An eddy current test (ECT) is a common nondestructive test to detect flaws in metal structures. Many ECTs use both a detection coil and an induction coil. The application of this method to ferromagnetic materials can be challenging because the applied magnetic field is composed of not only the eddy current but also the magnetization signal. Therefore, we developed two types of miniaturized ECT probes, namely, single- and dual-channel tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) probes, by using a TMR sensor instead of a detection coil. To evaluate the performance of crack detection in steel with regard to the length, width, and depth of cracks, the sensor probe was line-scanned above the crack position. The output signal was detected using a lock-in amplifier and analyzed using the real and imaginary components of a magnetic vector. The detected signal was then divided into the magnetization and eddy current components. The dual TMR sensor probe installed inside the induction coil could yield a stable crack signal without the influence of magnetization fluctuation. The line-scanned differential signal intensity and phase show a signal change with a high signal-to-noise ratio at the crack position. These signals depend on the width and length of the crack. A 2-D scanning could provide a magnetic map corresponding to the crack shape.

The internal fluidic parameters of microfluidic channels must be analyzed to solve fundamental microfluidic problems, including microscale transport problems involving thermal analysis, chemical reactivity, velocity, pressure drop, etc., for developing good-quality chemical and biological products. Therefore, the characterization and optimization of the interaction of chemical and biological solutions through microfluidic channels are vital for fluid flow design and engineering for quality assurance in microfluidic platforms. As the internal structures and kinetics of microfluidic channels are becoming increasingly complex, experiments involving optimal fluidic and transport designs are challenging to perform with high accuracy. However, highly integrated simulation tools can guide researchers without specialized computational fluid backgrounds to design numerical prototypes of highly integrated devices. In this study, a microfluidic chip with two inlet wells and one outlet well was fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane following which simulations were performed using an ANSYS Fluent tool influenced by computational fluid dynamics at a nearly identical scale. The pressure drop and velocity profiles of the interaction of two pH buffer solutions (pH 4 and 10) through the designed microfluidic chip were qualitatively estimated from experimental data analysis and validated with the simulation results obtained from the CFD-influenced ANSYS Fluent tool.

Reinforcing steel bars (Rebar) in the concrete need to be inspected to prevent the structure from collapsing. Magnetic non-destructive testing methods can inspect the rebar without the influence of concrete. However, since the inspection is performed at a high lift-off on concrete, a strong applied magnetic field is required in order to measure a sufficient magnetic signal generated from the rebar. In addition, if a single sensor is used to measure the rebar, this requires the scanning of extensive area along the invisible rebar covered with the concrete. To overcome these problems, we have developed a method to detect and image the defect signal using unsaturated AC magnetic flux leakage (USAC-MFL) testing combining a magnetic sensor array probe. The USAC-MFL is a method that uses an alternating magnetic field in the initial magnetization characteristics of steel, which does not require a strong applied magnetic field compared to the conventional magnetic flux leakage method. By measuring the magnetic flux from the rebar in a wide area using the magnetic sensor array probe, the defect signal was able to be detected and imaged. The defect signal was able to be confirmed up to the lift-off of 100 mm even when the defect was half length of rebar or located on the back side.

Cancer genome analysis has recently attracted attention for personalized cancer treatment. In this treatment, evaluation of the ratio of cancer cells in a specimen tissue is essential for the precise analysis of the genome. Conventionally, the evaluation takes at least two days and depends on the skill of the pathologist. In our group, a terahertz chemical microscope (TCM) was developed to easily and quickly measure the number of cancer cells in a solution. In this study, an antibody was immobilized on a sensing plate using an avidin-biotin reaction to immobilize it for high density and to improve antibody alignment. In addition, as the detected terahertz signals vary depending on the sensitivity of the sensing plate, the sensitivity was evaluated using pH measurement. The result of the cancer cell detection was corrected using the result of pH measurement. These results indicate that a TCM is expected to be an excellent candidate for liquid biopsies in cancer diagnosis.

This study develops a terahertz (THz) chemical microscope (TCM) that visualizes the distribution of chemical reaction on a silicon-based sensing chip. This chip, called the sensing plate, was fabricated by depositing Si thin films on a sapphire substrate and thermally oxidizing the Si film surface. The Si thin film of the sensing plate was irradiated from the substrate side by a femtosecond laser, generating THz pulses that were radiated into free space through the surface field effect of the Si thin film. The surface field responds to chemical reactions on the surface of the sensing plate, changing the amplitude of the THz pulses. This paper first demonstrates the principle and experimental setup of the TCM and performs the imaging and measurement of chemical reactions, including the reactions of bio-related materials.

In order to reduce exhaust emission and combustion noise and to improve fuel consumption, the effects of the combustion system parameters of a diesel engine, such as injection pressure, injection nozzle hole diameter, swirl ratio, and EGR rate on exhaust emissions, combustion noise and fuel consumption are investigated and described in detail by analyzing rate of heat release, needle valve lift and injection pressure. Based on these results, reduction of exhaust emission and combustion noise and improvement of fuel consumption are described in the latter part of this paper. These results are shown as follows. The smaller nozzle hole diameter is effective for reducing smoke and PM, and by optimizing the injection timing and swirl ratio, NOx can also be reduced. In addition to the above, by applying EGR and higher injection pressure it is possible to improve the fuel consumption with the remaining low NOx and PM. It is effective to apply higher compression ratio and smaller injection nozzle hole diameter for reducing combustion noise with the remaining low exhaust emissions.