Poly Methyl Methacrylate Layer Research Articles

Quasi-bound states in the continuum with stable dual-resonance wavelengths in mid-infrared metasurface for ultrasensitive refractive index sensing and molecular vibrations of strong coupling

In this paper, a dual-resonances mid-infrared all-dielectric metasurface sensor based on asymmetric cross dimer, which is driven by quasi-bound states in the continuum (QBIC), is proposed and investigated. The metasurface sensor maintains the total permittivity constant when the asymmetric parameter is adjusted, thereby ensuring the stability of the QBIC resonance wavelengths, which exhibit Q-factors of 6351 and 13561, respectively. The multiple decompositions and electromagnetic field distributions reveal that the toroidal dipole is the dominant component of the dual-resonance modes. The sensitivities to the refractive index are 3559 nm/RIU and 1146 nm/RIU, with corresponding figures of merit of 4449 RIU−1 and 2453 RIU−1, respectively. Further numerical simulations have demonstrated a strong coupling phenomenon between the QBIC and the molecular vibrations of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), resulting in a significant enhancement of the infrared absorption signal. With the 50-nm-thick PMMA layer, the enhancement of molecular signal is 90.614%.

Gasification of multi-layer porous fuels in low-temperature gas generator for flying vehicle

The paper is aimed at investigating the influence of porous fuel layering on the operating regimes and performance of a low-temperature gas generator for high-speed flying vehicles equipped with a ramjet engine. The gas generator consists of a propellant and a porous fuel arranged sequentially to generate hydrocarbon gases that cool the engine before burning in the combustion chamber. In this paper, using a novel numerical model, gasification of multi-layer solid porous fuels consisting of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polyethylene (PE) is studied for various volume contents and relative arrangements of fuel parts. It is shown that during the gasification of the multi-layer fuels, several gasification waves can simultaneously occur in the gas generator. The operating time of the gas generator depends on the relative sizes and relative location of the PMMA and PE layers, and an increase in the number of layers leads to a decrease in the influence of their relative arrangement on the process. Thus, during the gasification of two-component multi-layer solid porous fuel, the composition of this fuel, i.e., the relative sizes of the layers and their relative arrangement, can be the control parameter that allows one to choose the desired characteristics of the gasification process.

Mechanical properties of freestanding few-layer graphene/boron nitride/polymer heterostacks investigated with local and non-local techniques.

van der Waals two-dimensional materials and heterostructures combined with polymer films continue to attract research attention to elucidate their functionality and potential applications. This study presents the fabrication and mechanical testing of 2D material heterostacks, consisting of few-layer boron nitride and graphene heterostructures synthesized via chemical vapor deposition, capped with a polymethyl methacrylate layer and suspended across ∼200 μm wide trenches using a combined wet-dry transfer method. The mechanical characterization of the heterostacks was performed using two independent approaches: (a) non-local testing with a custom-built tensile testing platform and (b) local load-displacement testing employing atomic force microscopy probes, complemented by finite element simulations. Both approaches provided new results, which are in good agreement with each other. Overall, our findings offer new insights into a combined load capacity in complex multi-material two-dimensional systems, and can contribute to advancing micro and nano-scale device designs and implementations.

Irradiation of PMMA intraocular lenses by a 365 nm UV lamp

Abstract Intraocular lens (IOL) made on Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) has been irradiated by a UV lamp at different exposure times, in air and at room temperature. The macromolecular modifications induced in the lens have been investigated using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) coupled to Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Optical spectroscopy. Particular attention was devoted to the study of chemical modifications by UV irradiation, which induced chain scissions in the superficial PMMA layers. Results demonstrated that the lens transmission to the visible radiation is not particularly reduced by a long exposition to UV radiation at a fluence of 200 mJ/cm2, up to 19 h.

Advancing sustainable construction through innovative transparent wood composite structures with enhanced functionalities

Advancements in transparent wood materials hold immense promise for eco-friendly construction, combating resource depletion, and enhancing energy efficiency. Yet, the quest for versatility and global uniformity poses challenges. Enter our breakthrough: a three-layer transparent wood that integrates thermal energy storage. We achieved this by compressing three partially impregnated wood substrates, featuring a silica-stabilized polyethylene glycol (PEG) core flanked by two polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) layers. In pursuit of optical and mechanical perfection, we employed a multi-layer approach to ensure global isotropy. Morphological analysis unveiled compact, hierarchical structures in the core, PEG encapsulation, and an innovative solution for preventing leaks, culminating in a remarkable latent heat of 15.0 J/g and superior thermal stability. Optical testing reported outstanding properties, with an optical transmittance of 45 % and a haze of 76 % at 800 nm. Our design featuring crossed-lamination not only achieved isotropic light distribution but also improved mechanical consistency and water resistance. Notably, our environmentally-simulated tests showcased remarkable thermal insulation properties, credited to a low thermal conductivity (0.34 W/mK) surpassing traditional glass, as well as phase-change functionality. Our pioneering multilayer transparent wood stands to revolutionize energy-efficient construction and elevate indoor thermal comfort.

Correlation of Structural Changes and Hydrogen Diffusion in Polycrystalline WO3 Thin Films by Combining In Situ Transmission Measurements and Raman Spectroscopy

AbstractDiffusion in polycrystalline tungsten trioxide (WO3) thin films is studied in a lateral geometry to better understand the impact of hydrogen‐induced structural phase transitions on the diffusion. WO3 thin films are coated with polymethylmethacrylate layer (PMMA). The latter is microstructured in such a way that a narrow stripe‐like gap occurs in the PMMA layer exposing the surface of the WO3 thin film. This stripe serves as the contact to the electrolyte in the intercalation experiment with hydrogen. After intercalation, the lateral diffusion of hydrogen inside WO3 below the PMMA layer can be observed, increasing the analyzable path and time scale by several orders of magnitude compared to the film thickness, thus, significantly improving spatial and temporal resolution of in situ transmission and Raman measurements. Spatially resolved transmission measurements in the wavelength range of 633±55 nm show that the diffusion process is dependent on hydrogen concentration and exhibits two regimes describable by different diffusion coefficients. Time‐resolved Raman spectroscopic measurements at different distances from the electrolyte contact area show that the switching between the two diffusion coefficients occurs at the phase transition from the orthorhombic to the tetragonal phase. The results are further supported by a simulation. The measurement approach is universally applicable for electrochromic films or multilayers.

Design of composite optical nanofibers for new all-solid-state Raman wavelength converters

We present the design of composite optical nanofibers (ONF) coated with thin layers of nonlinear materials, Titanium dioxyde (TiO2) and Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), for the realization of new all-solid Raman wavelength converters for an emission around 1.5 μm. Our simulations show that Stimulated Raman Scattering can be obtained with moderate input peak powers, typical ONF geometrical parameters, and layer thicknesses deposited which are technologically achievable: a few tens of nm for TiO2 and a few hundreds of nm for PMMA. This study enlarges the field of applications of ONF in nonlinear optics and lasers by opening the way to the coating by other materials such as doped polymers.

Switchable and optically transparent ultrawide stopband frequency selective surface for electromagnetic shielding

In view of the fact that high-frequency electromagnetic waves mainly enter buildings through windows and glass doors, switchable optically-transparent shielding with broad stopband is increasingly needed. Herein, a novel design for a switchable and optically transparent frequency selective surface (FSS) with ultrawide-stopband is presented in this study. The structure consists of a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) layer sandwiched between polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layers which contain liquid metal microchannels arranged in an orthogonal Ω-shaped configuration. The mobility of the liquid metal can switch the FSS response from an all-pass to an ultrawide bandstop behavior. The proposed FSS achieves a rejection bandwidth of 18.1 GHz, covering P, L, S, C, X and Ku bands, while maintaining a transparency of 81% and high angular stability up to 80°, regardless of polarization. Furthermore, the mechanism behind the ultrawide stopband and high angular stability is explored through an analysis of reflection and absorption for both TE polarization and TM polarization. Experimental validation under both normal and oblique incidence demonstrates the ultrawide-stopband performance of the fabricated FSS.

Reflection-type transparent metamaterial polarization rotator with ultra-wide bandwidth

Polarization is the most fundamental property of electromagnetic waves and the key to control its propagation, while conventional methods can only achieve polarization conversion in narrowband and lack of optical transparency. In this paper, we design an ultra-broadband transparent polarization converter consisting of a surface-etched indium tin oxide (ITO)-polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resonator, a laser-cut polymethyl methacrylate layer, and an ITO-PET substrate bonded together. The structure simulation can achieve the co-polarization reflection coefficient less than −10 dB in 13.1–32.3 GHz. Then, we analyze the conversion mechanism from electric field, magnetic field, and surface current distribution. Moreover, the actual test performance achieves polarization conversion over 90% at 11.5–25.2 GHz with wide-angle incidence performance and visible light transmittance up to 53%. The excellent performance of this structure provides a new idea for the future design of ultra-broadband transparent polarization converters and expands the application of polarization converters in optical fields such as RF.

Enhancing Polymethyl Methacrylate Prostheses for Cranioplasty with Ti mesh Inlays.

Biocompatible polymers such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), despite fulfilling biomedical aspects, lack the mechanical strength needed for hard-tissue implant applications. This gap can be closed by using composites with metallic reinforcements, as their adaptable mechanical properties can overcome this problem. Keeping this in mind, novel Ti-mesh-reinforced PMMA composites were developed. The influence of the orientation and volume fraction of the mesh on the mechanical properties of the composites was investigated. The composites were prepared by adding Ti meshes between PMMA layers, cured by hot-pressing above the glass transition temperature of PMMA, where the interdiffusion of PMMA through the spaces in the Ti mesh provided sufficient mechanical clamping and adhesion between the layers. The increase in the volume fraction of Ti led to a tremendous improvement in the mechanical properties of the composites. A significant anisotropic behaviour was analysed depending on the direction of the mesh. Furthermore, the shaping possibilities of these composites were investigated via four-point bending tests. High shaping possibility was found for these composites when they were shaped at elevated temperature. These promising results show the potential of these materials to be used for patient-specific implant applications.

Fluorinated Graphene-Lewis-Base Polymer Composites as a Multifunctional Passivation Layer for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells.

Increasing the open-circuit voltage (Voc) stands as a critical strategy for further improving the efficiency of organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Lewis basic polymers, such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), are considered as an effective approach to reduce the nonradiative recombination at the perovskite surface and protect the photoactive layer against moisture. However, the insulating nature of PMMA inherently leads to increased series resistance in PSCs. Here, we propose a multifunctional passivation layer (FG-PMMA) composed of fluorinated graphene (FG) and PMMA, offering high conductivity, a good passivation effect, and excellent hole transportation capabilities. The introduction of FG not only reduces the resistance of the PMMA layer but also improves its hydrophobicity. More importantly, we found that fluoride, which acts as a p-type dopant in graphene, can further reduce the nonradiative recombination centers by forming PbF2 with uncoordinated Pb0 at the perovskite/hole transport layer interface. As a result, the introduction of FG-PMMA significantly enhances the photovoltaic performance, with a record-high open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.247 V and an average power conversion efficiency of 22.91%, higher than those of PMMA-based devices (20.75%, 1.210 V), as well as increasing the device's moisture stability, with over 90% of the initial efficiency maintained after 1200 h of aging at room temperature and a relative humidity of 35%.

Wafer-Level Highly Dense Metallic Nanopillar-Enabled High-Performance SERS Substrates for Molecular Detection.

Seeking sensitive, large-scale, and low-cost substrates is highly important for practical applications of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology. Noble metallic plasmonic nanostructures with dense hot spots are considered an effective construction to enable sensitive, uniform, and stable SERS performance and thus have attracted wide attention in recent years. In this work, we reported a simple fabrication method to achieve wafer-scale ultradense tilted and staggered plasmonic metallic nanopillars filled with numerous nanogaps (hot spots). By adjusting the etching time of the PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) layer, the optimal SERS substrate with the densest metallic nanopillars was obtained, which possessed a detection limit down to 10-13 M by using crystal violet as the detected molecules and exhibited excellent reproducibility and long-term stability. Furthermore, the proposed fabrication approach was further used to prepare flexible substrates; for example, a SERS flexible substrate was proven to be an ideal platform for analyzing low-concentration pesticide residues on curved fruit surfaces with significantly enhanced sensitivity. This type of SERS substrate possesses potential in real-life applications as low-cost and high-performance sensors.

Enhanced upconversion luminescence using long-range surface plasmon resonance mode with prism coupler

In the study, we present the significant enhancement of the upconversion luminescence by taking advantage of long-range surface plasmon resonance mode. Compared with the reflection enhanced upconversion luminescence of Ag film, the intensity of upconversion luminescence enhanced by long-range surface plasmon resonance mode is improved 100 times. Additionally, the finite-difference time-domain simulation indicates that the incident light energy can concentrate in the upconversion nanoparticles doped dielectric layer at the long-range surface plasmon resonance mode, which the maximum electric field enhancement factor |E|2/|E0|2 can reach to 58. The experimental result shows that the upconversion luminescence enhancement is related to the thickness of doped Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) layer. Furthermore, due to the excited upconversion luminescence having high directionality, it is shown that the strong upconversion luminescence could be received at the specific angle.

Mid‐Infrared Off‐Axis Resonant Mode Hybridization in Amorphous Silicon Sub‐Wavelength Grating Structures

AbstractIn this study, the off‐axis excited guided‐mode resonance (GMR) hybridization is experimentally investigated in one dimensional (1D) partially etched amorphous silicon (a‐Si) subwavelength grating structures operating in the mid‐infrared wavelength range. The 1D dielectric photonic lattice is a promising platform for studying resonance hybridization effects owing to its simple working principle and ease of electromagnetic design, fabrication, and experimental characterization. It is observed that with increasing duty‐cycle of the gratings, the avoided crossing between the coupled GMR branches underwent band‐closure and subsequent band‐flip, resulting in the Friedrich–Wintgen type bound‐states‐in‐the‐continuum (FW‐BICs) transitioning from the upper to the lower GMR branch. On either side of the band closure, the transmission spectra show an interesting electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)‐like resonance, which manifests as a transmission peak within a broad transmission dip with increased electric field concentration near the peak. As a conceptual application of coupled GMRs, differential enhancement of infrared absorption from a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) layer coated on the grating structure with one of the optical resonances aligned to the absorption feature and the other acting as a built‐in reference is demonstrated. The differential transmission contrast is enhanced by more than two orders of magnitude when compared to that of the native PMMA layer.

Multilayer all-polymer metasurface stacked on optical fiber via sequential micro-punching process

Abstract Metasurface technology is revolutionizing the field of optics and pursuing expanded functions via technical developments, such as the integration of multiple metasurfaces with optical fibers. Despite several attempts to realize metasurface-on-fiber platforms, negligible fiber-facet areas pose a serious obstacle to efficient and precise fabrication. Herein, we demonstrate a novel sequential micro-punching process that enables rapid and precise stacking of multiple polymer metasurfaces on the end face of a single-mode optical fiber. Mesh-type nanohole metasurfaces are fabricated on a 1.8-μm-thick polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) layer via e-beam lithography, and the PMMA layer is separated from the substrate and prepared in the form of a membrane using the external frame. Furthermore, the PMMA metasurfaces are sequentially punched through the fiber and stacked on top. Employing a micro-punching process, we demonstrate highly efficient all-polymer metalenses and orbital angular momentum (OAM) metasurfaces coupled with single-mode fibers operating in the telecommunication band. A 1550 nm laser beam passing through three metalens layers stacked on the fiber is focused at a distance of 135 μm with 83% efficiency. In addition, the 1550 nm beam passing through three OAM metasurfaces on the fiber is converted into a perfect vortex beam with a topological charge of 3. We believe that our proposed micro-punching process will cause a breakthrough in the fabrication of metasurface-integrated optical fibers that will be utilized in a wide range of applications.

Generation of Q-switched pulses on a graphene-silica hybrid waveguide

The Q-switched laser sources on chip pave the way for the applications of laser processing, distance measurement and frequency conversion. In this work, using the monolayer graphene-silica hybrid waveguides with increased input optical power, Q-switched pulses with the pulse widths ranging from 1.57 μs to 5.06 μs and the repetition rates ranging from 47.23 kHz to 85.33 kHz are realized, which results in the maximum single pulse energy of 56.5 nJ. The interaction between graphene and propagation light in the waveguide is strengthened by coating the polymethyl methacrylate layer on the graphene-silica hybrid waveguide. The pump power threshold of Q-switching is reduced by a factor of 2.5, and the Q-switched pulses with pulse width of 1.21 μs is achieved. Besides, as the pump power increases, the Q-switched mode-locking pulses are also observed.

Dielectric PMMA Thin Layers Obtained by Spin Coating for Electronic Applications

Thin polymeric films with dielectric properties become a very important part of today’s devices, being indispensable in industry, electrical applications and not only. Nowadays polymeric materials have attracted attention in academic and industrial research due to the miniaturization at the micro and nanoscale of different electronic devices. Polymers in general are used for their light weight, good mechanical strength, dielectric properties, and optical properties, which make them multifunctional materials.This paper presents research on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) thin films obtained by the sol-gel method. The optimization of thin film PMMA layers has been a problem due to the importance of using the polymer in the different electronic domains. Thin films of PMMA with different thicknesses were deposited onto glass and silicon wafers in order to measure dielectric properties. For dielectric properties, the PMMA thin layer was inserted in a metal-insulator-metal structure (MIM). In order to observe the morphology and roughness of thin film, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy have proceeded.The dielectric constant (k) was calculated using the electrical capacitance formula. The I-V and C-V curves showed a dielectric behavior with a leakage current between 10-11 and 10-8 A and a constant capacitance in the bias range ± 5 V.

Formation of Diamane Nanostructures in Bilayer Graphene on Langasite under Irradiation with a Focused Electron Beam.

In the presented paper, we studied bilayer CVD graphene transferred to a langasite substrate and irradiated with a focused electron beam through a layer of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Changes in the Raman spectra and an increase in the electrical resistance of bigraphene after irradiation indicate a local phase transition associated with graphene diamondization. The results are explained in the framework of the theory of a chemically induced phase transition of bilayer graphene to diamane, which can be associated with the release of hydrogen and oxygen atoms from PMMA and langasite due to the "knock-on" effect, respectively, upon irradiation of the structure with an electron beam. Theoretical calculations of the modified structure of bigraphene on langasite and the experimental evaluation of sp3-hybridized carbon fraction indicate the formation of diamane nanoclusters in the bigraphene irradiated regions. This result can be considered as the first realization of local tunable bilayer graphene diamondization.

Effect of PMMA sealing treatment on the corrosion behavior of plasma electrolytic oxidized titanium dental implants in fluoride-containing saliva solution

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys are widely used as dental implant materials because of their high mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and corrosion resistance. This research was undertaken to study the effect of polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) sealing layer on the corrosion performance of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO)-coated titanium-based dental implants in pure saliva and fluoride-containing saliva solutions. The phase structure, chemical composition, and microstructure of coatings were investigated via x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The corrosion behavior of the samples was evaluated by open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests. The deposition of the PMMA layer on the PEO-coated Ti dental implants was found to effectively seal the micropores and microcracks of the TiO2 coatings and block corrosive ions’ penetration routes through the coating. Thereby, the results indicated that better corrosion performance was observed when the PMMA layer is applied on PEO-coated Ti dental implants than on the simple PEO coatings.

Green Removal of DUV-Polarity-Modified PMMA for Wet Transfer of CVD Graphene.

To fabricate graphene-based high-frequency electronic and optoelectronic devices, there is a high demand for scalable low-contaminated graphene with high mobility. Graphene synthesized via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on copper foil appears promising for this purpose, but residues from the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) layer, used for the wet transfer of CVD graphene, drastically affect the electrical properties of graphene. Here, we demonstrate a scalable and green PMMA removal technique that yields high-mobility graphene on the most common technologically relevant silicon (Si) substrate. As the first step, the polarity of the PMMA was modified under deep-UV irradiation at λ = 254 nm, due to the formation of ketones and aldehydes of higher polarity, which simplifies hydrogen bonding in the step of its dissolution. Modification of PMMA polarity was confirmed by UV and FTIR spectrometry and contact angle measurements. Consecutive dissolution of DUV-exposed PMMA in an environmentally friendly, binary, high-polarity mixture of isopropyl alcohol/water (more commonly alcohol/water) resulted in the rapid and complete removal of DUV-exposed polymers without the degradation of graphene properties, as low-energy exposure does not form free radicals, and thus the released graphene remained intact. The high quality of graphene after PMMA removal was confirmed by SEM, AFM, Raman spectrometry, and by contact and non-contact electrical conductivity measurements. The removal of PMMA from graphene was also performed via other common methods for comparison. The charge carrier mobility in graphene films was found to be up to 6900 cm2/(V·s), demonstrating a high potential of the proposed PMMA removal method in the scalable fabrication of high-performance electronic devices based on CVD graphene.