A thermochromic-based interactive sensor that can generate local color switching and pressure mapping is developed using a 2D array of resistive pressure sensor switch. This thermochromic-based interactive sensor will enable the visualization of localized information in arbitrary shapes with dynamic responses in the context of serial/parallel pressure mapping and quantifying capability without optoelectronic arrays.

The coupling of the surface plasmon near-field into the sensing medium is key to the sensitivity of surface plasmon-based sensing devices. A low-index dielectric is necessary for the sensing medium to support a highly-penetrating surface plasmon evanescent field that extends well into the dielectric medium. The air-like refractive index, n, of an aerogel substrate provides another dimension for ultralow-index plasmonic devices. In this paper, we experimentally observed an angular surface plasmon resonance dip at 74° with the ultralow-index aerogel substrate, as was expected from theory. We also demonstrated the comparatively high-sensitivity surface plasmon resonance wavelength, λ, while the change in Δλ/Δn with different substrates was studied in detail. A 740 nm-period metal grating was imprinted on aerogel (n = 1.08) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS; n = 1.4) substrates. The ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared spectra were observed in the reflection mode on the grating, resulting in sensitivities of 740.2 and 655.9 nm/RIU for the aerogel and PDMS substrates, respectively. Numerical simulations were performed to understand the near-field of the surface plasmon, which demonstrated resonances well correlated with the experimentally observed results. The near-field due to excitation of the surface plasmon polaritons is observed to be more confined and to penetrate deeper into the sensing medium when a low-index substrate is used.

This paper presents an experimental study that examines variations of Charpy impact energy of a welded steel plate, depending upon the welding method and the method for obtaining the Charpy specimens. Flux cored arc welding (FCAW) and Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) were employed to weld an SA516 Gr. 70 steel plate. The methods of wire cutting and water-jet cutting were adopted to take samples from the welded plate. The samples were machined according to the recommendations of ASTM SEC. II SA370, in order to fit the specimen dimension that the Charpy impact test requires. An X-ray diffraction (XRD) method was used to measure the as-weld residual stress and its redistribution after the samples were cut. The Charpy impact energy of specimens was considerably dependent on the cutting methods and locations in the welded plate where the specimens were taken. The specimens that were cut by water jet followed by FCAW have the greatest resistance-to-fracture (Charpy impact energy). Regardless of which welding method was used, redistributed transverse residual stress becomes compressive when the specimens are prepared using water-jet cutting. Meanwhile, redistributed transverse residual stress becomes tensile when the specimens are prepared using wire cutting.

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We describe a novel pressure sensor, a piezoelectric film gate on an amplifying Thin Film Transistor (TFT), which could detect a multi-level pressure and give a high sensitivity to the force. An organic piezoelectric material, Poly (vinylidene fluoridetrifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)), was used to fabricate a transparent and flexible sensor for the touch panel in a future flexible display. It is found that the sensor could detect pressures ranging from 0 to 40kPa, which cover the human touch pressure range, and the current signals of the sensor are different when different pressures are applied on the sensing area. In the pressure testing, although repeated pressures were applied to the sensor up to 100 times, the device showed a very stable output signal.