High-sensitivity Detection Techniques Research Articles

Application of 2-D Molybdenum Disulfide in the Field of Photoelectric Detection

The research of photodetectors is rooted in the principle of photoelectric effect, which has become indispensable in human society. Photodetectors convert light signals into electrical signals and represent a crucial subdivision within modern optoelectronic technology. They play significant roles in optical communications, remote sensing, biomedical applications, industrial automation, and more. Two-dimensional MoS<sub>2</sub> has attracted considerable attention in optoelectronics due to its unique structure and performance characteristics. The research methods for photodetectors primarily include: Material Selection: Using semiconductor materials such as silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, and indium arsenide. Silicon, in particular, is widely applied in optical communications, computer networks, medical diagnostics, and more. Technological Improvements: This involves high sensitivity detection techniques, automatic alignment technologies, and composite integration techniques to enhance the performance and application domains of photodetectors. Application Development: Exploring new applications of photodetectors in optical communications, medical imaging, security monitoring, etc., and improving their reliability and efficiency in practical applications.Research on photodetectors not only enhances their efficiency and performance in fields like communication, medicine, and security monitoring but also lays a solid foundation for future technological innovation and application expansion. With continuous advancements in technology, photodetectors are demonstrating vast application prospects and substantial market potential. Finally, the prospects and challenges associated with photodetectors in practical applications are also discussed.

Long-range UWOC system-based high-sensitivity detection techniques

Long-range UWOC system-based high-sensitivity detection techniques

Integrating magnetic metal-organic frameworks-based sample preparation with microchannel resistance biosensor for rapid and quantitative detection of aflatoxin B1

Aflatoxin B1, a secondary metabolite produced by fungi, is one of the most toxic mycotoxins that poses a major food security and public health threat worldwide. Effective sample pretreatment and high sensitivity detection techniques are urgently needed due to its trace amount in complex samples. Herein, an integrated detection strategy was developed by combining Mg/Zn-metal organic framework-74 modified Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Mg/Zn-MOF-74 @Fe3O4 MNPs)-based sample preparation and microchannel resistance biosensor for rapid and highly sensitive detection of aflatoxin B1 in food samples. The synthesis and characterization of Mg/Zn-MOF-74 @Fe3O4 MNPs was reported, which exhibited efficient separation and enrichment capacity when exposed to complex grain samples. The competitive immunoassay-based microchannel resistance biosensor enabled specific and high-sensitive analysis of aflatoxin B1 by using current as a readout, which caused by the blocking effect between the functionalized-polystyrene microspheres and microchannel. Under optimized conditions, this biosensor was capable to quantitatively analysis aflatoxin B1 from 10 pg/mL to 20 ng/mL, and with a limit of detection of 4.75 pg/mL. This integrated detection strategy has been tested for the quantitative detection of aflatoxin B1 in grain samples that is a potential protocol for food safety control and environmental monitoring.

Plasmonic Layer as a Localized Temperature Control Element for Surface Plasmonic Resonance-Based Sensors.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing is a well-established high-sensitivity, label-free and real-time detection technique for biomolecular interaction study. Its primary working principle consists of the measurement of the optical refractive index of the medium that is in close vicinity of the sensor surface. Bio-functionalization techniques allow biomolecular events to be located in such a way. Since optical refractive indices of any medium varies with the temperature, the place where the measurement takes place shall be within a temperature-controlled environment in order to ensure any temperature fluctuation is interpreted as a biomolecular event. Since the SPR measurement probes the sensed medium within the penetration depth of the plasmonic wave, which is less or in the order of 1 µm, we propose to use the metallic film constituting the detection surface as a localized heater aiming at controlling finely and quickly the temperature of the sensed medium. The Joule heating principle is then used and the modeling of the heater is reported as well as its validation by thermal IR imaging. Using water as a demonstration medium, SPR measurement results at different temperatures are successfully compared to the theoretical optical refractive index of water versus temperature.

Observation of a Smooth Polaron-Molecule Transition in a Degenerate Fermi Gas

Understanding the behavior of an impurity strongly interacting with a Fermi sea is a long-standing challenge in many-body physics. When the interactions are short-ranged, two vastly different ground states exist: a polaron quasiparticle and a molecule dressed by the majority atoms. In the single-impurity limit, it is predicted that at a critical interaction strength, a first-order transition occurs between these two states. Experiments, however, are always conducted in the finite temperature and impurity density regime. The fate of the polaron-to-molecule transition under these conditions, where the statistics of quantum impurities and thermal effects become relevant, is still unknown. Here, we address this question experimentally and theoretically. Our experiments are performed with a spin-imbalanced ultracold Fermi gas with tunable interactions. Utilizing a novel Raman spectroscopy combined with a high-sensitivity fluorescence detection technique, we isolate the quasiparticle contribution and extract the polaron energy, spectral weight, and the contact parameter. As the interaction strength is increased, we observe a continuous variation of all observables, in particular a smooth reduction of the quasiparticle weight as it goes to zero beyond the transition point. Our observation is in good agreement with a theoretical model where polaron and molecule quasiparticle states are thermally occupied according to their quantum statistics. At the experimental conditions, polaron states are hence populated even at interactions where the molecule is the ground state and vice versa. The emerging physical picture is thus that of a smooth transition between polarons and molecules and a coexistence of both in the region around the expected transition.

Current Trends in Applications of Circulatory Microchimerism Detection in Transplantation.

Primarily due to recent advances of detection techniques, microchimerism (the proportion of minor variant population is below 1%) has recently gained increasing attention in the field of transplantation. Availability of polymorphic markers, such as deletion insertion or single nucleotide polymorphisms along with a vast array of high sensitivity detection techniques, allow the accurate detection of small quantities of donor- or recipient-related materials. This diagnostic information can improve monitoring of allograft injuries in solid organ transplantations (SOT) as well as facilitate early detection of relapse in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). In the present review, genetic marker and detection platform options applicable for microchimerism detection are discussed. Furthermore, current results of relevant clinical studies in the context of microchimerism and SOT or allo-HSCT respectively are also summarized.

High sensitivity detection of ultrasonic signal for nondestructive inspection using pulse compression method

Semiconductor parts are currently being stacked and miniaturized, and as device structures become more complicated, nondestructive inspections are increasingly needed for improving yield and securing reliability. Scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) is used to detect delamination and voids. However, when the frequency of the ultrasonic probe is increased to improve the spatial resolution, conventional SAM cannot detect defects in deep parts because ultrasonic attenuation increases. In this research, we developed high sensitivity detection technique of ultrasonic signal using a pulse compression method, examined a modulation method, and designed the waveform of the transmitted signal to achieve high defect detection sensitivity. Conventional and developed detection techniques of ultrasonic signal were applied to a 3-layer stacked specimen, and their ultrasonic images, noise reduction effect, and defect detection sensitivity were compared.

High Resolution Brillouin Sensing of Micro-Scale Structures

Brillouin distributed measurement techniques have been extensively developed for structural health monitoring using fibre optic nerve systems. The recent advancement in the spatial resolution capabilities of correlation-based Brillouin distributed technique have reached the sub-mm regime, making this approach a suitable candidate for monitoring and characterizing integrated photonic devices. The small dimension associated with the short length of these devices—on the order of the cm- and mm-scale—requires high sensitivity detection techniques and sub-mm spatial resolution. In this paper, we provide an overview of the different Brillouin sensing techniques in various micro-scale structures such as photonic crystal fibres, microfibres, and on-chip waveguides. We show how Brillouin sensing is capable of detecting fine transverse geometrical features with the sensitivity of a few nm and also extremely small longitudinal features on the order of a few hundreds of μ m . We focus on the technique of Brillouin optical correlation domain analysis (BOCDA), which enables such high spatial resolution for mapping the opto-acoustic responses of micro-scale waveguides.

High-sensitivity visualization of localized electric fields using low-energy electron beam deflection

The visualization of localized electronic charges on nanocatalysts is expected to yield fundamental information about catalytic reaction mechanisms. We have developed a high-sensitivity detection technique for the visualization of localized charges on a catalyst and their corresponding electric field distribution, using a low-energy beam of 1 to 5 keV electrons and a high-sensitivity scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) detector. The highest sensitivity for visualizing a localized electric field was ∼0.08 V/µm at a distance of ∼17 µm from a localized charge at 1 keV of the primary electron energy, and a weak local electric field produced by 200 electrons accumulated on the carbon nanotube (CNT) apex can be visualized. We also observed that Au nanoparticles distributed on a CNT forest tended to accumulate a certain amount of charges, about 150 electrons, at a −2 V bias.

Review of high-sensitivity Radon studies

A challenge in many present cutting-edge particle physics experiments is the stringent requirements in terms of radioactive background. In peculiar, the prevention of Radon, a radioactive noble gas, which occurs from ambient air and it is also released by emanation from the omnipresent progenitor Radium. In this paper we review various high-sensitivity Radon detection techniques and approaches, applied in the experiments looking for rare nuclear processes happening at low energies. They allow to identify, quantitatively measure and finally suppress the numerous sources of Radon in the detectors’ components and plants.

Investigating essential and toxic elements in Antarctic macroalgae using a green analytical method

A systematic study for the determination of essential and toxic elements (such as As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) in Antarctic macroalgae species (Desmarestia anceps, Iridaea cordata, Palmaria decipiens and Pyropia endiviifolia) was performed. For this purpose, a green sample preparation method combined with a high-sensitivity detection technique (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) was used. By using the microwave-assisted digestion combined with ultraviolet radiation (MW-UV) method, 700 mg of macroalgae were digested using a diluted HNO3 solution (2 mol L−1). The accuracy was evaluated by analysis of certified reference materials of aquatic plant (BCR 060) and apple leaves (NIST 1515). Agreement with reference or informed values for all analytes ranged from 94 to 106%, except for As and Mo in BCR 060. The results were also compared with those obtained by the reference method, which did not present a significant difference (t test, 95% confidence level). Based on the results, analysed samples showed considerable variations in regards to the concentrations of Zn, Ni and Mn. Moreover, a relatively high concentration of As in Desmarestia anceps and Pyropia endiviifolia was observed. The results for most of the analytes in Antarctic macroalgae were in agreement with other studies that have been published in literature. In addition, the proposed method was suitable for determining toxic and essential elements in Antarctic macroalgae reducing reagent consumption and waste generation, which is in agreement with the green chemistry recommendation.

Immune profiling in human breast cancer using high-sensitivity detection and analysis techniques.

ObjectivesEvaluation of immune profiles in human breast cancer using high-sensitivity detection and analysis methods.DesignCohort comparative analysis studies of breast tissue.SettingHuman hospital and laboratory healthcare facilities.ParticipantsWomen over 18 years.Main outcome measuresEvaluation of the comparative immunophenotype of human breast carcinoma and normal breast tissues.ResultsLeukocyte density and specific subgroups of lymphocytes and macrophages were generally higher in breast cancers compared to normal breast tissues. CD3, CD4, CD45RO, CD45RA(2H4), CD45 and HLA Class II (on TIL) were significantly expressed on breast tumour tissues compared with normal tissues (p < .01). Some 30% of T-cells were γδ-TCR positive, but the majority were αβ-TCR in type. CD19 (B-cell), CD14 (FMC32 and 33) and HLA Class I levels (epithelial and TIL) showed no significant differences. IL-2α receptor expression was low or absent on most TIL.ConclusionsHigh-sensitivity and image analysis techniques permitted accurate characterisation of the TIL infiltrate for immune profiling. Breast carcinoma showed predominance of CD4 T-cells of mainly memory phenotype. Normal breast tissues showed low leukocyte infiltration. Further correlation of these findings with clinical outcome, including survival, is proceeding with encouraging results.

Interference of Co-Amplified Nuclear Mitochondrial DNA Sequences on the Determination of Human mtDNA Heteroplasmy by Using the SURVEYOR Nuclease and the WAVE HS System

High-sensitivity and high-throughput mutation detection techniques are useful for screening the homoplasmy or heteroplasmy status of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), but might be susceptible to interference from nuclear mitochondrial DNA sequences (NUMTs) co-amplified during polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In this study, we first evaluated the platform of SURVEYOR Nuclease digestion of heteroduplexed DNA followed by the detection of cleaved DNA by using the WAVE HS System (SN/WAVE-HS) for detecting human mtDNA variants and found that its performance was slightly better than that of denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC). The potential interference from co-amplified NUMTs on screening mtDNA heteroplasmy when using these 2 highly sensitive techniques was further examined by using 2 published primer sets containing a total of 65 primer pairs, which were originally designed to be used with one of the 2 techniques. We confirmed that 24 primer pairs could amplify NUMTs by conducting bioinformatic analysis and PCR with the DNA from 143B-ρ0 cells. Using mtDNA extracted from the mitochondria of human 143B cells and a cybrid line with the nuclear background of 143B-ρ0 cells, we demonstrated that NUMTs could affect the patterns of chromatograms for cell DNA during SN-WAVE/HS analysis of mtDNA, leading to incorrect judgment of mtDNA homoplasmy or heteroplasmy status. However, we observed such interference only in 2 of 24 primer pairs selected, and did not observe such effects during DHPLC analysis. These results indicate that NUMTs can affect the screening of low-level mtDNA variants, but it might not be predicted by bioinformatic analysis or the amplification of DNA from 143B-ρ0 cells. Therefore, using purified mtDNA from cultured cells with proven purity to evaluate the effects of NUMTs from a primer pair on mtDNA detection by using PCR-based high-sensitivity methods prior to the use of a primer pair in real studies would be a more practical strategy.

Efficiency and specificity of microRNA-primed nucleotide analog incorporation by various DNA polymerases

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as endogenous regulators of gene expression have spurred a surge of interest for their quantification and expression analysis. High-sensitivity and high-specificity miRNA detection techniques, such as real-time polymerase chain reaction and recently introduced bioluminescent miRNA detection, require systematic study of DNA polymerases for use with miRNAs. In this study, a variety of DNA polymerases were studied to assess their capabilities of using miRNA as a primer and incorporating 2′-deoxyadenosine-5′- O-(1-thiotriphosphate) as a dATP alternative during DNA strand extension. Five DNA polymerases were investigated: mesophilic DNA polymerase I large (Klenow) fragment, 3′ → 5′ exo − Klenow DNA polymerase, thermophilic Bst DNA polymerase large fragment, Therminator DNA polymerase, and Taq DNA polymerase. The experimental results show that, except for Taq DNA polymerase, the polymerases can use miRNA as a primer and have both common and divergent properties of the nucleotide analog incorporation and miRNA discrimination. DNA polymerase I large (Klenow) fragment showed no detectable polymerization product with the thio-modified dATP as a substrate. Thermophilic Bst DNA polymerase had the highest specificity for miRNA recognition on a DNA template. The study provides a novel method for miRNA detection without reverse transcription to complementary DNA that is faster, simpler, and less prone to biases and errors.

A High Sensitivity Detection Technique Reveals JAK2-V617F Mutation in Additional 20% of Patients with Essential Thrombocytemia, but Not in Patients with Primary Myelofibrosis, Considered Negative with a Conventional ASO-PCR

Polycytemia Vera (PV), Essential Thrombocytemia (ET) and Primary Myelofibrosis (PMF) are defined as the major Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). The JAK2-V617F gene mutation is a common feature of MPD but it is present in a variable proportion in patients: 95% of PV, 23 to 57% of ET and 30 to 57% of PMF patients. At the present, the most important role of JAK2-V617F mutation testing, over all during the initial evaluation of MPD patients, is that it can definitively confirm the diagnosis. In fact, its specificity permits to discriminate the considerable clinical overlap between reactive cellular proliferations and clonal myeloproliferative disorders. Moreover, because V617F is an acquired mutation that can be present in a small proportion of granulocytic populations, especially for ET, a highly sensitive detection method is essential. In fact, phenotypic effects ascribed to the presence of the JAK2-V617F mutation have been reported over all in studies with ET patients. Different sensitivity of various assays methods partially accounts for the wide range of mutation frequencies reported in literature for ET and PMF. Thus, to try to increase the sensitivity of JAK2 mutational status detection, we developed a Real-Time PCR technique that enhances allele discrimination between mutant and wild-type sequence. A Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) clamping oligomer was added to the PCR reaction solution. In this macromolecules, the ribose moiety is modified with an extra bridge connecting the 2′ and 4′ carbons. The bridge “locks” the ribose in the 3′-end structural conformation. It binds preferentially the JAK2 wild type sequence preventing from polymerase elongation. The melting curve was used to analyse amplification products, avoiding post-PCR processing and supplying the diagnostic information immediately at the end of the amplification. 236 genomic DNA samples from healthy donors, ET and PMF patients were tested for JAK2-V617F mutation detection with a conventional allelespecific PCR (ASO-PCR, sensitivity: 1–3%). All samples were re-evaluated with a seminested PCR protocol and Real-Time PCR based method in order to improve the sensitivity. The cell line HEL DNA dilutions were used to assess the semi-nested PCR and the Real-Time PCR assay sensitivity level (0,1%). The frequency of JAK2-V617F point mutation increased from 52 to 72% in 168 ET samples. All results obtained with the new technique were confirmed by the semi-nested PCR protocol. In 58 PMF samples tested, 50% of patients were positive for the mutation in ASO-PCR while 55% resulted positive with the semi-nested protocol confirmed by the Real-Time PCR test. The high sensitivity in the JAK2-V617F mutation detection obtained with the semi-nested and the Real-Time PCR revealed that 20% of patients affected by ET and considered JAK2-V617F negative with a conventional ASO-PCR, were effectively positive. The comparison between three different analytical methods revealed that in ET but not in PMF patients, the mutation can be present only in a small proportion of granulocytic populations. Thus, since the prognostic relevance of V617F allele in ET, unlike in PMF, seems to be relevant, our high sensitive detection protocol can be effective for a correct molecular characterization and a diagnostic classification. The finding that a large proportion of ET patients bears a very small amount of JAK2-V617F mutated hematopoiesis further emphasizes the problem of the role of this small clone and warrants longitudinal analysis to understand whether this proportion remains stable or expands over time.

Investigating GPS Signals Indoors with Extreme High-Sensitivity Detection Techniques

High-sensitivity GPS and assisted GPS are being extensively researched as methods to improve positioning indoors, where weak, multipath-affected signals are often difficult or impossible to use. To improve knowledge of indoor GPS behavior, this paper presents details of a raw GPS processing technique that enables extremely long coherent integrations, thereby providing extremely high detection sensitivity for indoor signals. The technique is used to evaluate signal characteristics in a pair of datasets gathered indoors, with carrier-to-noise density ratios as much as 40 dB or more below nominal open-sky signals. Results show that weak signals such as these can be used to provide reasonably accurate positioning if a sufficient number of signals can be detected to ensure good positioning geometry. Signal degradations caused by multipath are shown to be less damaging to posi- tion than the loss of availability caused by low signal strength. In addition, the high-sensitivity techniques based on precise tracking loop control demonstrate the potential for improved high-sensitivity GPS-based technologies using ultra-tight integration with additional sensors.

Ultrasound-Modulated Optical Tomography in Reflective andCoaxial Configuration

Ultrasound-modulated optical tomography affords a verypromising noninvasive imaging method for biomedical diagnosis. Withthis technique, an ultrasound beam is focused into a scattering mediumto provide an accurate localization and, simultaneously, a modulationof laser light inside the medium. Based on the high-sensitivitydetection technique, we have developed a unique reflectiveconfiguration, which was more convenient and practical than otherexisting configurations. Furthermore, the configuration also introduceda new scheme to improve the spatial resolution in the imaging. Aphantom was imaged to validate the feasibility of the proposedconfiguration.

Devoted to High-Sensitivity Gamma-Ray Detection Technique

γ線測定は放射性核種を同定する手段として, 原子力研究を中心として多分野で用いられている。特に近年, 放射化分析手法が開発されてからは, 宇宙地球科学, 考古学など学術分野から, 環境, 医療, 食品安全性など広い分野で用いられてきた。しかし, 分析対象の拡大とともに, より高分解能の検出法が必要とされるようになった。筆者らは多くの放射性核種が複数のγ線を同時発生することに着目し, これらのγ線を同時測定して得られる2次元マトリクスを, 従来の1次元スペクトルの替わりに解析して元素定量する手法を開発した。この多重γ線検出法は従来の機器を使いながら, 分解能と感度をそれぞれ1,000倍改善することを可能にする技術であり, 今後, 広い分野への応用が期待される。本報では, その発案から実施, 分析法の高度化を含めた今後の展望をまとめた。

Dynamical properties of domain walls in garnet films

Domain wall resonance (DWR) has been investigated in a parallel stripe lattice using a new high sensitivity DWR excitation and detection technique. Experiments were performed on garnets with pure uniaxial and orthorhombic anisotropy. A strong dependence of the DWR frequency on the intrinsic medium parameters, such as the saturation magnetization and the anisotropy constants, was observed. The influence on the domain oscillation frequency of an in-plane field applied parallel and perpendicular to the wall plane was analyzed and the corresponding changes of the wall mass and restoring constant was determined in (111)- and (110)-oriented garnet films.

Measurement of Thin Oxide Surface Film Thicknesses and Atomic Densities by the Analysis of Positive Ion Excited Soft X-Ray Spectral

AbstractCharacteristic soft x-ray emission lines created as a result of low energy (10-100keV) positive ion excitation of a target material has been applied to the study of thin films of oxygen that form naturally on metal surfaces. The specific metals investigated were aluminum and nickel aa well as a number of their corresponding alloys.Low energy positive ions are well suited as projectiles for the study of thin films in that they have low penetrating powers, yet produce high x-ray yields for K-, L-, and M-shell elemental x-ray lines. Perhaps the most important feature is the fact that no background bremsstrahlung continuum x-radiation is generated in the slowing processes of the ions. Exploiting the advantages of these facts, a special high sensitivity detection technique has been developed for the soft x-ray analysis of the constituents that make up a particular thin surface film.The physical basis for thickness and atomic density measurements of thin surface films by positive ion excitation are discussed. Calibration data are presented for thin films of known thickness and composition establishing the sensitivity of the method for the measurement of the elemental atomic densities of thin films down to a few monolayers or approximately 10 Å in thickness. Finally, the results of the analysis of oxide surface films of aluminum, nickel and some of their alloys are presented and discussed.The objective of this continuing program is to gain an understanding of the mechanisms and principles governing the formation of oxide surface films on metals with the basic goal of producing new alloying techniques for metal passification in a saline environment.