Wolfgang Eisenmenger

Fibre-optic probe hydrophone for ultrasonic and shock-wave measurements in water

Aimed at lithotripter acoustic output measurements, a new fibre-optic probe hydrophone overcomes most of the problems involved with the use of piezoelectric hydrophone technology in non-linear ultrasonic and shock-wave fields. The fibre-optic principle allows for extremely wide bandwidth (larger than 1 GHz) and superior electromagnetic shielding. Contrary to hitherto existing hydrophones a high cavitation threshold at the water-silica interface provides undistorted detection of strong rarefractional pulse pressures. Considering pure compression there is good agreement between maximum pulse pressure derived from fibre-optic hydrophone theory and the corresponding amplitudes obtained from acoustically calibrated PVDF membrane and needle hydrophones.

Piezoelectric polymer electrets

In this review the physical properties, mechanisms and models are reviewed which explain the high piezoelectricity of the ferroelectric polymers of the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) family, the odd nylons, the vinylidene cyanide (VDCN) copolymers and polyurea. Because PVDF and its copolymers with trifluoroethylene (TrFE) and tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) have been studied extensively in the last 25 years the main part of the review deals with these polymers. Additionally a short summary of the different piezoelectric applications of PVDF is presented. The odd nylons, the VDCN copolymers and the polyurea are compared with PVDF to show the different stabilization mechanisms of the remanent polarization and the different temperature behavior of the piezoelectricity. This review not only concentrates on the work done in the last few years but in order to describe the behavior of these polymers in detail, it is necessary to go back to the roots. Therefore many articles from the late seventies and early eighties are included.

Epitaxy and scanning tunneling microscopy image contrast of copper–phthalocyanine on graphite and MoS2

Monolayers of copper–phthalocyanine (Cu–Pc) on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and MoS2 prepared by organic molecular beam epitaxy have been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. On both substrates there exist well defined preparation conditions leading to ordered two‐dimensional arrays of flat lying molecules. On HOPG they form a close‐packed structure with a nearly quadratic unit cell, whereas on MoS2 we found two phases, one close‐packed and one rowlike phase. This rowlike phase can be explained by a long range interaction due to an adsorbate induced superstructure of the substrate, which also can be seen in the scanning tunneling microscopy images. In images with submolecular resolution, the molecules appear different on the two substrates. On MoS2 they look like a four‐leaved clover, on graphite they show a more detailed inner structure.

Video-STM, LEED and X-ray diffraction investigations of PTCDA on graphite

Thin films of the organic molecule perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride (“PTCDA”) on graphite (0001) have been investigated from the mono- to the multilayer regime with low energy electron diffraction (LEED), X-ray-diffraction in Bragg-Brentano geometry, and high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). These different methods proved epitaxial growth in a coincident superstructure and yielded congruent results concerning details of the crystallographic structure of the epilayer. In addition it was possible to resolve submolecular structures in high resolution STM images; a comparison of the 10 resolved maxima of the tunneling current with the molecular structure leads us to question the conventional model description of tunneling.

Investigation of piezoelectricity distributions in poly(vinylidene fluoride) by means of quartz‐ or laser‐generated pressure pulses

The direct determination of charge, polarization, or piezoelectricity profiles in thin dielectrics is now possible if piezoelectrically generated pressure steps or pulses and laser‐induced pressure pulses are employed. These recently developed high‐resolution methods were applied to the same piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) samples. Comparison of the respective results demonstrates the feasibility, the advantages, and the limitations of the new techniques for the study of piezoelectricity distributions. It is confirmed that, for relatively low poling fields, the piezoelectric activity of thermopoled PVDF foils is often confined to a layer near the positively biased surface. The same effect is found for poling with a positive corona discharge. For high‐field corona poling, the piezoelectric activity extends throughout the PVDF film.

Extracorporeal shock waves act by shock wave-gas bubble interaction

The effect of extracorporeal shock waves on hemoglobin release from red blood cells was recently found to be minimized under minute static excess pressure. It was proposed that this can be explained by shock wave-gas bubble interaction. We substantiated this further by two experiments by applying shock waves to suspended human RBC in a lithotripter at a lower frequency (1 pulse every 5 s) and by administering just a single or 2 strong shock waves at 30 kV. Compared to the usual application rate of 1 discharge per s, the lower frequency reduced the hemoglobin release under minimal static excess pressure in the range from 0-100 kPa. A single strong shock wave released a small amount of hemoglobin at ambient pressure and a similar amount at 200 kPa excess pressure. Two strong shock waves increased the hemoglobin release considerably at ambient pressure when there was a 1- or a 10-s pause between them. Under 200 kPa excess pressure, the hemoglobin release was minimal. A similar low hemoglobin release was also found with 1 shock at ambient and the other at excess pressure. The results are interpreted as clear evidence of shock wave-gas bubble interaction as a dominant mechanism of shock wave action.

Scanning tunneling microscope investigations of lead–phthalocyanine on MoS2

Monolayers of the nonplanar organic molecule lead–phthalocyanine (PbPc) on MoS2 have been prepared by organic molecular beam epitaxy and investigated with video scanning tunneling microscopy. Three different crystallographic phases have been observed. Two of them, the close packed and the rowlike phase, have already been observed in an earlier study of the planar Cu–Pc. With PbPc we have now observed an additional phase, where three close packed rows alternate with one or two isolated single rows. In contrast to Cu–Pc, in submolecularly resolved images the PbPc appear in two different states, with either a dark or a bright center. This is attributed to the nonplanar molecular geometry, which allows the formation of two different adsorption geometries, the Pb above or below the molecular plane. In video sequences the transition from one state into the other could be observed.

Space charge and dipoles in polyvinylidenefluoride

The properties of space charge (homocharge) and dipoles (heterocharge) in various electrets have been in the focus of interest since the investigations of B. Gross on carnauba wax. In this article we present a review on the role and the interaction of charges and dipoles in the polymeric electret polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF). It covers the importance of charge injection for the orientation of the dipoles at low fields as well as the role of charge trapping for the stabilization of the polarization. Investigations of the thermal stability of the polarization and the charge balance are leading to a detailed analysis of the depth and localization of the charge traps. Furthermore, it was possible to identify the space charge as ions created electrochemically during the poling process.

Electric field profiles in electron-beam-charged polymer electrets

A recently developed method, which uses piezoelectrically generated pressure steps for the determination of electric-field profiles in dielectrics, has been applied to electron-beam-charged polyfluoroethylenepropylene (FEP) and polyethyleneterephthalate (PETP) electrets. The results indicate that the technique can be employed to study volume charge effects in thin dielectrics. If properly calibrated, the method provides a quantitative measure of charge-integral functions or electric-field distributions in polymer foils.

Polarization dynamics of VDF-TrFE copolymers

The polymer polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) and its copolymers with trifluoroethylene (TrFE) exhibit a strong piezoelectric effect after poling in high electric fields (100 MV/m). HV impulses of definite duration have been applied to the polymer in order to study the dynamics of the poling process. The dielectric displacement during the HV impulse was recorded. After the impulse, the remanent polarization under short-circuit conditions was also measured. It was thus possible to obtain the minimum poling time dependent on the applied field strength necessary to stabilize the remanent polarization. Comparing the time development of the dielectric displacement with the corresponding remanent polarization revealed a time delay between the orientation of the dipoles and their stabilization. It is concluded that the process of orientation of the dipoles itself is not sufficient to lead to a remanent polarization and that an additional interaction between the trapped charges and the oriented dipoles can explain the stability of the remanent polarization and the observed time delay. >