Zinc Oxide Transducers Research Articles

ZnO Transducers for Photoluminescence-Based Biosensors: A Review

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide bandgap semiconductor material that has been widely explored for countless applications, including in biosensing. Among its interesting properties, its remarkable photoluminescence (PL), which typically exhibits an intense signal at room temperature (RT), arises as an extremely appealing alternative transduction approach due to the high sensitivity of its surface properties, providing high sensitivity and selectivity to the sensors relying on luminescence output. Therefore, even though not widely explored, in recent years some studies have been devoted to the use of the PL features of ZnO as an optical transducer for detection and quantification of specific analytes. Hence, in the present paper, we revised the works that have been published in the last few years concerning the use of ZnO nanostructures as the transducer element in different types of PL-based biosensors, namely enzymatic and immunosensors, towards the detection of analytes relevant for health and environment, like antibiotics, glucose, bacteria, virus or even tumor biomarkers. A comprehensive discussion on the possible physical mechanisms that rule the optical sensing response is also provided, as well as a warning regarding the effect that the buffer solution may play on the sensing experiments, as it was seen that the use of phosphate-containing solutions significantly affects the stability of the ZnO nanostructures, which may conduct to misleading interpretations of the sensing results and unreliable conclusions.

The impact of physiological buffer solutions on zinc oxide nanostructures: zinc phosphate conversion

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures have been widely used in biosensor applications. However, little attention has been given to the interaction of ZnO structures with physiological buffer solutions. In the present work, it is shown that the use of buffers containing phosphate ions leads to the modification of the ZnO tetrapodal micro/nanostructures when immersed in such solutions for several hours, even at the physiological pH (7.4). ZnO samples designed to be used as transducers in biosensors were immersed in phosphate buffers for several durations at pH = 5.8 and pH = 7.4. Their detailed morphological, structural and optical characterization was carried out to demonstrate the effect of the ZnO interaction with the phosphate ions. The pH had an important role in the ZnO conversion into zinc phosphate, with lower pH promoting a more pronounced effect. After 72 h and at pH = 5.8, a significant amount of the ZnO structures were converted into crystalline zinc phosphate, while immersion during the same time at pH = 7.4 resulted predominantly in amorphous zinc phosphate particles mixed with the original ZnO tetrapods. Photoluminescence spectra show remarkable changes with prolonged immersion times, particularly when the luminescence of the sample was investigated at 14 K. These findings highlight the importance of a careful analysis of the sensing results when phosphate-based buffer solutions are in contact with the ZnO transducers, as the changes observed on the transduction signal during sensing experiments may also comprise a non-negligible contribution from a phosphate-induced transformation of ZnO, which can hamper an accurate assessment of the sensing behavior.

Self-focused ZnO transducers for ultrasonic biomicroscopy

A simple fabrication technique was developed to produce high frequency (100 MHz) self-focused single element transducers with sputtered zinc oxide (ZnO) crystal films. This technique requires the sputtering of a ZnO film directly onto a curved backing substrate. Transducers were fabricated by sputtering an 18 mum thick ZnO layer on 2 mm diameter aluminum rods with ends shaped and polished to produce a 2 mm focus or f-number equal to one. The aluminum rod served a dual purpose as the backing layer and positive electrode for the resultant transducers. A 4 mum Parylene matching layer was deposited on the transducers after housing and interconnect. This matching layer was used to protect the substrate and condition the transfer of acoustic energy between the ZnO film and the load medium. The pulse-echo response for a representative transducer was centered at 101 MHz with a -6 dB bandwidth of 49%. The measured two way insertion loss was 44 dB. A tungsten wire phantom and an adult zebrafish eye were imaged to show the capability of these transducers.

All-fiber acoustooptic phase modulators using zinc oxide films on glass fiber

Experiments with an acoustooptic phase modulator for single-mode optical fibers are described. The device, which operates in the 500-MHz frequency range, uses a zinc oxide transducer sputter-deposited on top of a gold film evaporated on the fiber. The device is heat cooled and partially acoustically terminated by gallium, which is also used as the top electrode of the transducer. The maximum modulation observed on a 2-mm length of fiber is 2 rad with an input power of 2 W. >

High-sensitivity ultrasonic interferometer for the detection of magnetic phase transitions

An improved technique is described for the detection of magnetic phase transitions using acoustic waves with electrical interferometry. The method employs zinc oxide transducers sputtered directly onto the sample. These transducers operate efficiently at frequencies up to 3 GHz, corresponding to acoustic wavelengths of the order of 2 μm. By measuring the phase of high-order multiple echoes, changes in sample thickness and/or velocity of parts in 109 can be detected. The method has been used to determine the phase diagram of the metamagnet dysprosium aluminum garnet for magnetic fields parallel to [001]. General agreement with earlier determinations based on thermodynamic measurements is obtained.

7-GHz acoustic transmission through a Hertzian contact

Transmission of acoustic waves through a Hertzian contact is demonstrated at 7 GHz. A zinc oxide transducer on a sapphire buffer rod is used to excite acoustic pulses which propagate into a sapphire flat through a direct Hertzian contact. Measurement of the reflected pulses yields a transmission loss through the contact of 1.2 dB.

Thin film zinc oxide transducers for use in microwave devices

Acoustic generation using class 6mm crystals is discussed before describing a method of depositing thin single crystal piezo-electric transducers of ZnO for converting microwave electromagnetic energy to phonon energy. The effects of varying substrate temperature and vapour pressure on the crystal structure, physical characteristics and electromechanical coupling factor are discussed.

Acoustic Propagation at Microwave Frequencies

Techniques for the generation, propagation, and detection of sound at microwave frequencies have been investigated. Transmission and reflection experiments with quartz crystals are discussed with the design of a microwave delay line as the final product. Various limitations for the system were discovered, and methods of overcoming them were studied. Experiments with zinc oxide transducers were performed in an attempt to overcome the high insertion losses in quartz crystals. Propagation effects in various crystals geometries were also studied.