• Journal of ILASS-Korea
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.184-194
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• 2016

Many industrial processes require reliable temperature measurements in harsh environments with high temperature, dust, humidity, and pressure. However, commercially-available conventional temperature measurement devices are not suitable for use in such conditions. This study thus proposes a reliable, durable two-color radiation thermometer (RT) for harsh environments that was developed by selecting the appropriate components, designing a suitable mechanical structure, and compensating environmental factors such as absorption by particles and gases. The two-color RT has a simple, compactly-designed probe with a well-structured data acquisition system combined with efficient LabVIEW-based code. As a result, the RT can measure the temperature in real time, ranging from 300 to $900^{\circ}C$ in extremely harsh environments, such as that above the burden zone of a blast furnace. The error in the temperature measurements taken with the proposed two-color RT compared to that obtained using K-type thermocouple readouts was within 6.1 to $1.4^{\circ}C$ at a temperature range from 200 to $700^{\circ}C$. The effects of absorption by gases including $CO_2$, CO and $H_2O$ and the scattering by fine particles were calculated to find the transmittance of the two wavelength bands of operation through the path between the measured burden surface and the two-color probe. This method is applied to determine the transmittance of the short and long wavelength bands to be 0.31 and 0.51, respectively. Accordingly, the signals that were measured were corrected, and the true burden surface temperature was calculated. The proposed two-color RT and the correction method can be applied to measure temperatures in harsh environments where light-absorbing gases and scattering particles exist and optical components can be contaminated.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.12-23
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• 2018

In this paper, we review the technical trends of diamond and gallium oxide ($Ga_2O_3$) semiconductor technologies among ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor technologies for harsh environments. Diamond exhibits some of the most extreme physical properties such as a wide bandgap, high breakdown field, high electron mobility, and high thermal conductivity, yet its practical use in harsh environments has been limited owing to its scarcity, expense, and small-sized substrate. In addition, the difficulty of n-type doping through ion implantation into diamond is an obstacle to the normally-off operation of transistors. $Ga_2O_3$ also has material properties such as a wide bandgap, high breakdown field, and high working temperature superior to that of silicon, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, and so on. In addition, $Ga_2O_3$ bulk crystal growth has developed dramatically. Although the bulk growth is still relatively immature, a 2-inch substrate can already be purchased, whereas 4- and 6-inch substrates are currently under development. Owing to the rapid development of $Ga_2O_3$ bulk and epitaxy growth, device results have quickly followed. We look briefly into diamond and $Ga_2O_3$ semiconductor devices and epitaxy results that can be applied to harsh environments.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2014

This paper demonstrates an experimental study to evaluate the effects of environmental exposures on the bond between ribbed Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) reinforcing bars and concrete. The equation recommended by ACI 440-1R-06, for the bond stress,was evaluated in this study. A total of 16 pullout samples, 12with GFRP bars and 4with steel bars, were exposed to two different harsh environments for different periods of time. The exposed harsh environments included direct sun exposure and cyclic splash zone sea water. The variation in the shear (bond) strengths before and after exposure was considered as a measure of the durability of the bond between GFRP bars and concrete.Experimental results showed there is no significant difference of the bond strength between 60 and 90 days of exposures.It also showed that the empirical equation of the bond stress calculated by ACI 440-IR-06 is very conservative.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.402-408
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• 2024

This study evaluates the mechanical performance and thermal analysis characteristics of adhesives exposed to harsh environments, including high temperatures, tap water, and salt water. Pull-out specimens were prepared to investigate changes in adhesive properties under varying temperature, moisture, and salinity conditions. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to measure the glass transition temperature, while field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were employed to assess microstructural and compositional changes. The results indicate that exposure to different environments induced post-curing, raising the glass transition temperature and enhancing the thermal stability and mechanical performance of the adhesives. Chemical analysis revealed Na and Cl ion penetration in specimens exposed to salt water, suggesting potential long-term degradation. Despite this, pull-out test results showed minimal variation in failure load across different environmental conditions, although microstructural deformation was observed on the adhesive surface after saltwater exposure. These findings provide valuable insights for selecting and applying adhesives in automotive and aerospace components exposed to harsh conditions.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.197-201
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• 2010

This paper describes the fabrication and characteristics of a NO sensor using ZnO thin film integrated 3C-SiC micro heater based on polycrystalline 3C-SiC thin film of operation in harsh environments. The sensitivity, response time, and operating properties in high temperature and voltages of NO sensors based SiC MEMS are measured and analyzed. The sensitivity of device with pure ZnO thin film at the heater operating power of 13.5 mW ($300^{\circ}C$) is 0.875 in NO gas concentration of 0.046 ppm. In the case of Pt doping, the sensitivity of at power consumption of 5.9 mW ($250^{\circ}C$) was 1.92 at same gas flow rate. The ZnO with doped Pt was showed higher sensitivity, lower working temperature and faster adsorption characteristics to NO gas than pure ZnO thin film. The NO gas sensor integrated SiC micro heater is more strength than others in high voltage and temperature environments.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.814-836
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• 2021

Wildlife ecologists and biologists recapture deer to collect tracking data from deer collars or wait for a drop-off of a deer collar construction that is automatically detached and disconnected. The research teams need to manage a base camp with medical trailers, helicopters, and airplanes to capture deer or wait for several months until the deer collar drops off of the deer's neck. We propose an intelligent robust base-station research with a low-cost and time saving method to obtain recording sensor data from their collars to a listener node, and readings are obtained without opening the weatherproof deer collar. We successfully designed the and implemented a robust base station system for automatically collecting data of the collars and listener motes in harsh wilderness environments. Intelligent solutions were also analyzed for improved data collections and pattern predictions with drone-based detection and tracking algorithms.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2024

Development of pressure sensors for harsh environments with high pressure, humidity, and temperature is essential for many applications in the aerospace, marine, and automobile industries. However, existing materials such as polymers, adhesives, and semiconductors are not suitable for these conditions and require materials that are less sensitive to the external environment. This study proposed a pressure sensor that could withstand harsh environments and had high durability and precision. The sensor comprised a piezoresistor pattern and an insulating film directly formed on a stainless-steel membrane. To achieve the highest sensitivity, a pattern design method was proposed that considered the stress distribution in a circular membrane using finite element analysis. The manufacturing process involved depositing and etching a dielectric insulating film and metal piezoresistive material, resulting in a device with high linearity and slight hysteresis in the range of a maximum of 40 atm. The simplicity and effectiveness of this sensor render it a promising candidate for various applications in extreme environments.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.11-14
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• 2022

In this work, we evaluated the Al₂O₃ film, which was deposited by atomic layer deposition, degraded by exposure to harsh environments. The Al₂O₃ films deposited by atomic layer deposition have long been used as a gas diffusion barrier that satisfies barrier requirements for device reliability. To investigate the barrier and mechanical performance of the Al₂O₃ film with increasing temperature and relative humidity, the properties of the degraded Al₂O₃ film exposed to the harsh environment were evaluated using electrical calcium test and tensile test. As a result, the water vapor transmission rate of Al₂O₃ films stored in harsh environments has fallen to a level that is difficult to utilize as a barrier film. Through water vapor transmission rate measurements, it can be seen that the water vapor transmission rate changes can be significant, and the environment-induced degradation is fatal to the Al₂O₃ thin films. In addition, the surface roughness and porosity of the degraded Al₂O₃ are significantly increased as the environment becomes severer. the degradation of elongation is caused by the stress concentration at valleys of rough surface and pores generated by the harsh environment. Becaused the harsh envronment-induced degradation convert amorphous Al₂O₃ to crystalline structure, these encapsulation properties of the Al₂O₃ film was easily degraded.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.376-377
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• 2006

This paper presents the characteristics of Ta-N thin film strain gauges that are suitable for harsh environemts, which were deposited on thermally oxidized Si substrates by DC reactive magnetronsputtering in an argon-nitrogen atmosphere (Ar-$N_2$ (4 ~ 16 %)). These films were annealed for 1 hr in $2{\times}10^{-6}$ Torr in a vacuum furnace with temperatures that ranged from 500 - $1000^{\circ}C$. The optimized deposition and annealing conditions of the Ta-N thin film strain gauges were determined using 8 % $N_2$ gas flow ratio and annealing at $900^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr. Under optimum formation conditions, the Ta-N thin film strain gauges obtained a high electrical resistivity, ${\rho}\;=\;768.93\;{\mu}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$, a low temperature coefficient of resistance, $TCR\;=\;-84\;ppm/^{\circ}C$ and a high temporal stability with a good longitudinal gauge factor, GF=4.12. The fabricated Ta-N thin film strain gauges are expected to be used inmicromachined pressure sensors and load cells that are operable under harsh environments.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2016.10a
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• pp.85-86
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• 2016

Recently damages caused by the additional costs and degradation in durability combined deterioration due to plain concrete deterioration has occurred. In particular, in the case of the finish that is not exposed to the outside air in the concrete to respond to the harsh environment (freeze-thawing, calcium laying, etc.), to establish a quality control way for the process and the concrete mix design for it.