Device Manufacturing Research Articles

Implementation of Scrum in the manufacture of non-invasive blood sugar detection devices using PPG signals

This study presents the effective integration of Scrum methodology in the production process of non-invasive blood sugar testing devices using Photoplethysmography (PPG) signals. During three months, a team consisting of a Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developer Team successfully utilized Scrum's agile structure to manage the challenges of PPG signal processing, hardware integration, and software development. The repeated sprint cycles enabled swift adjustment to new obstacles and stakeholder input, guaranteeing both effectiveness and agility in the development process. The dynamic approach facilitated both the punctual delivery of complex medical equipment and the cultivation of a culture focused on ongoing enhancement, establishing a model for the future use of agile approaches in healthcare technology. The successful implementation highlights the effectiveness of Scrum in managing the complexities of medical device development. It provides a model for improving non-invasive blood sugar detection devices and establishes agile methodologies as a key driver of innovation in healthcare technology.

The effects of different anode manufacturing methods on deep levels in 4H-SiC p+n diodes

The manufacture of bipolar junctions is necessary in many 4H-SiC electronic devices, e.g., junction termination extensions and p+in diodes for voltage class >10 kV. However, the presence of electrically active levels in the drift layer that act as minority charge carrier lifetime killers, like the carbon vacancy (VC), undermines device performance. In the present study, we compared p+n diodes whose anodes have been manufactured by three different methods: by epitaxial growth, ion implantation, or plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII). The identification of the electrically active defects in the drift layers of these devices revealed that a substantial concentration of VC is present in the diodes with epitaxial grown or ion implanted anode. On the other hand, no presence of VC could be detected when the anode is formed by PIII and this is attributed to the effects of strain in the anode region. Our investigation shows that PIII can be a useful technique for the manufacture of bipolar devices with a reduced concentration of lifetime killer defects.

Growth behavior of cristobalite SiO2 coating on 4H–SiC surface via high-temperature oxidation

When SiO2 films undergo oxidation on 4H–SiC, a distinctive crystalline phase, cristobalite, emerges at elevated temperatures. We deeply explored the growth mechanism of the crystallite, focusing on its dependence on the silicon sublimation process (SSO). Activation energy calculations confirmed that the oxidation after SSO above 1350 °C exhibits a lower activation energy. The reduced activation energy suggests the elimination of the solid-phase diffusion process during oxidation. We devised a controllable growth process for the quartz phase to achieve a seamless transition from 0 to 100 % in the area proportion of cristobalite in SiO2. This strategic approach facilitates the precise preparation of oxide layers and holds potential applications in semiconductor device manufacturing.

Continuous dual-network alginate hydrogel fibers with superior mechanical and electrical performance for flexible multi-functional sensors

Hydrogel fibers play a crucial role in the design and manufacturing of flexible electronic devices. However, continuous production of hydrogel fibers with high strength, toughness, and conductivity remains a significant challenge. In this study, ion-conductive sodium alginate/polyvinyl alcohol composite hydrogel fibers with an interlocked dual network structure were prepared through continuous wet spinning based on the pH-responsive dynamic borate ester bonds. Owing to the interlocked dual network structure, the resulting hydrogel fibers integrated superior performance of strength (4.31 MPa), elongation-at-break (>1500 %), ion conductivity (17.98 S m−1) and response sensitivity to strain (GF = 3.051). Benefiting from the excellent performance, the composite hydrogel fiber could be applied as motion-detecting sensors, including high-frequency, high-speed reciprocating mechanical motion, and human motion. Furthermore, the superior compatibility for human-computer interaction of the hydrogel fiber was also demonstrated, which a manipulator could be controlled to perform different actions, by a smart glove equipped with the hydrogel fiber sensors.

Lysine grafted poly(lactic acid): An intrinsically antimicrobial polymer

Nosocomial infections or healthcare-associated infections, normally develops after the healthcare treatment in the hospital. Most of them are caused by infected medical devices. Plastics are the most common materials for manufacturing these devices because of their good processability, sterilization efficacy, ease of handling and harmlessness, however, it usually do not display antimicrobial properties. Here, in order to infer antimicrobial activity to poly(lactic acid), it was modified by maleation, followed by l-lysine grafting to its structure. The chemical modifications were confirmed by FTIR and 1H NMR analysis, indicating the success of the reactions. The antimicrobial activity was tested using Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and the results showed that the sample was capable of inhibiting about 99 % of the S. aureus growth by contact. The samples cytotoxicity was also tested using the L929 mouse cells and the results indicated no cytotoxic effect. These results indicated the sample antimicrobial potential, without affect the normal eukaryotic cells. In addition, the processability of the modified PLA (PLA-g-Lys) was improved without compromising its mechanical properties, as shown by thermal analysis and tensile tests. Thus, this novel PLA derivative can be seen as a promising material for future applications in the manufacturing of biomedical devices.

Site-selective core/shell deposition of tin on multi-segment nanowires for magnetic assembly and soldered interconnection

The field of nanotechnology continues to grow with the ongoing discovery and characterization of novel nanomaterials with unconventional size-dependent properties; however, the ability to apply modern manufacturing strategies for practical device design of these nanoscale structures is significantly limited by their small size. Although interconnection has been previously demonstrated between nanoscale components, such approaches often require the use of expensive oxidation-resistant noble metal materials and time-consuming or untargeted strategies for welded interconnection such as laser ablation or plasmonic resonance across randomly oriented component networks. In this work, a three-segment gold–nickel–gold nanowire structure is synthesized using templated electrodeposition and modified via monolayer-directed aqueous chemical reduction of tin solder selectively on the gold segments. This core/shell nanowire structure is capable of directed magnetic assembly tip-to-tip and along substrate pads in network orientation. Upon infrared heating in a flux vapor atmosphere, the solder payload melts and establishes robust and highly conductive wire–wire joints. The targeted solder deposition strategy has been applied to various other multi-segment gold/nickel nanowire configurations and other metallic systems to demonstrate the capability of the approach. This core/shell technique of pre-loading magnetically active nanowires with solder material simplifies the associated challenges of size-dependent component orientation in the manufacture of nanoscale electronic devices.

Properties of NbxTi(1−x)N thin films deposited on 300 mm silicon wafers for upscaling superconducting digital circuits

Scaling superconducting digital circuits requires fundamental changes in the current material set and fabrication process. The transition to 300 mm wafers and the implementation of advanced lithography are instrumental in facilitating mature CMOS processes, ensuring uniformity, and optimizing the yield. This study explores the properties of Nb x Ti(1−x)N films fabricated by magnetron DC sputtering on 300 mm Si wafers. As a promising alternative to traditional Nb in device manufacturing, Nb x Ti(1−x)N offers numerous advantages, including enhanced stability and scalability to smaller dimensions, in both processing and design. As a ternary material, Nb x Ti(1−x)N allows engineering material parameters by changing deposition conditions. The engineered properties can be used to modulate device parameters through the stack and mitigate failure modes. We report characterization of Nb x Ti(1−x)N films at less than 2% thickness variability, 2.4% T c variability and 3% composition variability. Film resistivity (140–375 Ωcm) shows a strong correlation with the film oxygen content, while the critical temperature T c (4.6 K–14.1 K) is strongly affected by film stoichiometry and its microstructure has only a moderate effect on modifying T c. Our results offer insights about the interplay between film stoichiometry, film microstructure and critical temperature.

Tracking the global anthropogenic gallium cycle during 2000–2020: A trade-linked multiregional material flow analysis

Byproduct metals are essential to global low carbon transition since they are irreplaceable in modern renewable energy technologies. Gallium (Ga) is classified as one critical byproduct metal due to its extensive use in electronic applications and low carbon technologies, as well as its limited resource endowment. It is urgent to uncover the global and regional Ga stocks and flows so that the potential supply risks can be mitigated. This study maps the global and regional Ga cycles for the period of 2000–2020 by employing a trade-linked multiregional material flow analysis (MFA) method. Our results show that 79% of the global Ga co-mined from bauxite ended up in red mud or entered the aluminum cycle as an impurity, indicating a significant recycling potential. Different involved regions have different but complementary roles in the global Ga supply chain. China dominates the global primary Ga production, accounting for 97% of the global total in 2020. Japan and the United States are key players in high-purity Ga refining and rely on Ga to support their electronic devices manufacturing. Unfortunately, Ga recycling practices are still not occurring due to the low Ga concentrations in major applications. Since the global demand for Ga will continue to grow in the near future, it is urgent to initiate collaborative efforts so that Ga recycling can be enhanced. These efforts are critical to ensure the sustainable Ga supply and facilitate the global transition toward low carbon development.

Developments and prospects of additive manufacturing for thermoelectric materials and technologies

In view of the increased demand for electricity and the associated environmental and financial concerns, there is an urgent need to develop technological solutions that can improve the efficiency of engineering systems and processes. Thermoelectric (TE) technologies, with their capability of direct conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy, are promising technologies for green power generation through using them as energy harvesting devices for waste heat recovery in industrial processes and power generation systems.To date, TE technologies are still not commercialized on a large scale due to various economic and technical obstacles. The majority of previous research on TE technologies concentrated on improving the TE properties, such as electronic transport and figure-of-merit, while limited attempts were made to identify the best material processing techniques or reduce the cost of manufacturing. Conventional Manufacturing (CM) of TE materials and devices is multi-stage, complex, labour-intensive, time-consuming, and has high energy requirements. Thus, manufacturing challenges are considered key contributors toward limited industrial adoption of TE technologies.The rapid advent of advanced Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes, in recent years, caused dramatic changes in engineering design thinking and created opportunities to solve manufacturing challenges. With its significant capabilities, AM can be the route to address the shortcomings of CM of the thermoelectric technologies. In this regard, this paper presents an in-depth review of the literature studies on using AM technologies, such as selective laser melting, fused deposition modelling, direct ink writing, stereo lithography, etc., for manufacturing TE materials and devices. The benefits and challenges of each AM technology are discussed to identify their merits and the required future research. This paper demonstrates the role of AM in advancing green materials and technologies for solving some of the outstanding energy and environmental issues.

Hospitals as medical device manufacturers: keeping to the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) in the EU

In the European Union, the introduction of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) 2017/745 in 2021 increased the regulatory requirements for ‘in-hospital’ manufacture of medical devices. Depending on the exact scenario,...

Structural Morphology of Organic Waste-derived Fiber in X–band Frequency

Sawdust is a by-product or waste product of woodworking such as cutting, sanding, machining, planning, and routing. Saw dust consists of small woodcutting intending to study the structural morphology of organic waste fiber derived in an X-band frequency and synthesis of the rice dust and sawdust. The solid-state method was employed to mix the husk, to obtain the fine power, and the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscope was used to determine the sample absorption rate. The FTIR results show that the best samples are 6.5 g and 6.5 g rice bark and sawdust, with an absorbance rate of 86% and 14% transmission, which will be used for the manufacture of electronic and communication devices.

Micronano Synergetic Three-Dimensional Bioelectronics: A Revolutionary Breakthrough Platform for Cardiac Electrophysiology.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality and therefore pose a significant threat to human health. Cardiac electrophysiology plays a crucial role in the investigation and treatment of CVDs, including arrhythmia. The long-term and accurate detection of electrophysiological activity in cardiomyocytes is essential for advancing cardiology and pharmacology. Regarding the electrophysiological study of cardiac cells, many micronano bioelectric devices and systems have been developed. Such bioelectronic devices possess unique geometric structures of electrodes that enhance quality of electrophysiological signal recording. Though planar multielectrode/multitransistors are widely used for simultaneous multichannel measurement of cell electrophysiological signals, their use for extracellular electrophysiological recording exhibits low signal strength and quality. However, the integration of three-dimensional (3D) multielectrode/multitransistor arrays that use advanced penetration strategies can achieve high-quality intracellular signal recording. This review provides an overview of the manufacturing, geometric structure, and penetration paradigms of 3D micronano devices, as well as their applications for precise drug screening and biomimetic disease modeling. Furthermore, this review also summarizes the current challenges and outlines future directions for the preparation and application of micronano bioelectronic devices, with an aim to promote the development of intracellular electrophysiological platforms and thereby meet the demands of emerging clinical applications.

Ethanol Solvation of Polymer Residues in Graphene Solution-Gated Field Effect Transistors.

The persistence of photoresist residues from microfabrication procedures causes significant obstacles in the technological advancement of graphene-based electronic devices. These residues induce undesired chemical doping effects, diminish carrier mobility, and deteriorate the signal-to-noise ratio, making them critical in certain contexts, including sensing and electrical recording applications. In graphene solution-gated field-effect transistors (gSGFETs), the presence of polymer contaminants makes it difficult to perform precise electrical measurements, introducing response variability and calibration challenges. Given the absence of viable short to midterm alternatives to polymer-intensive microfabrication techniques, a postpatterning treatment involving THF and ethanol solvents was evaluated, with ethanol being the most effective, environmentally sustainable, and safe method for residue removal. Employing a comprehensive analysis with XPS, AFM, and Raman spectroscopy, together with electrical characterization, we investigated the influence of residual polymers on graphene surface properties and transistor functionality. Ethanol treatment exhibited a pronounced enhancement in gSGFET performance, as evidenced by a shift in the charge neutrality point and reduced dispersion. This systematic cleaning methodology holds the potential to improve the reproducibility and precision in the manufacturing of graphene devices. Particularly, by using ethanol for residue removal, we align our methodology with the principles of green chemistry, minimizing environmental impact while advancing diverse graphene technology applications.

Recent advances in materials and manufacturing of implantable devices for continuous health monitoring

Implantable devices are vital in healthcare, enabling continuous monitoring, early disease detection, informed decision-making, enhanced outcomes, cost reduction, and chronic condition management. These devices provide real-time data, allowing proactive healthcare interventions, and contribute to overall improvements in patient care and quality of life. The success of implantable devices relies on the careful selection of materials and manufacturing methods. Recent materials research and manufacturing advancements have yielded implantable devices with enhanced biocompatibility, reliability, and functionality, benefiting human healthcare. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in implantable medical devices, emphasizing the importance of material selection and manufacturing methods, including biocompatibility, self-healing capabilities, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, and conductivity. It explores various manufacturing techniques such as microfabrication, 3D printing, laser micromachining, electrospinning, screen printing, inkjet printing, and nanofabrication. The paper also discusses challenges and limitations in the field, including biocompatibility concerns, privacy and data security issues, and regulatory hurdles for implantable devices.

Guiding principles for next generation of plasma research for microelectronics

Plasma applications, essential for semiconductor device manufacturing, must overcome several challenges to continue to drive progress.

Enhanced Cadmium Sensing in Fertilizer Samples using Zeolite-modified Graphite Electrode

The presence of heavy metals in fertilizers poses significant environmental and health risks, necessitating robust detection methods to ensure agricultural sustainability and food safety. This study focuses on synthesizing Na-P1 zeolite from coal fly ash and fumed silica wastes, employing it as a potent modifier in graphite electrodes to enhance the electrochemical detection of cadmium (II) in fertilizer samples. Through meticulous assessment using cyclic voltammetry (CV) in a potential window of −1.2 V to 0.5 V, square wave voltammetry (SWV) in a potential region of −1 V to 0.5 V, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a frequency ranging from 100 kHz to 10 mHz under open circuit potential polarization, the electrochemical performance of the zeolite-modified graphite electrode (ZGE) was evaluated. The optimization process involved fine-tuning various parameters such as paste composition, solution pH, scan rate, and analyte concentration. Real sample analysis confirmed the applicability of the method in fertilizer samples. Notably, in an HCl medium (pH = 1.0), the SWV oxidation peak of Cd(II) was observed at −0.56 V (vs SCE) with a deposition time of 20 s and a scan rate of 75 mV∙s−1. The ZGE exhibited a remarkable detection limit of 1 μM, a quantification limit of 5 μM, and a high sensitivity of 6.581 μA/μM.cm2 within a linear detection range of 10−3–10−6 M. These findings highlight the potential utility of Na-P1 zeolite in handheld analytic device manufacturing, offering promising applications in environmental monitoring, resource management, and water and soil resource remediation.

Rancang Bangun Sistem Kontrol Dan Monitoring Beban 1 dan 3 Phasa Pada Panel Distribusi Berbasis Internet of Things

The distribution panel is a place to distribute and distribute electrical energy from the power panel to the load panel (consumer) for both power installations and lighting installations. The main problem with every disturbance or improvement in electricity usage is that people need to come to the area to control and monitoring the panel manually. This research focuses on the design and manufacture of control and monitoring devices at 3 and 1 phase loads, with the method using NodeMCU esp 32/8266 with pzem004t sensor as control and reading of voltage, current and frequency on the panel, which can be viewed and controlled offline at panel or online using the blynk application. The testing of the tool is carried out using a 3-phase motor, PC monitor, fan, laptop charger, and chicken lamp. By turning on the load one by one or simultaneously. From the test results, the tool can turn on and off online through the blynk application and manually using a push button. the results obtained are quite accurate with a maximum error percentage of 8.70%. However, the microcontroller between control and monitoring is used separately.

Nanoinjection: A Platform for Innovation in Ex Vivo Cell Engineering.

ConspectusIn human cells, intracellular access and therapeutic cargo transport, including gene-editing tools (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9 and transposons), nucleic acids (e.g., DNA, mRNA, and siRNA), peptides, and proteins (e.g., enzymes and antibodies), are tightly constrained to ensure healthy cell function and behavior. This principle is exemplified in the delivery mechanisms of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells for ex-vivo immunotherapy. In particular, the clinical success of CAR-T cells has established a new standard of care by curing previously incurable blood cancers. The approach involves the delivery, typically via the use of electroporation (EP) and lentivirus, of therapeutic CAR genes into a patient's own T cells, which are then engineered to express CARs that target and combat their blood cancer. But the key difficulty lies in genetically manipulating these cells without causing irreversible damage or loss of function─all the while minimizing complexities of manufacturing, safety concerns, and costs, and ensuring the efficacy of the final CAR-T cell product.Nanoinjection─the process of intracellular delivery using nanoneedles (NNs)─is an emerging physical delivery route that efficiently negotiates the plasma membrane of many cell types, including primary human T cells. It occurs with minimal perturbation, invasiveness, and toxicity, with high efficiency and throughput at high spatial and temporal resolutions. Nanoinjection promises greatly improved delivery of a broad range of therapeutic cargos with little or no damage to those cargos. A nanoinjection platform allows these cargos to function in the intracellular space as desired. The adaptability of nanoinjection platforms is now bringing major advantages in immunomodulation, mechanotransduction, sampling of cell states (nanobiopsy), controlled intracellular interrogation, and the primary focus of this account─intracellular delivery and its applications in ex vivo cell engineering.Mechanical nanoinjection typically exerts direct mechanical force on the cell membrane, offering a straightforward route to improve membrane perturbation by the NNs and subsequent transport of genetic cargo into targeted cell type (adherent or suspension cells). By contrast, electroactive nanoinjection is controlled by coupling NNs with an electric field─a new route for activating electroporation (EP) at the nanoscale─allowing a dramatic reduction of the applied voltage to a cell and so minimizing post-EP damage to cells and cargo, and overcoming many of the limitations of conventional bulk EP. Nanoinjection transcends mere technique; it is an approach to cell engineering ex vivo, offering the potential to endow cells with new, powerful features such as generating chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells for future CAR-T cell technologies.We first discuss the manufacturing of NN devices (Section 2), then delve into nanoinjection-mediated cell engineering (Section 3), nanoinjection mechanisms and interfacing methodologies (Section 4), and emerging applications in using nanoinjection to create functional CAR-T cells (Section 5).

Spontaneous and tunable valley polarization in two-dimensional single-layer LaCl2

Applying the valley contrasting properties of valleytronic materials to logical operations is the foundation of valleytronic device manufacturing. It is predicted that single-layer (SL) LaCl2 is an ferrovalley material with intrinsic and tunable valley polarization through first-principles calculations. It is a ferromagnetic semiconductor (bandgap 0.767 eV) with roughly 1.0 μ B per unit cell as well as out of plane magnetization, and the Curie temperature is about 149 K. The tight-binding model considering five orbitals as well as next nearest neighboring hopping get a consistent band structure with the first-principles calculation. The valley polarization changes from 40.49 to 98.51 meV under the biaxial strain of 5% ∼ −5%. Therefore, the biaxial strain can be a means to tune the valley polarization. In addition, the valley polarization of the double-layer (DL) structure (∼80 meV) is much greater than that of the SL structure (∼59 meV) due to the increased magnetic moment of the DL structure, indicating the potential tunable character by stacking few layers. We believe that SL LaCl2 has great potential for device manufacturing and application in the field of valley electronics.

Optical second harmonic generation of tunable spherical quantum dots under Inversely Quadratic Hellmann Plus Inversely Quadratic Potential

Herein, we employ the effective mass approximation and the iterative method to investigate the Second harmonic generation (SHG) coefficient of a spherical quantum dot (QD) system with Inversely Quadratic Hellmann Plus Inversely Quadratic Potential (IQHIQP), considering the regulation of the quantum size, confinement potential depth and external environment. The numerical simulation results show that the SHG coefficient is highly reliant on the tunable factor, which can affect the energy level interval and dipole moment elements. Interestingly, the effect of temperature on the SHG coefficient in terms of peak location and size is consistent with the quantum dot radius but opposite to the hydrostatic pressure. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to the influence of internal and external parameters on nonlinear optical effects, and apply the theory to practical experiments and the manufacture of optoelectronic devices.