R. Akram

Bio: R. Akram is an academic researcher from Qassim University. The author has contributed to research in topics: SQUID & Josephson effect. The author has an hindex of 8, co-authored 32 publications receiving 223 citations. Previous affiliations of R. Akram include Bilkent University & Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology.

A humidity sensing organic-inorganic composite for environmental monitoring.

Abstract: In this paper, we present the effect of varying humidity levels on the electrical parameters and the multi frequency response of the electrical parameters of an organic-inorganic composite (PEPC+NiPc+Cu2O)-based humidity sensor. Silver thin films (thickness ~200 nm) were primarily deposited on plasma cleaned glass substrates by the physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique. A pair of rectangular silver electrodes was formed by patterning silver film through standard optical lithography technique. An active layer of organic-inorganic composite for humidity sensing was later spun coated to cover the separation between the silver electrodes. The electrical characterization of the sensor was performed as a function of relative humidity levels and frequency of the AC input signal. The sensor showed reversible changes in its capacitance with variations in humidity level. The maximum sensitivity ~31.6 pF/%RH at 100 Hz in capacitive mode of operation has been attained. The aim of this study was to increase the sensitivity of the previously reported humidity sensors using PEPC and NiPc, which has been successfully achieved.

High sensitivity and multifunctional micro-Hall sensors fabricated using InAlSb/InAsSb/InAlSb heterostructures

Abstract: Further diversification of Hall sensor technology requires development of materials with high electron mobility and an ultrathin conducting layer very close to the material’s surface. Here, we describe the magnetoresistive properties of micro-Hall devices fabricated using InAlSb/InAsSb/InAlSb heterostructures where electrical conduction was confined to a 30 nm-InAsSb two-dimensional electron gas layer. The 300 K electron mobility and sheet carrier concentration were 36 500 cm2 V−1 s−1 and 2.5×1011 cm−2, respectively. The maximum current-related sensitivity was 2 750 V A−1 T−1, which was about an order of magnitude greater than AlGaAs/InGaAs pseudomorphic heterostructures devices. Photolithography was used to fabricate 1 μm×1 μm Hall probes, which were installed into a scanning Hall probe microscope and used to image the surface of a hard disk.

Energy Efficient UAV-Enabled Mobile Edge Computing for IoT Devices: A Review

Abstract: With the emergence of computation-intensive and delay-sensitive applications, such as face recognition, virtual reality, augmented reality, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices; Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) allows the IoT devices to offload their heavy computation tasks to nearby edge cloud network rather than to compute the tasks locally. Therefore, it helps to reduce the energy consumption and execution delay in the ground mobile users. Flying Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) integrated with the MEC server play a key role in 5G and future wireless communication networks to provide spatial coverage and further computational services to the small, battery-powered and energy-constrained devices. The UAV-enabled MEC (U-MEC) system has flexible mobility and more computational capability compared to the terrestrial MEC network. They support line-of-sight (LoS) links with the users offloading their tasks to the UAVs. Hence, users can transmit more data without interference by mitigating small-scale fading and shadowing effects. UAVs resources and flight time are very limited due to size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints. Therefore, energy-aware communication and computation resources are allocated in order to minimize energy consumption.In this paper, a brief survey on U-MEC networks is presented. It includes the brief introduction regarding UAVs and MEC technology. The basic terminologies and architectures used in U-MEC networks are also defined. Moreover, mobile edge computation offloading working, different access schemes used during computation offloading technique are explained. Resources that are needed to be optimized in U-MEC systems are depicted with different optimization problem, and solution types. Furthermore, to guide future work in this area of research, future research directions are outlined. At the end, challenges and open issues in this domain are also summarized.

Resistive humidity sensor based on vanadium complex films

Abstract: A resistive-type relative humidity (RH) sensor based on vanadium complex (VO2(3-fl)) film is reported in this study. Gold electrodes were deposited on the glass substrates in a co-planar structure. A thin film of vanadium complex was coated as a humidity-sensing material on the top of the pre-patterned electrodes. The humidity-sensing principle of the sensor was based on the conductivity change of coated sensing element upon adsorption/desorption of water vapor. The resistance of the humidity sensor measured at 1 kHz decreased linearly with increasing the humidity in the range of 35%–70% RH. The overall resistance of the sensor decreases 11 times. An equivalent circuit for the VO2(3-fl) based resistive-type humidity sensor was developed. The properties of the sensor studied in this work make it beneficial for use in the instruments for environmental monitoring of humidity.

1/f noise characteristics of SEJ Y-Ba-Cu-O rf-SQUIDs on LaAlO/sub 3/ substrate and the step structure, film, and temperature dependence

Abstract: Step edge junction (SEJ) rf-SQUID magnetometers and gradiometers were fabricated using PLD Y-Ba-Cu-O films on LaAlO/sub 3/(100) and SrTiO/sub 3/(100) substrates. Effects of different step structure and the film properties on the yield, optimal operating temperature, and the 1/f noise of the SQUIDs were investigated. The step structure was controlled using various IBE processes. The devices on LaAlO/sub 3/ showed higher sensitivity to the step structure compared to those on SrTiO/sub 3/. This was due to re-deposition of substrate material at the steps prepared using the conventional IBE process resulting in a very low yield of unstable SQUIDs. High yield of low 1/f noise stable SQUIDs was obtained on LaAlO/sub 3/ substrates with sharp steps prepared using an optimized IBE process. A typical 1/f noise corner frequency of about 10 Hz at 77 K with two major temperature dependencies was obtained. The temperature dependencies of the 1/f noise could be correlated to the junction and the film of washer area of the SQUIDs. The white noise of our devices showed a dependency mainly on the amplitude of the flux to voltage transfer function signal. The operating temperature range of the SQUIDs could be controlled by the step structure and narrowed when the optimal operating temperature range was increased. All the measured junctions of our devices on the modified steps showed RSJ type behavior with a moderate decrease of the R/sub N/ versus temperature.

Phd by thesis

Abstract: Deposits of clastic carbonate-dominated (calciclastic) sedimentary slope systems in the rock record have been identified mostly as linearly-consistent carbonate apron deposits, even though most ancient clastic carbonate slope deposits fit the submarine fan systems better. Calciclastic submarine fans are consequently rarely described and are poorly understood. Subsequently, very little is known especially in mud-dominated calciclastic submarine fan systems. Presented in this study are a sedimentological core and petrographic characterisation of samples from eleven boreholes from the Lower Carboniferous of Bowland Basin (Northwest England) that reveals a >250 m thick calciturbidite complex deposited in a calciclastic submarine fan setting. Seven facies are recognised from core and thin section characterisation and are grouped into three carbonate turbidite sequences. They include: 1) Calciturbidites, comprising mostly of highto low-density, wavy-laminated bioclast-rich facies; 2) low-density densite mudstones which are characterised by planar laminated and unlaminated muddominated facies; and 3) Calcidebrites which are muddy or hyper-concentrated debrisflow deposits occurring as poorly-sorted, chaotic, mud-supported floatstones. These

Humidity Sensors Principle, Mechanism, and Fabrication Technologies: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract: Humidity measurement is one of the most significant issues in various areas of applications such as instrumentation, automated systems, agriculture, climatology and GIS. Numerous sorts of humidity sensors fabricated and developed for industrial and laboratory applications are reviewed and presented in this article. The survey frequently concentrates on the RH sensors based upon their organic and inorganic functional materials, e.g., porous ceramics (semiconductors), polymers, ceramic/polymer and electrolytes, as well as conduction mechanism and fabrication technologies. A significant aim of this review is to provide a distinct categorization pursuant to state of the art humidity sensor types, principles of work, sensing substances, transduction mechanisms, and production technologies. Furthermore, performance characteristics of the different humidity sensors such as electrical and statistical data will be detailed and gives an added value to the report. By comparison of overall prospects of the sensors it was revealed that there are still drawbacks as to efficiency of sensing elements and conduction values. The flexibility offered by thick film and thin film processes either in the preparation of materials or in the choice of shape and size of the sensor structure provides advantages over other technologies. These ceramic sensors show faster response than other types.

Focused electron beam induced deposition: A perspective

Abstract: Background: Focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) is a direct-writing technique with nanometer resolution, which has received strongly increasing attention within the last decade. In FEBID a precursor previously adsorbed on a substrate surface is dissociated in the focus of an electron beam. After 20 years of continuous development FEBID has reached a stage at which this technique is now particularly attractive for several areas in both, basic and applied research. The present topical review addresses selected examples that highlight this development in the areas of charge-transport regimes in nanogranular metals close to an insulator-to-metal transition, the use of these materials for strain- and magnetic-field sensing, and the prospect of extending FEBID to multicomponent systems, such as binary alloys and intermetallic compounds with cooperative ground states. Results: After a brief introduction to the technique, recent work concerning FEBID of Pt–Si alloys and (hard-magnetic) Co–Pt intermetallic compounds on the nanometer scale is reviewed. The growth process in the presence of two precursors, whose flux is independently controlled, is analyzed within a continuum model of FEBID that employs rate equations. Predictions are made for the tunability of the composition of the Co–Pt system by simply changing the dwell time of the electron beam during the writing process. The charge-transport regimes of nanogranular metals are reviewed next with a focus on recent theoretical advancements in the field. As a case study the transport properties of Pt–C nanogranular FEBID structures are discussed. It is shown that by means of a post-growth electron-irradiation treatment the electronic intergrain-coupling strength can be continuously tuned over a wide range. This provides unique access to the transport properties of this material close to the insulator-to-metal transition. In the last part of the review, recent developments in mechanical strain-sensing and the detection of small, inhomogeneous magnetic fields by employing nanogranular FEBID structures are highlighted. Conclusion: FEBID has now reached a state of maturity that allows a shift of the focus towards the development of new application fields, be it in basic research or applied. This is shown for selected examples in the present review. At the same time, when seen from a broader perspective, FEBID still has to live up to the original idea of providing a tool for electron-controlled chemistry on the nanometer scale. This has to be understood in the sense that, by providing a suitable environment during the FEBID process, the outcome of the electron-induced reactions can be steered in a controlled way towards yielding the desired composition of the products. The development of a FEBID-specialized surface chemistry is mostly still in its infancy. Next to application development, it is this aspect that will likely be a guiding light for the future development of the field of focused electron beam induced deposition.

Principles of Superconductive Devices and Circuits

Abstract: T van Duzer and C W Turner 1981 London: Edward Arnold xii + 369 pp price £20 In reviewing this book it is useful to distinguish between the authors' intention, as stated in the preface, and what they have actually done. What they have written is an extremely good physics text on the theory of Josephson junctions and the microscopic theory of superconductivity.

Toward a New Generation of Photonic Humidity Sensors

Abstract: This review offers new perspectives on the subject and highlights an area in need of further research. It includes an analysis of current scientific literature mainly covering the last decade and examines the trends in the development of electronic, acoustic and optical-fiber humidity sensors over this period. The major findings indicate that a new generation of sensor technology based on optical fibers is emerging. The current trends suggest that electronic humidity sensors could soon be replaced by sensors that are based on photonic structures. Recent scientific advances are expected to allow dedicated systems to avoid the relatively high price of interrogation modules that is currently a major disadvantage of fiber-based sensors.