-
-
News
News Highlights
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueSales: From Pitch to PO
From the first cold call to finally receiving that first purchase order, the July PCB007 Magazine breaks down some critical parts of the sales stack. To up your sales game, read on!
The Hole Truth: Via Integrity in an HDI World
From the drilled hole to registration across multiple sequential lamination cycles, to the quality of your copper plating, via reliability in an HDI world is becoming an ever-greater challenge. This month we look at “The Hole Truth,” from creating the “perfect” via to how you can assure via quality and reliability, the first time, every time.
In Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction
For bare PCB board fabrication, defect reduction is a critical aspect of a company's bottom line profitability. In this issue, we examine how imaging, etching, and plating processes can provide information and insight into reducing defects and increasing yields.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Dye-based Device Sees the Invisible
April 16, 2021 | ACN NewswireEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Scientists in Europe have designed an organic dye-based device that can see light waves in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) range. The device is easy to make using cheap materials, and is stable at high temperatures. The findings, published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, could lead to more widespread use of inexpensive consumer SWIR imaging and sensing devices.
The human eye can only detect a very narrow segment of the electromagnetic spectrum, from around 400 to 700 nanometers. The SWIR region, on the other hand, extends from 1,000 to 2,500 nanometers. Specially designed cameras can take images of objects that reflect waves in the SWIR region. They are used for improving night vision, in airborne remote sensing, and deep tissue imaging. The cameras also help assess the composition and quality of silicon wafers, building structures and even food produce.
"These cameras are typically difficult to manufacture and are quite expensive, as they are made of inorganic semiconductor photodiode arrays interconnected with read-out integrated circuitry," says Roland Hany of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology.
Hany worked with colleagues in Switzerland and Italy to design an organic dye-based 'SWIR upconversion device' that efficiently converts shortwave infrared light to visible light.
The device uses organic (materials made with carbon) components: a squaraine dye-coated flexible substrate combined with a fluorescent organic light-emitting diode (OLED). When the dye absorbs SWIR waves, an electric current is generated and directly converted into a visible image by the OLED.
The team had to play with the molecular composition of several squaraine dyes to get them to absorb specific wavelengths. Ultimately, they synthesized squaraine dyes that absorb SWIR light beyond 1,200 nanometers and remained stable up to 200 degrees Celsius. The finished dye-based device performed stably for several weeks under normal laboratory conditions.
"All-organic upconverters could lead to applications that can't be realized with current technology. For example, invisible night vision devices can be directly integrated into car windscreens without affecting the visual field," explains Hany.
The team is now working on shifting the dye's absorption further into the SWIR range. They are also using machine learning techniques to find new dye molecules capable of sensing SWIR waves. Finally, the team aims to improve device stability and sensitivity.
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Brian O’Donnelly Appointed to Expanded Role, Strengthening Global Leadership to Drive Growth in the Fujifilm’s Electronic Materials Business
07/31/2025 | FujifilmFUJIFILM Corporation (President and CEO, Representative Director: Teiichi Goto) today announced that the company has appointed Brian O’Donnelly as its Corporate Vice President, strengthening global leadership to drive growth in the Electronic Materials Business.
Semiconductors Get Magnetic Boost with New Method from UCLA Researchers
07/31/2025 | UCLA NewsroomA new method for combining magnetic elements with semiconductors — which are vital materials for computers and other electronic devices — was unveiled by a research team led by the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA.
Creating a Design Constraint Strategy
07/24/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamMost designers learn how to set their design constraints through trial and error. EDA vendors’ guidelines explain how to use their particular tools’ constraints, and IPC standards offer a roadmap, but PCB designers usually develop their own unique styles for setting constraints. Is there a set of best practices for setting constraints? That’s what I asked Global Electronics Association design instructor Kris Moyer, who covers design constraints in his classes.
Meet the Author: Beth Turner Explores Encapsulating Sustainability for Electronics
07/28/2025 | I-Connect007In a special Meet the Author edition of On the Line with…, host Nolan Johnson welcomes Beth Turner, senior technical manager at MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions. Beth is the author of The Printed Circuit Assembler’s Guide to… Encapsulating Sustainability for Electronics.
The Pulse: Design Constraints for the Next Generation
07/17/2025 | Martyn Gaudion -- Column: The PulseIn Europe, where engineering careers were once seen as unpopular and lacking street credibility, we have been witnessing a turnaround in the past few years. The industry is now welcoming a new cohort of designers and engineers as people are showing a newfound interest in the profession.