A. Wig

Detection of trinitrotoluene via deflagration on a microcantilever

We describe in detail the detection of deflagration of trinitrotoluene (TNT) deposited on a piezoresistive microcantilever and point out its possible use for explosive-vapor detection. The deflagration of TNT causes the cantilever to bend (due to released heat) and its resonance frequency to shift (due to mass unloading). Explosive vapors provide unique responses that are absent for “interferences” such as water or alcohol vapors. The proposed sensor makes possible a sensitive, miniature explosives detection device that may be deployed in large numbers. The minimum amount of TNT detected on the cantilever depends on the cantilever dimensions and was ≈50 pg for the batch of cantilevers used.

Gold island fiber optic sensor for refractive index sensing........

Abstract A fiber optic chemical sensor based on gold island surface plasmon excitation is presented. The sensing part of the fiber is the end of the fiber onto which a thin layer of gold has been deposited to form a particulate surface. Annealing the gold reshapes the particles and produces an optical absorbance near 535 nm with the fiber in air. The optical absorption resonance of the gold particles is shifted if the fiber is immersed in a medium other than air. These resonance shifts are examined by transmission spectroscopy through the fiber. Experimental results for the sensitivity and dynamic range in the measurement of liquid solutions are in agreement with a basic theoretical model that characterizes the surface plasmon using nonretarded electrodynamics.

Fiber optic sensor based on gold island plasmon resonance

Abstract A fiber optic chemical sensor based on gold-island surface plasmon excitation is presented. The sensing part of the fiber is a one inch portion on which cladding has been removed and onto which a thin layer of gold has been deposited to form a particulate surface. Annealing the gold reshapes the particles and produces an absorbance near 535 nm when the only medium residing outside the surface is air. A range of wavelengths provided by a white light source and monochromator is launched through the optical fiber. The transmitted spectra display shifts in the resonance absorption due to any changes in the medium surrounding, or adsorbed onto the fiber. Experimental results for the sensitivity and dynamic range in the measurement of liquid solutions are in agreement with a basic theoretical model which characterizes the surface plasmon using nonretarded electrodynamics. Furthermore, the model assumes the particles are isolated oblate spheroids with a distribution of eccentricities.

Environment effects on surface-plasmon spectra in gold-island films potential for sensing applications

The effects of the local dielectric environment on the surface-plasmon resonances of annealed gold-island films as a potential for sensing applications are studied experimentally and modeled theoretically. Gold-island films were annealed at 600 degrees C to produce spheroidal shape particles that exhibit well-resolved resonances in polarized, angle-resolved, absorption spectra. These resonances are shifted in different amounts by the depolarization effect of the surrounding medium (liquids with various refraction indices). Cross-section calculations based on nonretarded, single-particle, dielectric interaction for these various configurations are presented and are found to be in good agreement with the experimental observations. The results show an interesting potential for biosensing or environmental monitoring applications.

Knudsen forces on microcantilevers

When two surfaces at two different temperatures are separated by a distance comparable to a mean-free path of the molecules of the ambient medium, the surfaces experience Knudsen force. This mechanical force can be important in microelectromechanical systems and in atomic force microscopy. A theoretical discussion of the magnitude of the forces and the conditions where they can be encountered is discussed. A potential application of the Knudsen force in designing a cantilever-based vacuum gauge is discussed.

Modulation of multiple photon energies by use of surface plasmons

A form of optical modulation at low pulse rates is reported in the case of surface plasmons excited by 1.55-microm photons in a thin gold foil. Several visible-photon energies are shown to be pulsed by the action of the infrared pulses, the effect being maximized when each visible beam also excites surface plasmons. The infrared surface plasmons are implicated as the primary cause of thermally induced changes in the foil. The thermal effects dissipate in sufficiently small times so that operation up to the kilohertz range in pulse repetition frequency is obtained. Unlike direct photothermal phenomena, no phase change is necessary for the effect to be observed.

Observation of Knudsen effect with microcantilevers

The Knudsen effect is estimated theoretically and observed experimentally using a U-shaped silicon microcantilever. Though Knudsen forces are extremely small in most cases involving microcantilevers, there exist situations where these forces can be significant and may be important in atomic force microscopy and in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The criteria for the presence of Knudsen forces are outlined and an analytical expression in the form of a linear function of the pressure is given for the force in the free molecular regime. The experimental results display peaks in the transitional regime while varying linearly in the molecular regime.

Optical thin-film interference effects in microcantilevers

We report direct observation of thin-film interference effects in microcantilevers, an effect that can impact the optical monitoring of the microcantilever motion. When microcantilevers are illuminated with different wavelengths of light the amount of absorption and the wavelengths of maxima in the absorption depend upon the thickness of the layers, the materials used in the layers, and the direction of illumination. Wavelengths of maximum absorption are observed as microcantilever deflections due to heat-induced bending of the bimaterial structure of the microcantilever. Results are presented for different multilayer configurations and illumination directions. These results are then compared with theoretical calculations based on multilayer thin-film analysis.

Photon tunneling via surface plasmon coupling

The measurement of a photonic signal via plasmon-plasmon coupling in curved thin metal films is presented. In domains of subwavelength dimension, we calculate the resonant dispersion relations by modeling the curved thin film as a single sheeted hyperboloid of revolution. We show that several such surface modes are accessible optically at frequencies below the plasma frequency of the metal.

In vivo real-time ethanol vapor detection in the interstitial fluid of a Wistar rat using piezoresistive microcantilevers

Real-time, in vivo measurements were taken in the interstitial fluid of a Wistar rat after administering 2.5g∕kg ethanol by intraperitoneal injection. A low-power piezoresistive microcantilever sensor array was used with polymer coatings suitable for measuring ethanol concentrations at 100% humidity over several hours. A hydrophobic, vapor permeable nanopore membrane was used to screen liquid and ions while allowing vapor to pass to the sensor that was implanted into the saline environment presented by the interstitial fluid. The real-time measurements followed the time scale of previous blood ethanol concentration data.