Integration of P-CuO Thin Sputtered Layers onto Microsensor Platforms for Gas Sensing.

P-type semiconducting copper oxide (CuO) thin films deposited by radio-frequency (RF) sputtering were integrated onto microsensors using classical photolithography technologies. The integration of the 50-nm-thick layer could be successfully carried out using the lift-off process. The microsensors were tested with variable thermal sequences under carbon monoxide (CO), ammonia (NH₃), acetaldehyde (C₂H₄O), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) which are among the main pollutant gases measured by metal-oxide (MOS) gas sensors for air quality control systems in automotive cabins.

Highly Sensitive Sputtered ZnO:Ga Thin Films Integrated by a Simple Stencil Mask Process on Microsensor Platforms for Sub-ppm Acetaldehyde Detection.

The integration of a 50-nm-thick layer of an innovative sensitive material on microsensors has been developed based on silicon micro-hotplates. In this study, integration of ZnO:Ga via radio-frequency (RF) sputtering has been successfully combined with a low cost and reliable stencil mask technique to obtain repeatable sensing layers on top of interdigitated electrodes. The variation of the resistance of this n-type Ga-doped ZnO has been measured under sub-ppm traces (500 ppb) of acetaldehyde (C₂H₄O).

SnO2 "Russian Doll" Octahedra Prepared by Metalorganic Synthesis: A New Structure for Sub-ppm CO Detection.

Micrometer-sized hierarchical Sn3 O2 (OH)2 octahedra, which are self-assembled one inside the other, resembling "Russian doll" organization, have been obtained by a metalorganic approach. This synthesis is based on the controlled hydrolysis of [Sn(NMe2 )2 ]2 in the presence of an alkylamine ligand in an organic solvent (THF). The water content of the medium proved to be a key parameter for the formation of these multi-walled octahedra.

Down regulation of pRb in cultures of avian neuroretina cells promotes proliferation of reactive Müller-like cells and emergence of retinal stem/progenitors.

The aim of this work was to define the role of pRb depletion in the proliferation and differentiation of avian retinoblasts in vitro. For this purpose vectors expressing pRb short hairpin RNA were used to deplete pRb in cultures of avian neuroretinal cells. Down regulation of pRb was observed by Western blot and quantification of nuclear pRb.