane et la distribution de la temperature. La conception met en œuvre des aspects innovants, permettant une amelioration de la selectivite et de la consommation d’energie des capteurs de gaz, ce qui rend le produit adapte a une grande variete d’applications. Pour soutenir d’avantage les resultats de la simulation, on demarre l’etude avec une validation de notre modele a partir d’une etude comparative de plusieurs types de geometries de l’element chauffant (spirale, meandre et anneau) sous environnement Comsol. Le but de cette etude est de fournir un modele ameliore, avec une temperature plus uniforme au niveau de la zone active (reponse avec le moins de bruit possible), ainsi qu’une reduction de cout du capteur (puissance consommee et dimensions de la puce reduite, minimiser les etapes de gravure en embarquent l’element chauffant et les electrodes dans la meme couche au-dessus de la membrane).

Terahertz Imaging and Sensing for Healthcare: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Abstract: There is a keen interest in the exploration of new generation emitters and detectors due to advancements in innovation of new materials and device processing technologies which have opened up new frontiers in the Terahertz (THz) spectrum. Therefore, it is necessary to review the developments in THz technology for healthcare applications, their impact, implications and prospects for ongoing research and development. This paper provides a broad overview of the current status and prospects of application of THz imaging and sensing for the healthcare domain. We present current knowledge, identify existing challenges for wide scale clinical adoption of THz systems and prospective opinions to facilitate research and development towards optimized and miniaturized THz systems and biosensors that provide real operational convenience through emerging trends. Firstly, we provide an overview of the THz imaging and sensing techniques that exploit properties of THz generation and detection with emphasis on terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and THz Metamaterials. The mechanisms of tissue image contrast and the application of THz imaging and sensing for biomedical applications in particular, the cancer detection application is reported. Secondly, an outlook toward the advancements in THz technology in the interface of healthcare 4.0 and its enabling technologies is explored for next generation smart and connected healthcare systems. Third, we identify the merits and existing challenges in THz cancer imaging and sensing and suggest prospective opinions to pave way to ongoing and future research. Further, we discuss the recent advances in THz imaging development and the contribution of near-field techniques based on plasmonic, and resonance based metasurfaces, waveguides etc. for breaking the diffraction limit towards development of THz systems that are convenient for point of care. We bring researchers a roadmap for future research scope.

Terahertz Imaging and Sensing for Healthcare: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Abstract: There is a keen interest in the exploration of new generation emitters and detectors due to advancements in innovation of new materials and device processing technologies which have opened up new frontiers in the Terahertz (THz) spectrum. Therefore, it is necessary to review the developments in THz technology for healthcare applications, their impact, implications and prospects for ongoing research and development. This paper provides a broad overview of the current status and prospects of application of THz imaging and sensing for the healthcare domain. We present current knowledge, identify existing challenges for wide scale clinical adoption of THz systems and prospective opinions to facilitate research and development towards optimized and miniaturized THz systems and biosensors that provide real operational convenience through emerging trends. Firstly, we provide an overview of the THz imaging and sensing techniques that exploit properties of THz generation and detection with emphasis on terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and THz Metamaterials. The mechanisms of tissue image contrast and the application of THz imaging and sensing for biomedical applications in particular, the cancer detection application is reported. Secondly, an outlook toward the advancements in THz technology in the interface of healthcare 4.0 and its enabling technologies is explored for next generation smart and connected healthcare systems. Third, we identify the merits and existing challenges in THz cancer imaging and sensing and suggest prospective opinions to pave way to ongoing and future research. Further, we discuss the recent advances in THz imaging development and the contribution of near-field techniques based on plasmonic, and resonance based metasurfaces, waveguides etc. for breaking the diffraction limit towards development of THz systems that are convenient for point of care. We bring researchers a roadmap for future research scope.

Ultra-high temperature ( > 300 °C) suspended thermodiode in SOI CMOS technology

Abstract: This paper reports for the first time on the performance and long-term stability of a silicon on insulator (SOI) thermodiode with tungsten metallization, suspended on a dielectric membrane, at temperatures beyond 300 °C. The thermodiode has been designed and fabricated with minute saturation currents (due to both small size and the use of SOI technology) to allow an ultra-high temperature range and minimal non-linearity. It was found that the thermodiode forward voltage drop versus temperature plot remains linear up to 500 °C, with a non-linearity error of less than 7%. Extensive experimental results on performance of the thermodiode that was fabricated using a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) SOI process are presented. These results are backed up by infrared measurements and a range of 2-D (dimension) and 3-D simulations using ISE and ANSYS software. The on-chip drive electronics for the thermodiode and the micro-heater, as well as the sensor transducing circuit were placed adjacent to the membrane. We demonstrate that the thermodiode is considerably more reliable in long-term direct current operation at high temperatures when compared to the more classical resistive temperature detectors (RTDs) using CMOS metallization layers (tungsten or aluminum). We also compare a membrane thermodiode with a reference thermodiode placed on the silicon substrate and assess their relative performance at elevated temperatures. The experimental results from this comparison confirm that the thermodiode suffers minimal piezo-junction/ piezo-resistive effects.

Monitoring Diabetic Ketoacidosis by Urine Ketones Tracing Using an E-Nose

Abstract: Monitoring urine ketones can be useful for diagnosing diabetes In this paper we present a method to detect diabetic ketoacidosis in synthetic urine samples by sniffing dimethyl ketone traces A portable E-nose was developed using five metal oxide (MOX) gas sensors configured and controlled by eight bits microcontroller The analog signals from gas sensors are converted to digital by the ten bits analog to digital converter (ADC) housing the microcontroller The experiments were done on synthetic-urine dimethyl ketone dissolution with concentrations between 1 to 100 mg/dL The results show that we can determine dimethyl concentration with a great accuracy, over 85% which demonstrate the great possibility of use this method in detection of ketoacidosis in real urine samples