Microfluidics is considered a revolutionary interdisciplinary technology with substantial interest in various biomedical applications. Many non-Newtonian fluids often used in microfluidics systems are notably influenced by the external active fields, such as acoustic, electric, and magnetic fields, leading to changes in rheological behavior. In this study, a numerical investigation is carried out to explore the rheological behavior of non-Newtonian fluids in a T-shaped microfluidics channel integrated with complex micropillar structures under the influence of acoustic, electric, and magnetic fields. For this purpose, COMSOL Multiphysics with laminar flow, pressure acoustic, electric current, and magnetic field physics is used to examine rheological characteristics of non-Newtonian fluids. Three polymer solutions, such as 2000 ppm xanthan gum (XG), 1000 ppm polyethylene oxide (PEO), and 1500 ppm polyacrylamide (PAM), are used as a non-Newtonian fluids with the Carreau–Yasuda fluid model to characterize the shear-thinning behavior. Moreover, numerical simulations are carried out with different input parameters, such as Reynolds numbers (0.1, 1, 10, and 50), acoustic pressure (5 Mpa, 6.5 Mpa, and 8 Mpa), electric voltage (200 V, 250 V, and 300 V), and magnetic flux (0.5 T, 0.7 T, and 0.9 T). The findings reveal that the incorporation of active fields and micropillar structures noticeably impacts fluid rheology. The acoustic field induces higher shear-thinning behavior, decreasing dynamic viscosity from 0.51 Pa·s to 0.34 Pa·s. Similarly, the electric field induces higher shear rates, reducing dynamic viscosities from 0.63 Pa·s to 0.42 Pa·s, while the magnetic field drops the dynamic viscosity from 0.44 Pa·s to 0.29 Pa·s. Additionally, as the Reynolds number increases, the shear rate also rises in the case of electric and magnetic fields, leading to more chaotic flow, while the acoustic field advances more smooth flow patterns and uniform fluid motion within the microchannel. Moreover, a proposed experimental framework is designed to study non-Newtonian fluid mixing in a T-shaped microfluidics channel under external active fields. Initially, the microchannel was fabricated using a high-resolution SLA printer with clear photopolymer resin material. Post-processing involved analyzing particle distribution, mixing quality, fluid rheology, and particle aggregation. Overall, the findings emphasize the significance of considering the fluid rheology in designing and optimizing microfluidics systems under active fields, especially when dealing with complex fluids with non-Newtonian characteristics.

An optical levitation system in a vacuum is an efficient system to investigate the dynamics of isolated micro- and nanoparticles. However, the motion and stability of the trapped particles in this system can be affected by the internal temperature, which remains a challenge to measure. Conventional methods are constrained by material specificity or lack the capability for direct temperature measurement. Here, we demonstrate the application of Raman thermometry for non-contact temperature detection of an optically levitated fused silica sphere in vacuum. In addition, the experimental results reveal a linear increase in particle temperature with laser power, consistent with photothermal theory. The integration of Raman thermometry with the optical levitation system enables high-precision thermal sensing at the microscale, offering significant potential for applications in precision metrology and fundamental physics.

At present, there are some devices for muscle strength training after knee surgery, such as elastic bands and isokinetic muscle strength training instruments, but most of them are expensive or cannot monitor training progress. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have proven to be reliable self-sensing devices. There have been some applications in the field of rehabilitation, but few have been used for muscle strength training. Our team has innovatively applied the TENG self-sensing device to the self-rehabilitation management of the knee joint post-surgery. We have developed the “Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Muscle Strength Training of Knee Joint after Surgery” (MSTKJS-TENG), which is significantly more integrated than traditional instruments (volume: 120 mm × 100 mm × 100 mm) and can real-time track the number and quality of movements completed by patients during muscle strength training. The development of this device has made up for the deficiencies of traditional instruments. It can assist medical staff in remotely evaluating the recovery of patients’ postoperative muscle strength to a certain extent, thereby adjusting training intensity in a timely manner and providing personalized guidance. Meanwhile, the research on this device provides effective technical support and innovation for the development of smart rehabilitation medicine.

The chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process in semiconductor fabrication faces challenges such as slurry agglomeration, scratches, and contamination, which degrade process reliability and device quality. To mitigate these challenges, this study investigated the application of hydrophobic surface coatings on CMP components. Polytetrafluorothylene (PTFE) was deposited onto stainless steel substrates, while diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were coated on PEEK-based retainer rings, with material selection guided by their surface energy characteristics and mechanical robustness. The hydrophobic performance of the coatings was systematically evaluated through contact angle measurements and surface roughness analysis (Ra, Rpk, Sa, Spk). Under oxide CMP conditions, 60 h reliability tests using non-patterned wafers demonstrated that PTFE-coated stainless-steel surfaces significantly reduced slurry-induced particle accumulation and suppressed scratches compared with uncoated substrates. In addition, PTFE provided stable hydrophobicity and effective scratch resistance, while DLC exhibited superhydrophobic behavior with contact angles exceeding 160°, offering potential for even greater protection against surface damage. The wettability of DLC coatings was further tunable via sp3/sp2 carbon bonding ratios and surface roughness, consistent with the predictions of the Cassie–Baxter and Wenzel models. These findings establish a framework for surface modification of CMP hardware. The integration of PTFE and DLC coatings effectively enhances hydrophobicity, suppresses slurry contamination, and improves scratch reliability, thereby offering a practical route for designing hydrophobic CMP components that strengthen process stability and extend equipment lifetime in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

The primary objective of layered settlement monitoring of deep soil is to obtain settlement data for both the soil and superstructure, enabling appropriate measures to be taken to ensure the structure’s safety and stability. Traditional deep soil monitoring technologies are either limited in the number of measurement points (e.g., fiber Bragg grating sensing technology) or exhibit low measurement accuracy (e.g., distributed fiber optic sensing technology). This study proposes a layered settlement monitoring technique for deep soil based on the ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating sensors. First, ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating strain sensors packaged by fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) were developed, and experimental research on the sensors’ sensing and directional recognition characteristics was conducted. Subsequently, the sensors were deployed for ground subsidence monitoring in Gaoyang County, China, with investigations conducted on sensor installation techniques and long-term measurement data. Experimental and engineering test results demonstrate that the strain and temperature sensing coefficients of the sensors are 1.22 pm/με and 17.06 pm/°C, respectively. Sensors incorporating dual ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating arrays can simultaneously detect both vertical and lateral soil displacement. Long-term monitoring data effectively reflects subsidence changes in the Gaoyang region.

Zero-depth nanopores present a promising solution to the challenges associated with ultrathin membranes used in solid-state resistive pulse sensors for DNA sequencing. Most existing fabrication methods are either complex or lack the nanoscale precision required. In this study, we introduce a cost-effective approach that combines PDMS molding at the intersection of silicon micro-blades with an innovative high-resolution nano-positioning technique. These blades are created through photolithography and a two-step KOH wet etching process, allowing for the formation of sub-50 nm 3D rhombic zero-depth nanopores featuring large vertex angles. To address the limitations of SEM imaging—such as dielectric charging and deformation of PDMS membranes under electron beam exposure—we devised a finite element model (FEM) that correlates electrical conductance with pore size and electrolyte concentration. This model aligns closely with experimental data, yielding a mean absolute percentage error of 3.69%, thereby enabling real-time indirect sizing of the nanopores based on the measured conductance. Additionally, we identified a critical channel length beyond which pore resistance becomes negligible, facilitating a linear relationship between conductance and pore diameter. The nanopores produced using this method exhibited a 2.4-fold increase in conductance compared to earlier designs, highlighting their potential for high-precision DNA sequencing applications.

In this work, the electrical and optical performance of AlGaN-based ultraviolet-C light-emitting diodes (UVC-LEDs) with a tapered Al-content hole injection layer was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. A total of 1000 h of real-time electrical stress was conducted to study the degradation process of such devices. UVC-LED incorporating a hole injection layer with a larger gradient was found to significantly suppress the degradation process compared to a sample with a smaller tapering gradient. Marginal efficiency droop of only 4.55% as well as 66% improved light output power, were identified for the proposed design under a current density of approximately 100 A/cm2. It was unambiguously demonstrated that UVC-LED with a greatly tapered hole injection layer facilitates both electron blocking and hole injection, providing a promising pathway towards the development of high-efficiency UV emitters.

This study provides a systematic mechanical characterization and manufacturing analysis of stereolithography-printed microneedle arrays across six geometric designs (300–400 μm diameter and three aspect ratios: 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1) and three array configurations (1 × 1, 5 × 5, 10 × 10). Compression testing to 50 N revealed geometry-dependent optimization: low-aspect-ratio designs (Designs 1, 4, 5) exhibited superior performance in high-density arrays (10 × 10), while high-aspect-ratio designs (Designs 2, 3) performed better as single needles. Manufacturing success rates increased significantly with array density: from 44.2% (95% CI: 41.1–47.3%) for single needles to 67.3% (95% CI: 63.2–71.4%) for 10 × 10 arrays, with 400 μm diameter designs showing higher reliability. Two-way ANOVA confirmed significant effects of both geometric design [F(5, 72) = 145.3, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.91] and array configuration [F(2, 72) = 78.2, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.68] on compressive displacement. Design 5 (400 μm diameter, 3:1 aspect ratio) in a 10 × 10 format exhibited optimal mechanical characteristics, including controlled displacement (0.578 ± 0.036 mm), a high safety factor (SF = 13.32), and a superior manufacturing yield. These findings provide quantitative design guidelines for optimizing 3D-printed microneedle arrays.

To enhance the fabrication consistency and surface quality of microlens array (MLA) molds, this study presents a high-quality and high-efficiency rotary profile-cutting (RPC) method conducted on a four-axis ultraprecision machining platform. A geometric model is established to define the relationship between tool parameters and microlens structural features, and the toolpath is optimized by refining control points to enhance machining accuracy. In addition, a novel tool-setting error characterization approach is developed, enabling submicron-level positioning of the diamond tool, with errors in the X and Y directions controlled within 1 μm. Experimental validation demonstrates the successful fabrication of a 6 × 6 square-array MLA mold with a curvature radius of 507 μm using the proposed RPC method. Subsequent replication of MLA through precision glass molding (PGM) yielded structures with a peak-to-valley (PV) value below 354 nm and surface roughness (Ra) below 11 nm. Optical performance tests confirm the high consistency and accuracy of the fabricated MLA, highlighting the potential of the proposed RPC technique for advanced optical component manufacturing.

Optical components are extensively used in aerospace, microelectronic equipment, precision optical measurement, laser optics and other fields. Surface defects on optical components can significantly impact system performance, necessitating specialized detection methods. However, technical challenges persist in achieving high-resolution, high-precision and efficient optical surface defect detection. To address this, we propose an improved YOLOv8-based object recognition algorithm. By incorporating the BRA attention mechanism into YOLOv8’s backbone network, multi-scale feature maps are processed to enhance adaptability to complex scenarios. Simultaneously, replacing the feature fusion module with the Context-GuideFPN module enables contextual guidance and adaptive adjustments during multi-scale feature integration without excessive computational overhead. Experimental results on our high-quality microscopic dark-field image dataset demonstrate that the enhanced BACG-YOLOv8 achieves excellent performance in optical component defect detection. The optimized network accurately extracts defect details, particularly demonstrating refined edge feature extraction while effectively suppressing noise interference. This significantly reduces detection errors and improves defect extraction accuracy.