Deterministic Fabrication of Liquid Metal Nanopatterns for Nanophotonics Applications.

Gallium-based liquid metals (LMs) are widely used for stretchable and reconfigurable electronics thanks to their fluidic nature and excellent conductivity. These LMs possess attractive optical properties for photonics applications as well. However, due to the high surface tension of the LMs, it is challenging to form LM nanostructures with arbitrary shapes using conventional nanofabrication techniques.

Ultrasensitive Photothermal Spectroscopy: Harnessing the Seebeck Effect for Attogram-Level Detection.

Molecular-level spectroscopy is crucial for sensing and imaging applications, yet detecting and quantifying minuscule quantities of chemicals remain a challenge, especially when they surface adsorb in low numbers. Here, we introduce a photothermal spectroscopic technique that enables the high selectivity sensing of adsorbates with an attogram detection limit. Our approach utilizes the Seebeck effect in a microfabricated nanoscale thermocouple junction, incorporated into the apex of a microcantilever.

Paper-Based Hydrogen Sensors Using Ultrathin Palladium Nanowires.

Hydrogen (H), as a chemical energy carrier, is a cleaner alternative to conventional fossil fuels with zero carbon emission and high energy density. The development of fast, low-cost, and sensitive H detection systems is important for the widespread adoption of H technologies. Paper is an environment-friendly, porous, and flexible material with great potential for use in sustainable electronics.

Palladium Nanosheet-Based Dual Gas Sensors for Sensitive Room-Temperature Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide Detection.

Palladium has long been explored for use in gas sensors because of its excellent catalytic properties and its unique property of forming hydrides in the presence of H. However, pure Pd-based sensors usually suffer from low response and a relatively high limit of detection. Palladium nanosheets (PdNS) are of particular interest for gas sensing applications due to their high surface area and excellent electrical conductivity.

Effect of Surface and Interfacial Tension on the Resonance Frequency of Microfluidic Channel Cantilever.

The bending resonance of micro-sized resonators has been utilized to study adsorption of analyte molecules in complex fluids of picogram quantity. Traditionally, the analysis to characterize the resonance frequency has focused solely on the mass change, whereas the effect of interfacial tension of the fluid has been largely neglected. By observing forced vibrations of a microfluidic cantilever filled with a series of alkanes using a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV), we studied the effect of surface and interfacial tension on the resonance frequency.