Ultra-wide Dynamic Range Research Articles

Investigation of co-flow step emulsification (CFSE) microfluidic device and its applications in digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR)

HypothesisThe co-flow step emulsification (CFSE) is very sensitive to the two-phase fluid interfaces, we conjecture that the CFSE hydrodynamic model depends on several key factors and the droplet generation process can be precisely controlled, thus to obtain droplet emulsions with the “ultra-high volume fraction of inner-phase” and “flexible droplet size” characteristics. The resulting droplets are expected to be applied to droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) with “high information density” and “wide dynamic range” advances. ExperimentsBy combining numerical simulation and fluid dynamics experiments, we have investigated the crucial parameters affecting the CFSE two-phase interface and finally achieved the prediction and guidance for CFSE droplet production. FindingsWith the help of the CFSE device, multivolume droplet populations were produced on demand. Then, ddPCR tests were performed with DNA concentrations from 10 copies/μL to 20,000 copies/μL. The CFSE device owns an ultra-wide dynamic range (up to 5 orders of magnitude), showing excellent quantification ability of nucleic acid targets.

Dual-Module Ultrawide Dynamic-Range High-Power Rectifier for WPT Systems

Rectifier plays a pivotal role in wireless power transfer systems. While numerous studies have concentrated on enhancing efficiency and bandwidth at specific high-power levels, practical scenarios often involve unpredictable power inputs. Consequently, a distinct need arises for a rectifier that demonstrates superior efficiency across a broad range of input power levels. This paper introduces a high-power RF-to-DC rectifier designed for WPT applications, featuring an ultrawide dynamic range of input power. The rectification process leverages a GaN (gallium nitride) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) to efficiently handle high power levels up to 12.6 W. The matching circuit was designed to ensure that the rectifier will operate in class-F mode. A Schottky diode is incorporated into the design for relatively lower-power rectification. Seamless switching between the rectification modes of the two circuits is accomplished through the integration of a circulator. The proposed rectifier exhibits a 27.5 dB dynamic range, achieving an efficiency exceeding 55% at 2.4 GHz. Substantial improvement in power handling and dynamic range over traditional rectifiers is demonstrated.

A Miniature Liquid Flowmeter Using All-Fiber Fabry–Perot Cavity for Real-Time Measurement

A miniature and highly sensitive fiber-optic liquid flowmeter based on Fabry–Perot interferometry (FPI) is proposed and demonstrated for fluid-flow micro-channel testing. The diaphragm deformation and pressure of the proposed sensor for flow rate detection are obtained from numerical and finite element method simulations of the theoretical model. The FPI flowmeter can be applied in real time to measure the ultra-wide dynamic range from 0 mL/min to 90 mL/min, with a response time of hundreds of milliseconds, controlling the flow rate with a resolution of 1.08 mL/min, which is 1.2% of the full scale. The quadratic functional relation between dip wavelength shifts and flow rates is verified by the flow calibration curves of the FPI flowmeter under dynamic pressure conditions. In addition, the effective temperature compensation is realized by connecting an FBG temperature sensor for variable temperature flow detection, and the measured error is reduced by nearly 25-times. The proposed sensor has the potential to measure the liquid flow rate in various applications.

Instrument with an ultra-wide dynamic detection range for the optical counting and sizing of individual particles in suspensions.

The characterization of dispersions, suspensions, and emulsions is important in a wide range of scientific applications and industries. Samples can consist of different materials and a wide range of particle sizes and concentrations. A single particle sizing and counting instrument with a dynamic detection range of ≥6 decades has been developed to detect single nano- and microparticles in aqueous suspensions based on light scattering measured in two directions. Hydrodynamic focusing is employed for particle separation and to provide stable conditions for light scattering detection. This gives the advantage of size resolution in the nm range, allowing, e.g., number based size distributions, classification of nanomaterials, determination of particle agglomerates, developments for dispersion stability analysis, or cutoff of filter media. In addition, concentration determination is based on sample volume measurement with <20 nl measurement uncertainty. We present results of particle detection in a size range from approximately above 40 nm for gold nanoparticles to 8μm for polystyrene particles using a prototyped instrument of the LUMiSpoc® series produced by LUM GmbH. The data obtained demonstrate the advantages of single-particle detection, particularly for characterizing polydisperse systems, such as precise particle sizing in the nanometer range through light scattering intensity based on Mie scattering theory. In addition, we present particle concentration data based on the integrated measurement of sample volume, which allows particle concentration to be determined with an uncertainty of 2.5% (95% confidence interval). To achieve such small uncertainties, dilution series measurements must be used to correct for coincidence losses and particle adhesion.

Development of Ultra-Wide Dynamic Range Readout ASICs for Radiation Monitoring in Space

Development of Ultra-Wide Dynamic Range Readout ASICs for Radiation Monitoring in Space

Block-Polymer-Restricted Sub-nanometer Pt Nanoclusters Nanozyme-Enhanced Immunoassay for Monitoring of Cardiac Troponin I.

Noble-metal nanozymes have demonstrated great potential in various fields. However, aggregation of single-particle nanoparticles severely affects their exposed catalytically active sites to the extent of exhibiting weak enzyme-like activity. Here, we present an organic block surfactant (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP) to construct monodisperse water-stable Pt nanoclusters (Pt NCs) for an enhanced immunoassay of cardiac troponin I (cTnI). The PVP-modified Pt NC nanozyme exhibited up to 16.3 U mg-1 peroxidase-mimicking activity, which was mainly attributed to the ligand modification on the surface and the electron-absorbing effect of the ligand on the Pt NCs. The PVP-modified Pt NCs have a lower OH-transition potential, as determined by density functional theory. Under optimized experimental conditions, the enhanced nanozyme immunoassay strategy exhibited an ultrawide dynamic response range of 0.005-50 ng mL-1 for cTnI targets with a detection limit of 1.3 pg mL-1, far superior to some reported test protocols. This work provides a designable pathway for the design of artificial enzymes with high enzyme-like activity to further expand the practical range of enzyme alternatives.

SNR Improvement of Optical Frequency Domain Polarimetry Against Laser Frequency Sweep Nonlinearity

A high-precision measurement of distributed polarization crosstalk (DPC) is necessary for developing the device with an ultrahigh polarization extinction ratio of even more than 80 dB. Optical frequency domain polarimetry (OFDP) is a novel DPC measurement method with a potential ultra-wide dynamic range. The degradation of dynamic range caused by interference phase error is a common issue in optical frequency domain measurement techniques. In this work, we enhanced the dynamic range by solving the phase error problem induced by the laser frequency sweep nonlinearity to improve the measurement precision of weak polarization crosstalk. The aliasing issue caused by the fluctuation of the frequency sweep rate is the primary reason for the limited dynamic range. We proposed a modified dynamic range limit model of OFDP considering the aliasing issue. The experimental results agree with the inflection points predicted by the modified dynamic range limit model. Under the guidance of the model, we achieved a dynamic range of more than 115 dB with different optical path differences of the interferometer and various sweep rates of the laser. Compared to the DPC measurement method with a dynamic range of 100 dB, the measurement repeatability is improved from 7.0 dB to <1.0 dB for polarization crosstalk less than -95 dB.

Thermally Tunable Analog Memristive Behaviors in Sulfurized In2Se3 Nanoflakes for Bio-Plausible Synaptic Devices

Combining the intrinsic superiorities of two-dimensional materials and the emerging demand for neuromorphic computing, two-dimensional memristors have achieved huge advances in materials exploration and synaptic functionality emulation. However, their neuromorphic applications are still in the early stage since digital memristive behaviors for most of them are inconsistent with gradual biological synaptic plasticity. Here, we developed a simple approach to realize analog and thermal tunable memristive behaviors by introducing sulfur vacancies in CVD-grown In2Se3 nanoflakes through secondary sulfurization treatment. The density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations confirm that sulfurized and defective In2Se3 can remain thermal stability at elevated temperatures up to 550 K. Therefore, we systematically investigated the temperature-dependent analog and tunable memristive behaviors and realized linear weight update with ultrawide dynamic range in sulfurized In2Se3 at high temperatures. The developed memristive device successfully emulates bio-realistic synaptic functionalities including transformation from short- to long-term plasticity, paired-pulse facilitation, posttetanic potentiation, spike-amplitude-dependent plasticity, spike-rate-dependent plasticity, and spike-time-dependent plasticity effects. It is unveiled that the formation energy of sulfur vacancy is greatly smaller than that of selenium, while their roughly same migration barriers can be modulated by electric field and temperature. Therefore, we put forward that the applied electric field can mediate vacancy migration in the sulfurized In2Se3 to gradually regulate the conductance, thereby realizing the emulation of synaptic plasticity. This work provides a promising approach to designing bio-plausible memristive devices for robust neuromorphic applications at high temperatures.

Optical frequency domain polarimetry based on a self-referenced unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

Optical frequency domain polarimetry (OFDP) is an emerging distributed polarization crosstalk rapid measurement method with an ultrawide dynamic range. However, interferometric phase noise induced by the laser source and ambient noise results in a trade-off between measurement length and dynamic range. In this Letter, we solve this problem with a self-referenced unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The features of long distance (9.8 km), ultrawide dynamic range (107.8 dB), short measurement time (2 sec), and signal-to-noise ratio improvement against ambient noise are experimentally demonstrated. The method makes it possible to evaluate a long polarization-maintaining fiber in an environment whose state changes rapidly.

Demonstration of PS-QAM Based Flexible Coherent PON in Burst-Mode With 300G Peak Rate and Ultra-Wide Dynamic Range

Coherent passive optical network (PON) has been proposed to support the next generation high-speed optical access network owing to the superior receiver sensitivity and thereby the extended power budget for 100 G-and-beyond. In addition, PON's flexibility and adaptability are gaining increasing interest. Flexible PON is believed to be a powerful solution in optimizing the overall capacity based on the available channel conditions, i.e., the optical path loss (OPL) and the associated signal-to-noise ratio and nonlinearity impairments of the different groups of optical network units. In this study, we demonstrate the rate-flexible coherent TDM-PON in burst-mode based on probabilistic-shaping (PS) QAM modulations and local oscillator (LO) power adjustment technology, achieving a 300G peak rate and ultra-wide dynamic range. The principle, the burst-mode frame generation as well as the burst-mode signal processing are discussed in detail. To indicate the overall performance of achievable capacity and flexibility, a new metric, namely, <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">dynamic-range and net-rate product</i> ( <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">DRNRP</i> ) is introduced as the indicator to show the optimized throughput. Finally, we experimentally demonstrated a flexible coherent TDM-PON in burst-mode based on 25-GBaud PS-QAMs with the dynamic range of >35-dB in back-to-back. A record <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">DRNRP</i> up to 7,104 dB·Gbps was achieved in the current system with net data rate varying from 255-Gbits/s to 85-Gbits/s as the OPL varies over 20-km fiber transmission.

Ultrawide Hydrazine Concentration Monitoring Sensor Comprising Ir-Ni Nanoparticles Decorated with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in On-Site Alkaline Fuel Cell Operation.

A highly sensitive amperometric hydrazine monitoring sensor offering an ultrawide dynamic range of 5 μM to 1 M in alkaline media (e. g., 1 M KOH) was developed via co-electrodepositing iridium-nickel alloy nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Ir-Ni-MWCNTs) on a disposable screen-printed carbon electrode. The synergistic interaction of MWCNTs with Ir-Ni alloy NPs resulted in enlarged active surface area, rapid electron transfer, and alkaline media stability with an onset potential of -0.12 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) toward hydrazine oxidation. A limit of detection for hydrazine was 0.81 μM with guaranteed reproducibility, repeatability, and storage stability alongside a superb selectivity toward ethanolamine, urea, dopamine, NaBH4 , NH4 OH, NaNO2 , and Na2 CO3 . The sensor was finally applied to on-site monitoring of the carbon-free hydrazine concentration at the anode and cathode of a hydrazine fuel cell, providing more insight into the hydrazine oxidation process during cell operation.

RGO/MWCNTs-COOH 3D hybrid network as a high-performance electrochemical sensing platform of screen-printed carbon electrodes with an ultra-wide detection range of Cd(II) and Pb(II)

• Developed a high-performance SPCE sensor based on rGO-MWCNTs-COOH 3D hybrid. • The detection of Cd 2+ and Pb 2+ with an ultra-wide linear range was performed. • The electrochemical behaviour of modified SPCE reveals the sensing mechanism. • Shows an application potential for directly detecting high-concentration samples. In this study, we develop a high-performance screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) - carboxy-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH) hybrids for simultaneous detection cadmium ions (Cd 2+ ) and lead ions (Pb 2+ ). The surface morphology and electrochemical behaviour of the modified SPCE was characterised by SEM, AFM, EIS and CV. The control steps of the redox reaction on the modified SPCE and the influence of the morphology of modified SPCE on the shape of stripping peak have also been studied. In addition, Nafion and in-situ bismuth film (BFE) methods were introduced in this detection system to enhance the stability and stripping performance. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the Nafion/rGO-MWCNTs-COOH/SPCE showed excellent catalytic activity towards Cd 2+ and Pb 2+ (pH = 4.5) with a significantly increased SWASV peak current compared to the unmodified SPCE. The developed sensor obtains an ultra-wide dynamic concentration range from 0.1 to 1350 μg·L −1 due to the introduction of 3D hybrid material and the optimisation of the detection parameters. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) for Cd 2+ and Pb 2+ was 0.04 μg·L −1 and 0.02 μg·L −1 , respectively. Furthermore, the applicability of the developed SPCE was demonstrated by detecting Cd 2+ and Pb 2+ in tap water and lake water.

Efficient room-temperature phosphorescence of covalent organic frameworks through covalent halogen doping.

Organic room-temperature phosphorescence, a spin-forbidden radiative process, has emerged as an interesting but rare phenomenon with multiple potential applications in optoelectronic devices, biosensing and anticounterfeiting. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with accessible nanoscale porosity and precisely engineered topology can offer unique benefits in the design of phosphorescent materials, but these are presently unexplored. Here, we report an approach of covalent doping, whereby a COF is synthesized by copolymerization of halogenated and unsubstituted phenyldiboronic acids, allowing for random distribution of functionalized units at varying ratios, yielding highly phosphorescent COFs. Such controlled halogen doping enhances the intersystem crossing while minimizing triplet-triplet annihilation by diluting the phosphors. The rigidity of the COF suppresses vibrational relaxation and allows a high phosphorescence quantum yield (ΦPhos ≤ 29%) at room temperature. The permanent porosity of the COFs and the combination of the singlet and triplet emitting channels enable a highly efficient COF-based oxygen sensor, with an ultra-wide dynamic detection range (~103-10-5 torr of partial oxygen pressure).

Hollow prussian blue nanozyme-richened liposome for artificial neural network-assisted multimodal colorimetric-photothermal immunoassay on smartphone

Multi-signal output biosensor technologies based on optical visualization and electrochemical or other sophisticated signal transduction are flourishing. However, sensors with multiple signal outputs still exhibit some limitations, such as the additional requirement for multiple regression equation construction and control of results. Herein, we developed a sensitive cascade of colorimetric-photothermal biosensor models for prognostic management of patients with myocardial infarction with the assistance of an artificial neural network (ANN) normalization process. A cascade enzymatic reaction device based on hollow prussian blue nanoparticles (h-PB NPs), and a portable smartphone-adapted signal visualization platform were integrated into the all-in-one 3D printed assay device. Specifically, liposomes encapsulated with h-PB were confined to the test cell using a classical immunoassay. Based on the peroxidase-like activity of h-PB, the h-PB obtained by the immunization process was further transferred to the TMB-H2O2 system and used as a cascade of signal amplification for sensitive determination of cTnI protein. The target concentration was converted into a measurable temperature signal readout under 808 nm NIR laser excitation, and the absorbance of the TMB (ox-TMB) system at 650 nm was recorded simultaneously as a reference during this process. Interestingly, a parallel 3-layer, 64-neuron ANN learning model was built for bimodal signal processing and regression. Under optimal conditions, the bimodal machine learning-assisted co-immunoassay exhibited an ultra-wide dynamic range of 0.02–20 ng mL−1 and a detection limit of 10.8 pg mL−1. This work creatively presents a theoretical study of machine learning-assisted multimodal biosensors, providing new insights for the development of ultrasensitive non-enzymatic biosensors.

A novel umami electrochemical biosensor based on AuNPs@ZIF-8/Ti3C2 MXene immobilized T1R1-VFT

The bioelectronic tongues based on taste receptors have been emerging with human-like taste perception. However, the practical applications of the receptor-based biosensors were restricted by their narrow and low dynamic ranges. Here, a novel immobilization strategy based on AuNPs@ZIF-8/Ti3C2 MXene was developed to immobilize the umami ligand binding domain (T1R1-VFT), to fabricate an umami biosensor for umami substances detection. Through the synergic effect of AuNPs@ZIF-8 and Ti3C2 MXene, the capacity to load T1R1-VFT was effectively increased, and the response signal was also amplified by approximately 3 times. The proposed biosensor showed an ultrawide dynamic range of 10−11–10−3 M, and a high upper limit of detection, which was closer to the human taste threshold and suitable for detecting foods rich in umami substances. Additionally, the biosensor was successfully applied to detect real samples and analyze the synergistic effects of binary umami substances.

Guest Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue on Solid-State Image Sensors

It is my sincere pleasure and honor to introduce the eighth Special Issue of the IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices on Solid-State Image Sensors. Previous special issues were published in February 1976, August 1985, May 1991, October 1997, January 2003, November 2009, and January 2016. In the six years since the last Special Issue, solid-state image sensors have continued to demonstrate impressive performance improvements and developments in a diverse set of technology areas. The areas include process modules, wafer-level stacking, single-photon counting, ultra-wide dynamic range, alternate detector materials, time-of-flight 3-D imaging, and device simulation. Solid-state image sensors also achieved continued growth in existing markets such as camera phones, automotive cameras, security and industrial cameras and medical/scientific cameras. New applications and markets, such as the Internet-of-Things, 3-D imaging, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, biometrics, and others, are driving further growth and technology development. Solid-state image sensors are now key components in a vast array of consumer and industrial products.

A portable droplet generation system for ultra-wide dynamic range digital PCR based on a vibrating sharp-tip capillary

Monodisperse droplet has been widely used as a versatile tool in different disciplines including biosensing. Existing methods still struggle to balance the droplet generation performance with system simplicity. Here we introduce a novel droplet generation scheme based on the acoustic streaming generated from a vibrating sharp-tip capillary. The unique fluid pattern enables efficient droplet generation without any external pressure sources. This method achieved real-time modulation of droplet size over an ultra-wide range (6.77–661 μm), high throughput (up to 5000 droplets/s), and good monodispersity (<4%) with a power consumption below 60 mW. This method has enabled a multi-volume digital PCR with a dynamic range of ~6 orders of magnitude and multiplexing capability. It has also enabled a simple protocol to produce cell-laden alginate microcapsules in variable sizes with excellent biocompatibility. Overall, the present method combines high performance with small footprint and portability, which will be especially valuable for droplet applications requiring variable droplet size and performed in resource-limited settings.

Robot-aided fN\u2219m torque sensing within an ultrawide dynamic range

In situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization have enabled the stretching, compression, and bending of micro/nanomaterials and have greatly expanded our understanding of small-scale phenomena. However, as one of the fundamental approaches for material analytics, torsion tests at a small scale remain a major challenge due to the lack of an ultrahigh precise torque sensor and the delicate sample assembly strategy. Herein, we present a microelectromechanical resonant torque sensor with an ultrahigh resolution of up to 4.78 fN∙m within an ultrawide dynamic range of 123 dB. Moreover, we propose a nanorobotic system to realize the precise assembly of microscale specimens with nanoscale positioning accuracy and to conduct repeatable in situ pure torsion tests for the first time. As a demonstration, we characterized the mechanical properties of Si microbeams through torsion tests and found that these microbeams were five-fold stronger than their bulk counterparts. The proposed torsion characterization system pushes the limit of mechanical torsion tests, overcomes the deficiencies in current in situ characterization techniques, and expands our knowledge regarding the behavior of micro/nanomaterials at various loads, which is expected to have significant implications for the eventual development and implementation of materials science.

Emulation Technique of Multiple Overlapped Return Echoes of a Spatial LIDAR With 100-dB Dynamic Resolution

A new compact and cost-effective instrument for dynamic characterization of ultrawide dynamic range photodetectors is presented. The instrument is an optical pulse shaper (OPS) which has been developed as a LIDAR echo emulator (LEE). It uses a single laser diode at 1064 nm, its corresponding driver, and arbitrary waveform generator (AWG), to generate two overlapping LIDAR echoes (short and long). A 60-dB difference between the maxima of the echoes is achieved with a full dynamic range of 100 dB. The LEE is designed to make possible the characterization of the detection chain of a spatial LIDAR which uses a high-dynamic range HgCdTe avalanche photodetector (APD) but can be reprogrammed to emulate any high-dynamic range terrestrial or space LIDAR application.

Quaternary-Ammonium-Modulated Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Effect: Discovery, Mechanism, and Application for Highly Sensitive In Vitro Sensing of Acetylcholine.

Quaternary ammonium (QA) plays multiple roles in biological functions, whose dysregulation may result in multiple diseases. However, how to efficiently detect QA-based materials such as acetylcholine (ACh) still remains a great challenge, especially in complex biological environments. Here, a new effect [called quaternary-ammonium-modulated surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (QAM-SERS) effect] is discovered, showing that the existence of QA will modulate the intensity of SERS signals in a concentration-dependent manner. When the QAM-SERS effect is used, a new method is easily developed for in vitro detection of ACh with an extremely high sensitivity and an ultrawide dynamic range. Particularly, the linear dynamic range can be freely tuned to adapt for various physiological samples. As a proof-of-concept experiment, the time-dependent secretion of ACh from PC12 cells was successfully monitored using the QAM-SERS method, which were under either the stimulation of potassium ions or the incubation of drugs. The discovery of the QAM-SERS effect provides an easy and universal strategy for detecting ACh as well as other QA-contained molecules, which can also inspire new insights into the roles that QA could play in biology and chemistry.