In the recent past a great deal of research efforts were directed toward the development of miniaturized gas-sensing devices, particularly for toxic gas detection and for pollution monitoring. Though various techniques are available for gas detection, solid state metal oxides offer a wide spectrum of materials and their sensitivities for different gaseous species, making it a better choice over other options. In this article a critical parameter analysis of different metal oxides that are known to be sensitive to various gaseous species are thoroughly examined. This includes phase of the oxide, sensing gaseous species, operating temperature range, and physical form of the material for the development of integrated gas sensors. The oxides that are covered in this study include oxides of aluminum, bismuth, cadmium, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, indium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, ruthenium, tantalum, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zinc, zirconium, and the mixed or...

Oxide Materials for Development of Integrated Gas Sensors—A Comprehensive Review

The flat tip of an optical fiber is a unique and unconventional platform for micro and nanotechnologies The small cross-section and large aspect ratio of the fiber provide an inherently light-coupled substrate that is uniquely suited to remote, in vivo and in situ applications However, these same characteristics challenge established fabrication technologies, which are best suited to large planar substrates This review presents a broad overview of strategies for patterning the flat tip of an optical fiber Techniques discussed include self-assembly, numerous lithographies, through-fiber patterning, hybrid techniques, and strategies for mass manufacture, while the diverse applications are discussed in context throughout

The Optical Fiber Tip: An Inherently Light-Coupled Microscopic Platform for Micro- and Nanotechnologies

Recent Progress in Essential Functions of Soft Electronic Skin

The present invention aims to present an angular velocity sensor having a self diagnosis function. An angular velocity sensor of the present invention includes a driving part for stably vibrating a driving part of a sensor element having a driver part and a detector part for detecting an angular velocity and detection means for detecting the angular velocity of the sensor element and obtains a self diagnosis signal for a malfunction by detecting a mechanical coupling signal obtained at the detection means.

Angular velocity sensor

An angular velocity sensor includes four mass members which are connected by retaining beams, and the retaining beams are fixed to a substrate at node portions which correspond to nodes of the retaining beams when the mass members vibrate such that two adjacent mass members are in opposite phases. The mass members vibrate in an X-axis direction while the overall center of gravity is maintained at an approximately constant position. Two mass members disposed at the central region move in a Y-axis direction in accordance with an angular velocity about a Z axis, and the angular velocity is detected on the basis of the displacements thereof. The mass members vibrate in a stable vibrational state and dimensional errors or other problems, are compensated for by their shapes that are symmetric to each other in the Y-axis direction. Accordingly, the detection accuracy and reliability of the sensor are improved.

A new type temperature-sensor of pn junction diode and micro-air-bridge heater combined with this one, are proposed and demonstrated. This pn junction diode temperature-sensor can cover very wide temperature range of about −200 to 500 °C (for about −200 to 150 °C by adjusting the forward bias-voltage; for about 150–500 °C by reverse bias-voltage of about 1 V) with very high sensitivity and accuracy like a NTC thermistor. It is confirmed that the heater combined with this pn junction temperature-sensor formed on the micro-air-bridge of 700 μm ×700  μm has very quick response (thermal time constant of about 16 ms) and very high sensitivity and stability by feedback control.

Thermistor-like pn junction temperature-sensor with variable sensitivity and its combination with a micro-air-bridge heater

PURPOSE: To store the energy in a capacitor by converting the vibration energy of forced vibration into the electric energy, and to take out the electric power. CONSTITUTION: Piezoelectric ceramic plates 11 are stuck to both surfaces of a slender phosphor bronze plate 10. The plate 10 is attached to an n-Si substrate 12. A groove 13 is formed in the n-Si substrate 12. The surface undergoes thermal oxidation for electric insulation, and an SiO 2 thin film 14 is formed. A pair of electrodes 15 of metallic thin films are formed on both surfaces of each piezoelectric ceramic plate 11. Output terminals A and A' are guided on the substrate. When forced vibration is received, the phosphor bronze plate 10 is vertically vibrated. Two piezoelectric ceramic plates 11 are alternately expanding and contracting, and the AC voltage is generated in each ceramic plate 11, respectively. Interconnection is performed so that the AC voltages are overlapped and appear at the output terminals A and A'. A weight 16 is bonded to the vibrating end of the cantilever of the piezoelectric plate. In order to avoid the breakdown of the vibrating plate caused by the too large amplitude of the vibration, the depth of the groove is adequately set, and a stopper 17 for limiting the amplitude is provided. COPYRIGHT: (C)1995,JPO

Piezoelectric generating device

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a highly efficient transistor and an integrated circuit which are microminiaturized, enable rapid operation and high density integration at high input impedance, by forming a thin deformation layer in an area near a Schottky junction immediately below an MOS gate. SOLUTION: A thermal oxide SiO2 film 30 is formed in a surface of a substrate 10. A thin thermal oxide SiO2 film for a gate oxide film 31 is formed in the window of the thick thermal oxide SiO2 film 30. After at least a part of an MoSi2 thin film for a gate metal 3 is formed to overlap a first semiconductor layer 8 immediately below an MOS gate, a window is opened to expose at least a part of a surface of n-shaped island-like region 11 passing through thin thermal oxide SiO2 for the gate oxide film 31 from an upper part of an MoSi2 thin film for the gate metal 3, and Co for forming a Schottky metal 7 is subjected to sputtering formation. Thereafter, it is subjected to heat treatment for forming CoSi2 . Unreacted Co is removed by phosphoric acid enchant, and Al is subjected to sputtering formation. Thereafter, heat treatment is carried out.

Mos gate schottky tunnel transistor and integrated circuit using the same

http://documents.irevues.inist.fr/bitstream/handle/2042/6440/1035-2.pdf?...

Proposal of a new structural thermal vacuum sensor with diode-thermistors combined with a micro-air-bridge heater

A new design of a bulb-lens for emitted light collimation and a vibration sensor based on an optical-fiber cantilever with a bulb-lens fabricated using the silicon micro fabrication technique are proposed and demonstrated. Nearly flat frequency dependence of the optical output is observed in the frequency range 40–1200 Hz under constant acceleration. Acceleration resolutions of 0.3 and 1.0 m s −2 are attained in the transmission-type and reflection-type devices, respectively. Vibrations with many modes in a vibrator are analyzed by fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis of optical signals from these vibration sensors.

Mitsuteru Kimura

Papers

Thermistor-like pn junction temperature-sensor with variable sensitivity and its combination with a micro-air-bridge heater

Piezoelectric generating device

Mos gate schottky tunnel transistor and integrated circuit using the same

Proposal of a new structural thermal vacuum sensor with diode-thermistors combined with a micro-air-bridge heater

Vibration sensor using optical-fiber cantilever with bulb-lens