Yanjing Liu

OPTICAL FIBER HUMIDITY SENSOR USING A NANO FABRY-PEROT CAVITY FORMED BY THE IONIC SELF-ASSEMBLY METHOD

Abstract The ionic self-assembly monolayer process was utilized to fabricate a novel optical fiber humidity sensor based on a nano interferometric cavity. A wide operation range, from 11.3% to 100% relative humidity with a maximum variation of 4.77 dB, was experimentally demonstrated. Due to the short length of the interferometric cavity, less than 400 nm, an LED was used as the light source instead of a laser. The fast response time of this humidity sensor, less than 1.5 s, makes it possible to monitor human breathing.

Layer-by-layer ionic self-assembly of Au colloids into multilayer thin-films with bulk metal conductivity

Abstract Colloidal Au nanoparticles, each encapsulated by polyelectrolytes, have been self-assembled into multilayer films in a layer-by-layer fashion. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) demonstrates that close-packed, three-dimensional arrays with uniform roughness have been achieved. Organic interconnects (alternating cationic and anionic monolayers) covalently and electrostatically linked adjacent metal nanoparticles and formed uniform tunnel junctions. Electrical conductance measurements reveal that a resistivity of 5×10−6 Ω cm for 15 layers of 5 nm Au colloid films, the same order of magnitude of that of bulk gold metals, has been achieved for the first time.

Layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly of nanoscale Fe3O4 particles and polyimide precursor on silicon and silica surfaces

Monolayer and multilayer ultrathin films comprised of nanosized iron oxide (Fe3O4) particles and polyimide molecules have been fabricated on single crystal silicon and quartz substrates by a novel layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly process. This process involves the alternate dipping of a substrate into an aqueous solution of anionic polyimide precursor (polyamic acid salt, PAATEA), followed by dipping into an aqueous solution of polycation polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDDA) which coats on nanoscale Fe3O4 particles as a stabilizer. The growth process and the structure have been characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, contact angle, and ellipsometry measurements. The results suggest that well-ordered uniform monolayer and multilayer magnetic films have been formed on silicon and silica surfaces. A recently developed highly sensitive fiber optic magnetic field sensor was used to probe the small magnetic field intensity produced by the multilayer films.

Optical fiber nanometer-scale Fabry-Perot interferometer formed by the ionic self-assembly monolayer process.

The ionic self-assembly monolayer process is a novel technique that has already been used to deposit ultrathin films on glass, polymer, and silicon substrates of different sizes and shapes. This technique is presented as a new tool with which to apply coatings on optical fibers. A nanometer-scale interferometric cavity was built up at the end of an optical fiber with discrete thickness increments of 4.75 nm for a total thickness of 1 mum . Theoretical and experimental aspects of the nanometer-scale Fabry-Perot cavity are described, and both theoretical and experimental results show good agreement.

Thickness dependence of second-harmonic generation in thin films fabricated from ionically self-assembled monolayers

An ionically self-assembled monolayer (ISAM) technique for thin-film deposition has been employed to fabricate materials possessing the noncentrosymmetry that is requisite for a second-order, χ(2), nonlinear optical response. As a result of the ionic attraction between successive layers, the ISAM χ(2) films self-assemble into a noncentrosymmetric structure that has exhibited no measurable decay of χ(2) at room temperature over a period of more than one year. The second-harmonic intensity of the films exhibits the expected quadratic dependence on film thickness up to at least 100 bilayers, corresponding to a film thickness of 120 nm. The polarization dependence of the second-harmonic generation yields a value of 35° for the average tilt angle of the nonlinear optical chromophores away from the surface normal.

Self-assembled flexible electrodes on electroactive polymer actuators

Thin film metal/polymer composite electrodes with electrical conductivities on the order of those of bulk metals have been formed on electroactive polymer actuator elements using a novel self-assembly technique. The electrodes exhibit good flexibility and mechanical performance.

Strong enhancement of optical absorbance from ionic self-assembled multilayer thin films of nanocluster Pt and polymer dye

The observation of unusually enhanced optical absorbance spectra of ionic self assembled multilayer (ISAM) thin films composed of alternating layers of Pt nanoclusters (<1 nm dimension) and polymer dye is reported. The first bilayer absorbance is found to be considerably larger than that of several succeeding bilayers even though there is no difference in composition for each bilayer. A layer-by-layer-dependent redshift in maximum wavelength position due to the strong coupling of metals and polymer molecules is observed. The saturation absorption is obtained for the first time when the required thickness of the ISAM film is deposited. The large and unusual enhancement effects are attributed to both the charge-transfer mechanism and very large local fields and collective phenomena near the surface of the small metal clusters/electrolytes and at the interfaces between the cluster/polymer multilayers.

Second-order nonlinear optical thin films fabricated from ionically self-assembled monolayers

We demonstrate, for the first time, that a new ionically self-assembled monolayer (ISAM) technique for thin film deposition can be employed to fabricate materials possessing the noncentrosymmetry that is requisite for a second order, nonlinear optical response. Using two different commercially-available polyelectrolytes, we have produced ISAM nonlinear optical thin films with values comparable to that of quartz. As a result of the ionic attraction between successive layers, the ISAM films self-assemble into a noncentrosymmetric structure that has exhibited no measureable decay of at room temperature over a period of more than four months. The x2 of ISAM films has been examined by second harmonic generation using a fundamental wavelength of 1200 nm. The second harmonic intensity of the films exhibits the expected quadratic dependences on fundamental intensity and film thickness while the polarization dependence is consistent with orientation of the chromophore dipole moment perpendicular to the substrate.

Flux vector formulation for photon propagation in the biological tissue

We present a generalized delta-Eddington phase function to simplify the radiative transfer equation to an integral equation with respect to the photon flux vector. The solution of the integral equation is highly accurate to model the photon propagation in the biological tissue over a broad range of optical parameters, especially in the visible light spectrum where the diffusion approximation breaks down. The methodology is validated in the Monte Carlo simulation and can be applied in various optical imaging applications.

Characterization of electrostatically self-assembled nanocomposite thin films

Multilayer thin films of metallic nanoclusters, polymers and other molecules have been formed using a novel electrostatic self-assembly method and analysed by multiple characterization techniques. Nanocluster size measurements, ellipsometry and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy have been used to confirm the linear build-up of the thin film thickness with the number of deposited nanocluster, polymer and other molecular layers. Auger electron spectroscopy allowed verification of the distribution of molecular species through thick films with multilayer segments containing different elements. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy permitted visualization of the morphologies of the outermost layers of the deposited films. Together, such characterization allows improved understanding and the basis for the design of multilayer thin film materials engineered to have specific molecular level structures and macroscopic functionalities.