Ultrasensitive Detectors Research Articles

Nano-Optomechanical Systems for Gas Chromatography

Microgas chromatography (GC) is promising for portable chemical analysis. We demonstrate a nano-optomechanical system (NOMS) as an ultrasensitive mass detector in gas chromatography. Bare, native oxide, silicon surfaces are sensitive enough to monitor volatile organic compounds at ppm levels, while simultaneously demonstrating chemical selectivity. The NOMS is able to sense GC peaks from derivatized metabolites at physiological concentrations. This is an important milestone for small-molecule quantitation assays in next generation metabolite analyses for applications such as disease diagnosis and personalized medicine. The optical microring, which plays an important role in the nanomechanical signal transduction mechanism, can also be used as an analyte concentration sensor. Different adsorption kinetics regimes are realized at different temperatures allowing temporary condensation of the analyte onto the sensor surfaces. This effect amplifies the signal, resulting in a 1 ppb level limit of detection, without partition enhancement from absorbing media. This sensitivity bodes well for NOMS as universal, ultrasensitive detectors in micro-GC, breath analysis, and other chemical-sensing applications.

A Novel Particle/Photon Detector Based on a Superconducting Proximity Array of Nanodots

The current frontiers in the investigation of high-energy particles demand for new detection methods. Higher sensitivity to low-energy deposition, high-energy resolution to identify events and improve the background rejection, and large detector masses have to be developed to detect even an individual particle that weakly interacts with ordinary matter. Here, we will describe the concept and the layout of a novel superconducting proximity array which show dynamic vortex Mott insulator to metal transitions, as an ultra-sensitive compact radiation-particle detector.

New application of superconductors: High sensitivity cryogenic light detectors

In this paper we describe the current status of the CALDER project, which is developing ultra-sensitive light detectors based on superconductors for cryogenic applications. When we apply an AC current to a superconductor, the Cooper pairs oscillate and acquire kinetic inductance, that can be measured by inserting the superconductor in a LC circuit with high merit factor. Interactions in the superconductor can break the Cooper pairs, causing sizable variations in the kinetic inductance and, thus, in the response of the LC circuit. The continuous monitoring of the amplitude and frequency modulation allows to reconstruct the incident energy with excellent sensitivity. This concept is at the basis of Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) that are characterized by natural aptitude to multiplexed read-out (several sensors can be tuned to different resonant frequencies and coupled to the same line), resolution of few eV, stable behavior over a wide temperature range, and ease in fabrication. We present the results obtained by the CALDER collaboration with 2×2cm2 substrates sampled by 1 or 4 Aluminum KIDs. We show that the performances of the first prototypes are already competitive with those of other commonly used light detectors, and we discuss the strategies for a further improvement.

Tunable quasiparticle trapping in Meissner and vortex states of mesoscopic superconductors.

Nowadays, superconductors serve in numerous applications, from high-field magnets to ultrasensitive detectors of radiation. Mesoscopic superconducting devices, referring to those with nanoscale dimensions, are in a special position as they are easily driven out of equilibrium under typical operating conditions. The out-of-equilibrium superconductors are characterized by non-equilibrium quasiparticles. These extra excitations can compromise the performance of mesoscopic devices by introducing, for example, leakage currents or decreased coherence time in quantum devices. By applying an external magnetic field, one can conveniently suppress or redistribute the population of excess quasiparticles. In this article, we present an experimental demonstration and a theoretical analysis of such effective control of quasiparticles, resulting in electron cooling both in the Meissner and vortex states of a mesoscopic superconductor. We introduce a theoretical model of quasiparticle dynamics, which is in quantitative agreement with the experimental data.

Phonon-Mediated KIDs as Light Detectors for Rare-Event Search: The CALDER Project

Background suppression plays a crucial role in experiments searching for rare events, like neutrino-less double beta decay (0 $$\nu $$ DBD) and dark matter. Large mass bolometers that are among the most competitive devices in this field would largely benefit from the development of ultrasensitive light detectors, as the combined readout of the bolometric and light signals enables the particle identification. The CALDER collaboration is developing cryogenic light detectors that will match the requirements of next generation experiments: noise lower than 20 eV RMS, large active area (several cm $$^{2}$$ ), wide temperature range of operation, and ease in fabricating and operating a thousand of detectors. For this purpose, we are exploiting the excellent energy resolution and the natural multiplexed read-out provided by kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs). These devices can be operated in a phonon-mediated approach, in which KIDs are coupled to a large insulating substrate in order to increase the active surface from a few mm $$^{2}$$ to 25 cm $$^{2}$$ . Our current best prototype, based on aluminum LEKIDs, reached a baseline sensitivity of 80 eV with an overall efficiency of about 20 %.

Application of Electronic Nose Based on Fast GC for Authenticity Assessment of Polish Homemade Liqueurs Called Nalewka

The possibility of application of electronic nose based on fast GC for differentiation of three types of cherry liqueurs, namely Polish homemade liqueurs called nalewka, commercially available liqueurs labeled as nalewka, and commercial liqueurs, was investigated. This device was equipped with two parallel connected columns with different stationary phases coupled to two ultrasensitive flame ionization detectors (μ-FIDs). Four data analysis methods were used, namely principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant function analysis (DFA), soft independent modeling of class analogies (SIMCA), and statistical quality control (SQC). Application of electronic nose based on fast GC system allows identification of volatile organic compounds and compare aroma profiles of all three types of cherry liqueurs. Only DFA allows for full discrimination of all groups of samples. Application of PCA, SIMCA, and SQC analysis allows only for the differentiation of homemade and commercial liqueurs, but not for separation between two groups of commercial liqueurs. The electronic nose based on fast GC provides a possibility of effective and rapid aroma profile comparison (the total time of analysis is 93 s) of selected alcohols. In addition, the identification and tentative semiqualitative comparison of the amount of selected compounds of the volatile fraction of these beverages using the HS-SPME/GC×GC-TOFMS technique were done. This work presents the proposal of protection of this traditional product through elaborated methodology and rapid authentication assessment of Polish nalewka made from cherries.

Graphene Nanoribbons-Based Ultrasensitive Chemical Detectors

A computational study demonstrating the potential application of armchair graphene nanoribbons as ultrasensitive chemical detectors is presented. To this end, we propose the use of lithium adatoms, serving as surface anchoring sites, to allow for aromatic contaminant chemisorption that alters the all-carbon substrate electronic properties. The corresponding variations in the electronic transport characteristics, which are evaluated using a divide and conquer approach based on density functional theory, suggest device sensitivities as low as 10–5–10–9 ppbv. The microscopic understanding of the contaminant adsorption process and its influence on the electronic and transport properties of graphene nanoribbons gained in this study may assist in the rational design of ultrasensitive chemical detectors based on low-dimensional graphene derivatives.

Image‐Reversal Soft Lithography: Fabrication of Ultrasensitive Biomolecular Detectors

Image-reversal soft lithography enables the straightforward fabrication of high-performance biosensors without requiringhigh-resolution photolitography.

An organic dye with very large Stokes-shift and broad tunability of fluorescence: Potential two-photon probe for bioimaging and ultra-sensitive solid-state gas sensor

Light-emitting nonlinear optical molecules, especially those with large Stokes shifts and broad tunability of their emission wavelength, have attracted considerable attention for various applications including biomedical imaging and fluorescent sensors. However, most fluorescent chromophores have only limited potential for such applications due to small Stokes shifts, narrow tunability of fluorescence emissions, and small optical nonlinearity in highly polar solvents. In this work, we demonstrate that a two-photon absorbing stilbene chromophore exhibits a large two-photon absorption action cross-section (ηδ = 320 GM) in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and shows broad fluorescence tunability (125 nm) by manipulating the polarity of the surrounding medium. Importantly, a very large Stokes shift of up to 227 nm is achieved in DMSO. Thanks to these features, this chromophore can be utilized as a two-photon probe for bioimaging applications and in an ultrasensitive solid-state gas detector.

Extraction and Quantification of Tryptophan and Kynurenine from Cultured Cells and Media Using a High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) System Equipped with an Ultra-Sensitive Diode Array Detector.

Evidence of the involvement of tryptophan and its metabolite, kynurenine, in various biological processes including cancer is constantly expanding. Analysis of cell extracts and culture media can allow for quick snapshots of the metabolic fluctuations occurring in vitro. Here, we describe a method for metabolite extraction from mammalian cells and analysis of extracted metabolites and cell culture media by HPLC with detection using an ultra-sensitive diode array detector.

Superconducting Kinetic Inductance Detectors for astronomy and particle physics

Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KID) represent a novel detector technology based on superconducting resonators. Since their first demonstration in 2003, they have been rapidly developed and are today a strong candidate for present and future experiments in the different bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. This has been possible thanks to the unique features of such devices: in particular, they couple a very high sensitivity to their intrinsic suitability for frequency domain multiplexed readout, making the fabrication of large arrays of ultrasensitive detectors possible. There are many fields of application that can profit of such detectors. Here, we will briefly review the principle of operation of a KID, and give two sample applications, to mm-wave astronomy and to particle physics.

From synaptically localized to volume transmission by nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide (NO) functions widely as a transmitter/diffusible second messenger in the central nervous system, exerting physiological effects in target cells by binding to specialized guanylyl cyclase-coupled receptors, resulting in cGMP generation. Despite having many context-dependent physiological roles and being implicated in numerous disease states, there has been a lack of clarity about the ways that NO operates at the cellular and subcellular levels. Recently, several approaches have been used to try to gain a more concrete, quantitative understanding of this unique signalling pathway. These approaches have included analysing the kinetics of NO receptor function, real-time imaging of cellular NO signal transduction in target cells, and the use of ultrasensitive detector cells to record NO as it is being generated from native sources in brain tissue. The current picture is that, when formed in a synapse, NO is likely to act only very locally, probably mostly within the confines of that synapse, and to exist only in picomolar concentrations. Nevertheless, closely neighbouring synapses may also be within reach, raising the possibility of synaptic crosstalk. By engaging its enzyme-coupled receptors, the low NO concentrations are able to stimulate physiological (submicromolar) increases in cGMP concentration in an activity-dependent manner. When many NO-emitting neurones or synapses are active simultaneously in a tissue region, NO can act more like a volume transmitter to influence, and perhaps coordinate, the behaviour of cells within that region, irrespective of their identity and anatomical connectivity.

Spin-polarized oscillations and 100% spin polarization plateau in an InAs quantum dot subjected to terahertz irradiation and a magnetic field

Spin polarization in an InAs quantum dot subjected to terahertz (THz) irradiation and external magnetic fields is theoretically discussed. Spin-polarized oscillations and spin polarization plateaus are obtained, depending on the relative magnitude between the external magnetic field strength and the THz photon energy. Furthermore, we show that the oscillation of spin polarization is also related to the THz irradiation amplitude. These features may be beneficial for low magnetic field detectors, ultrasensitive THz detectors or spin-selective applications.

STM observation of a box-shaped graphene nanostructure appeared after mechanical cleavage of pyrolytic graphite

A description is given of a three-dimensional box-shaped graphene (BSG) nanostructure formed/uncovered by mechanical cleavage of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The discovered nanostructure is a multilayer system of parallel hollow channels located along the surface and having quadrangular cross-section. The thickness of the channel walls/facets is approximately equal to 1nm. The typical width of channel facets makes about 25nm, the channel length is 390nm and more. The investigation of the found nanostructure by means of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) allows us to draw a conclusion that it is possible to make spatial constructions of graphene similar to the discovered one by mechanical compression, bending, splitting, and shifting graphite surface layers. The distinctive features of such constructions are the following: simplicity of the preparation method, small contact area between graphene planes and a substrate, large surface area, nanometer cross-sectional sizes of the channels, large aspect ratio. Potential fields of application include: ultra-sensitive detectors, high-performance catalytic cells, nanochannels for DNA manipulation, nanomechanical resonators, electron multiplication channels, high-capacity sorbents for hydrogen storage.

Manipulation of a quantum squeeze

Quantum Mechanics The uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics dictates that even when a system is cooled to its ground state, there are still fluctuations. This zero-point motion is unavoidable but can be manipulated. Wollman et al. demonstrate such manipulation with the motion of a micrometer-sized mechanical system. By driving up the fluctuations in one of the variables of the system, they are able to squeeze the other related variable below the expected zero-point limit. Quantum squeezing will be important for realizing ultrasensitive sensors and detectors. Science , this issue p. [952][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aac5138

Novel Detection Scheme for Cryogenic Bolometers With High Sensitivity and Scalability

Cryogenic bolometers based on thin silicon nitride membranes show a very high sensitivity, which makes them ideal for ultrasensitive detector applications, particularly in the field of submillimeter-wave imaging. For that, transition-edge sensors (TESs) have been established as a viable approach toward developing multipixel sensor arrays. However, current multiplexer techniques as time- or code-division multiplexing do not scale well to multiplexing levels of several hundred detectors per channel. To achieve such a scalable readout solution, frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) would be an applicable way. For that, the temperature-sensing element of a bolometer has to be resonant or coupled to a resonance circuit, which changes its microwave behavior with the temperature of the absorber.

Accelerated nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging through phase multiplexing

We report a method for accelerated nanoscale nuclear magnetic resonance imaging by detecting several signals in parallel. Our technique relies on phase multiplexing, where the signals from different nuclear spin ensembles are encoded in the phase of an ultrasensitive magnetic detector. We demonstrate this technique by simultaneously acquiring statistically polarized spin signals from two different nuclear species (1H, 19F) and from up to six spatial locations in a nanowire test sample using a magnetic resonance force microscope. We obtain one-dimensional imaging resolution better than 5 nm, and subnanometer positional accuracy.

Microwave detectors based on the spin-torque diode effect

The spin-transfer torque (STT) effect provides a new method of manipulation of magnetization in nanoscale objects. The STT effect manifests itself as a transfer of spin angular momentum between the parallel magnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic spacer and traversed by a dc electric current. The transfer of the spin angular momentum from one layer to another could result in the excitation of the microwave-frequency magnetization dynamics in one of the magnetic layers. On the other hand, when a magnetization dynamics is excited in a magnetic layered structure by an external microwave signal both the structure electrical resistance and current through the structure will acquire microwave components resulting in the appearance of a rectified dc voltage on the magnetic structure. This “spin-torque diode effect” can be used for the development of ultra-sensitive spin-torque microwave detectors (STMD). Below we present a brief review of our recent work on the general properties of STMDs, analyze the performance of the “resonance-type” and “threshold-type STMD” and consider the possible applications for such microwave detectors.

Low-NoiseYBa2Cu3O7Nano-SQUIDs for Performing Magnetization-Reversal Measurements on Magnetic Nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles are widely applicable in systems ranging from spintronics and data storage to biomedical imaging and cancer treatment. However, studying these particles requires ultrasensitive detectors. Superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) are the finest detectors of magnetic flux, but for this purpose they must be drastically miniaturized. To this end, the authors have fabricated nanosSQUIDs of exquisite sensitivity that will facilitate both basic and applied research on nanoscale spin systems.

Ultrasensitive graphene far-infrared power detectors

We describe the properties of ultrasensitive graphene photon detectors for use in the far-infrared/terahertz spectral region and present theoretical predictions for their power detection sensitivity. These predictions are based on two graphene contacting schemes with superconducting contacts: contacts with a thin insulating barrier, and direct superconducting contacts. To quantitatively assess these predictions, we perform thermal measurements of graphene at low temperatures and analyse them to extract information on electron–phonon cooling in graphene. These new results for the electron–phonon cooling channel allow reliable prediction of the noise equivalent power (NEP) that can be expected from an optimized graphene detector, using measurement of the Johnson noise emission as the thermometry method. We find that an NEP of 2 × 10−19 W Hz−1/2 should be achievable under certain biasing conditions with an ideal device.