Ceria nanoparticles (∼7 nm in diameter) were used as a molecular probe for dissolved oxygen sensing based on fluorescence quenching. Strong inverse correlation was found between the amplitude of the fluorescence emission at 520 nm (from excitation shift at 430 nm) and the dissolved oxygen concentration (between 5 and 13 mg/L). The phenomenon employed depends on the concentration, diffusion, and reactivity of the oxygen vacancies in ceria. These vacancies are associated with the conversion of cerium ions from the Ce+4 to Ce+3 states. The Stern-Volmer constant, which is an indication of the sensitivity of gas sensing, was found to be 184.6 M−1 at room temperature. This constant shows good stability between 25°C to 50°C when compared to that of other currently used fluorophores in optical oxygen sensors.
The development of oxygen sensors has positively impacted the fields of medical science, bioengineering, environmental monitoring, solar cells, industrial process control, and a number of military applications. Fluorescent quenching sensors have an inherent high sensitivity, chemical selectivity, and stability when compared to other types
of sensors. While cerium oxide thin films have been used to monitor oxygen in the gas phase, the potential of cerium oxide (ceria) nanoparticles as the active material in sensor for oxygen gas has only recently been investigated. Ceria nanoparticles are one of the most unique nanomaterials that are being studied today due to the diffusion and reactivity of its oxygen vacancies, which contributes to its high oxygen storage capability. The reactivity of the oxygen vacancies, which is also related to conversion of cerium ion from the Ce+4 to Ce+3 state, affects the fluorescence properties of the ceria nanoparticles. Our research demonstrates that the ceria nanoparticles (~7 nm in diameter) have application as a fluorescence quenching sensor to measure dissolved oxygen in water. We have found a strong inverse correlation between the amplitude of the fluorescence emission (λexcitation = 430 nm and λpeak = 520 nm) and the dissolved oxygen concentration between 5 – 13 mg/L. The Stern-Volmer constant, which is an indication of the sensitivity of gas sensing is 184 M-1 for the ceria nanoparticles. The results show that ceria nanoparticles can be used in an improved, robust fluorescence sensor for dissolved oxygen in a liquid medium.
The East China Sea (ECS) is threatened by frequent Skeletonema costatum (S. costatum)
blooms every year, which can cause severe environmental harm, as well as considerable
economic losses. Remote sensing is an efficient tool for monitoring these harmful algal blooms
(HABs) and studying concerned marine conditions. This study investigated two intensive
S. costatum HABs in the ECS by analysis of water distribution and spatial-temporal pattern
of four oceanographic parameters derived from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer
(MODIS) and QuickSCAT satellite data using multiple remote sensing approaches (composite
imagery interpretation, classification, and parameters retrieval). Results show that high chlorophyll-
a (Chl-a) concentrations and net primary production (NPP) decrease from the HAB
areas toward the open sea. A peak of Chl-a (>10 mgm−3) and NPP (>5000 mg · C · m−2 · d−1)
are considered indicators of large-scale S. costatum blooms in the ECS. Low sea surface
temperature (SST; approximately 23°C) are observed in S. costatum HAB areas. In early stages,
winds in terms of direction and speed can bring nutrients to facilitate the formation of S. costatum
blooms, but then sharply change into unfavorable conditions to cause the final disappearance
of HABs. This study also explored multiple oceanographic explanations in the ECS from
biochemical, meteorological, physical, and geological perspectives for a better understanding of
such S. costatum HABs mechanisms.
A simple, room temperature, one-pot method to produce biocompatible CdSe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) in aqueous solution is presented. CdCl2 and NaSeSO3 are the precursors for the CdSe core where gelatin is used as an inhibitor. A CdS shell is grown by injecting H2S gas, generated by a reaction between sulfuric and sodium sulfide, into the solution. This fast, low cost synthesis approach is simple for scale-up production of QDs. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the bare CdSe quantum dots were 2-3 nm in diameter. The emission peak from the CdSe can be tuned over most of the visible wavelength (from 520nm to 600 nm) as the diameter of the QDs is allowed to increase before growth of the CdS shell. The core/shell structure was confirmed via UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, PL studies, and structural characterization (XRD). The higher band gap CdS coatings significantly enhanced the photoluminescence (PL) of CdSe quantum dots by a factor of 2-3. However, the large lattice mismatch between the CdS coating and the CdSe core results in eventually quenched luminescence from CdSe with thicker CdS coatings. To increase the photochemical stability and biocompatibility of the CdSe/CdS QDs, a silica coating is grown directly on the QDs. Preliminary data indicates that the PL from CdSe/CdS QDs post-growth is affected as the applied electric field is altered. Efforts to functionalize the QDs with DNA and antibodies have begun. Studies have been initiated to demonstrate the feasibility of microinjecting the QDs into Xenopus embryo with minimal post-synthesis processing.
Gram-negative bacteria initiate a stress response in which the cells efflux potassium when electrophilic toxins are introduced into their environment. Hence, measurement of K+ concentration in the surrounding water using a fluorescence-based potassium-selective optode has been proposed for environmental and homeland security applications. Unfortunately, the fluorophore commonly used in such an optode is inefficient. Surface enhanced fluorescence (SEF) can be used to increase its fluorescence efficiency, which will improve the sensor's performance. To understand this phenomenon before applying it to the optode system, Rose Bengal (RB), an inexpensive and well characterized dye, in solution with gold and silver nanoparticles was studied. As expected, fluorescence from RB-gold solutions was low since alignment of gold's surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak and absorption and fluorescence energies in RB favored energy transfer from RB to the gold nanoparticles. The alignment of the silver's SPR peak and the RB transitions favored transfer from silver to RB. SEF was observed in solutions with large dye-to-silver separation. However, little fluorescence was observed when the solution was pumped at the silver's SPR peak. Fluorescence from the dye decreased as dye-to-silver separation decreased. An explanation for these observations is presented; additional research is needed to develop a complete understanding.
KEYWORDS: Sensors, Signal processing, Blood, Scanners, Biometrics, Signal detection, Digital signal processing, Analog electronics, Oximetry, Optical amplifiers
In today's security conscious society the efficiency of biometric systems has an increasing tendency to replace the classic but less effective keys and passwords. Hand geometry readers are popular biometrics used for acces control and time and attendance applications. One of their weaknesses is vulnerability to spoofing using fake hands (latex, play-doh or dead-hands).
The object of this paper is to design a feature to be added to the hand geometry scanner in order to detect vitality in the hand, reducing the possibilities for spoofing.
This paper demonstrates how the hand reader was successfully spoofed and shows the implementation of the vitality detection feature through an inexpensive but efficient electronic design.
The method used for detection is photo-plethysmography. The Reflectance Sensor built is of original conception. After amplifying, filtering and processing the sensor's signal, a message is shown via an LCD display, concerning the liveness of the hand and the pulse rate.
We present results of an investigation of the details of the disordering process die to P4 annealing for Ga0.52In0.48P grown in ordered configurations with large and small macro-domain sizes. The effects of P4 annealing (710 degree(s)C) were monitored as a function of isothermal annealing time by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoreflectance (PR), and photoluminescence (PL). During the annealing process the band gap and PL emission energies characteristic of the disordered phase of the sample grow while those of the ordered phase decay, rather than undergoing a continuous energy change. The disordering, indicated by TEM photographs, is found to proceed downward from the free surface of the epilayer and to propagate into the bulk with a well-defined boundary rather than occurring simultaneously throughout the bulk of the layer. This disordering process is consistent with the combined results of PR and PL. The rate at which the disordering occurs is found to be much greater for samples initially having larger domains.
KEYWORDS: Near field, Semiconductor lasers, Laser processing, Waveguides, Near field optics, Reactive ion etching, Laser dentistry, Refraction, Printing, Reliability
GaAs-based, edge-emitting diode lasers have become important light sources for numerous applications, e.g., in ophthalmology and dentistry, pumping of solid-state lasers, and printing on thermal media. The general performance requirements for these devices are high brightness, high reliability, stable optical-characteristics, and low system-cost to performance ratio. Device processing procedures such as dry etching, anodic oxidation, anti-reflection coatings, ion-implantation, and epitaxial growth on non-planar substrates impact the operation of the laser, both positively as well as negatively. The effect of these fabrication procedures on device reliability is discussed where applicable.
A new modulation spectroscopy, microwave modulated photoluminescence (MMPL), is described. Application of the technique to a well characterized semiconductor system, InP:Zn, in which the radiative recombination processes are not understood, allows interpretation of the resulting spectra. In the ordered ternary Ga0.52In0.48P MMPL provides information about both carrier transport properties and the extent of ordering. When applied to new materials, MMPL can aid identifying radiative recombination processes.
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