Printing Polymeric Convex Lenses to Boost the Sensitivity of a Graphene-Based UV Sensor

Ultraviolet (UV) is widely used in daily life as well as in industrial manufacturing. In this study, a single-step postprocess to improve the sensitivity of a graphene-based UV sensor is studied. We leverage the advantage of electric-field-assisted on-demand printing, which is simply applicable for...

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Main Authors: Jonghyun Kim, Dongwoon Shin, Jiyoung Chang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-08-01
Series:Polymers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/15/3204
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author Jonghyun Kim
Dongwoon Shin
Jiyoung Chang
author_facet Jonghyun Kim
Dongwoon Shin
Jiyoung Chang
author_sort Jonghyun Kim
collection DOAJ
description Ultraviolet (UV) is widely used in daily life as well as in industrial manufacturing. In this study, a single-step postprocess to improve the sensitivity of a graphene-based UV sensor is studied. We leverage the advantage of electric-field-assisted on-demand printing, which is simply applicable for mounting functional polymers onto various structures. Here, the facile printing process creates optical plano-convex geometry by accelerating and colliding a highly viscous droplet on a micropatterned graphene channel. The printed transparent lens refracts UV rays. The concentrated UV photon energy from a wide field of view enhances the photodesorption of electron-hole pairs between the lens and the graphene sensor channel, which is coupled with a large change in resistance. As a result, the one-step post-treatment has about a 4× higher sensitivity compared to bare sensors without the lenses. We verify the applicability of printing and the boosting mechanism by variation of lens dimensions, a series of UV exposure tests, and optical simulation. Moreover, the method contributes to UV sensing in acute angle or low irradiation. In addition, the catalytic lens provides about a 9× higher recovery rate, where water molecules inside the PEI lens deliver fast reassembly of the electron-hole pairs. The presented method with an ultimately simple fabrication step is expected to be applied to academic research and prototyping, including optoelectronic sensors, energy devices, and advanced manufacturing processes.
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spelling doaj.art-19fcae4b85fa4e289904afb1b84226932023-12-03T12:57:19ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602022-08-011415320410.3390/polym14153204Printing Polymeric Convex Lenses to Boost the Sensitivity of a Graphene-Based UV SensorJonghyun Kim0Dongwoon Shin1Jiyoung Chang2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol Daero, Daegu 42601, KoreaMax Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, GermanyDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USAUltraviolet (UV) is widely used in daily life as well as in industrial manufacturing. In this study, a single-step postprocess to improve the sensitivity of a graphene-based UV sensor is studied. We leverage the advantage of electric-field-assisted on-demand printing, which is simply applicable for mounting functional polymers onto various structures. Here, the facile printing process creates optical plano-convex geometry by accelerating and colliding a highly viscous droplet on a micropatterned graphene channel. The printed transparent lens refracts UV rays. The concentrated UV photon energy from a wide field of view enhances the photodesorption of electron-hole pairs between the lens and the graphene sensor channel, which is coupled with a large change in resistance. As a result, the one-step post-treatment has about a 4× higher sensitivity compared to bare sensors without the lenses. We verify the applicability of printing and the boosting mechanism by variation of lens dimensions, a series of UV exposure tests, and optical simulation. Moreover, the method contributes to UV sensing in acute angle or low irradiation. In addition, the catalytic lens provides about a 9× higher recovery rate, where water molecules inside the PEI lens deliver fast reassembly of the electron-hole pairs. The presented method with an ultimately simple fabrication step is expected to be applied to academic research and prototyping, including optoelectronic sensors, energy devices, and advanced manufacturing processes.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/15/3204printingelectrospinningpolymerlensgraphenesensor
spellingShingle Jonghyun Kim
Dongwoon Shin
Jiyoung Chang
Printing Polymeric Convex Lenses to Boost the Sensitivity of a Graphene-Based UV Sensor
Polymers
printing
electrospinning
polymer
lens
graphene
sensor
title Printing Polymeric Convex Lenses to Boost the Sensitivity of a Graphene-Based UV Sensor
title_full Printing Polymeric Convex Lenses to Boost the Sensitivity of a Graphene-Based UV Sensor
title_fullStr Printing Polymeric Convex Lenses to Boost the Sensitivity of a Graphene-Based UV Sensor
title_full_unstemmed Printing Polymeric Convex Lenses to Boost the Sensitivity of a Graphene-Based UV Sensor
title_short Printing Polymeric Convex Lenses to Boost the Sensitivity of a Graphene-Based UV Sensor
title_sort printing polymeric convex lenses to boost the sensitivity of a graphene based uv sensor
topic printing
electrospinning
polymer
lens
graphene
sensor
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/15/3204
work_keys_str_mv AT jonghyunkim printingpolymericconvexlensestoboostthesensitivityofagraphenebaseduvsensor
AT dongwoonshin printingpolymericconvexlensestoboostthesensitivityofagraphenebaseduvsensor
AT jiyoungchang printingpolymericconvexlensestoboostthesensitivityofagraphenebaseduvsensor