Abstract: A system for forming surface modified substrates includes a laser system, and a laser processing chamber. A laser scanner automatically controls a position of the laser beam or an x-y translating stage upon which the laser processing chamber is mounted thereon for scanning the laser beam relative to a substrate of material (M) having a bulk portion and an outer surface integrated with the bulk portion, and a coating including metal organic molecules including at least one metal X or particles of metal X on the outer surface. At laser-heated spots atoms of X from the metal coating diffuse into the outer surface to form a modified surface layer including both M and X. The modified surface layer has a thickness of 1 nm, and a 25° C. electrical conductivity ?2.5% above or ?2.5% below a 25° C. electrical conductivity in the bulk portion.

Abstract: A laser-assisted microfluidics manufacturing process has been developed for the fabrication of additively manufactured structures. Roll-to-roll manufacturing is enhanced by the use of a laser-assisted electrospray printhead positioned above the flexible substrate. The laser electrospray printhead sprays microdroplets containing nanoparticles onto the substrate to form both thin-film and structural layers. As the substrate moves, the nanoparticles are sintered using a laser beam directed by the laser electrospray printhead onto the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for laser processing of very wide non-woven fabric materials at high speeds. This invention enables a laser beam to sever, perforate and pattern a large piece of fabric materials planarly disposed at regular or irregular spatial intervals over the entire width while the fabric passes from one roller to another roller at high speeds by precisely managing focus and intensity of the beam at the focal point on the web. A control system managing the laser processing system enables rapid reconfiguration of perforation patterns. The fabric can be woven or nonwoven, homogeneous or nonhomogeneous material with uniform or nonuniform thickness. An optical sensor is provided to sense the laser processing as it is performed and provide feedback to a system controller to optimize laser processing performance in real time.

Abstract: An apparatus for laser processing of very wide non-woven fabric materials at high speeds. This invention enables a laser beam to sever, perforate and pattern a large piece of fabric materials planarly disposed at regular or irregular spatial intervals over the entire width while the fabric passes from one roller to another roller at high speeds by precisely managing focus and intensity of the beam at the focal point on the web. A control system managing the laser processing system enables rapid reconfiguration of perforation patterns. The fabric can be woven or nonwoven, homogeneous or nonhomogeneous material with uniform or nonuniform thickness. An optical sensor is provided to sense the laser processing as it is performed and provide feedback to a system controller to optimize laser processing performance in real time.

Abstract: An optical device may include an optical body having first and second opposing sides, and passageways extending between the first and second opposing sides. The optical device includes a mirror layer carried by the optical body adjacent the second opposing side, thermally conductive fingers extending in the passageways, and a heatsink carried by the optical body adjacent the first opposing side and coupled to the thermally conductive fingers.

Abstract: A laser-assisted microfluidics manufacturing process has been developed for the fabrication of additively manufactured structures. Roll-to-roll manufacturing is enhanced by the use of a laser-assisted electrospray printhead positioned above the flexible substrate. The laser electrospray printhead sprays microdroplets containing nanoparticles onto the substrate to form both thin-film and structural layers. As the substrate moves, the nanoparticles are sintered using a laser beam directed by the laser electrospray printhead onto the substrate.

Abstract: A laser-assisted microfluidics manufacturing process has been developed for the fabrication of additively manufactured structures. Roll-to-roll manufacturing is enhanced by the use of a laser-assisted electrospray printhead positioned above the flexible substrate. The laser electrospray printhead sprays microdroplets containing nanoparticles onto the substrate to form both thin-film and structural layers. As the substrate moves, the nanoparticles are sintered using a laser beam directed by the laser electrospray printhead onto the substrate.

Abstract: A composition of matter includes a substrate material (M) having a bulk portion and an outer surface integrated to the bulk portion. The outer surface includes a modified surface layer. The modified surface layer extends to a depth from the outer surface of at least 1 nm. The modified surface layer includes M and at least one other material (X) which is a metal or metal alloy. The modified surface layer has a 25° C. electrical conductivity which is at least 2.5% above or below a 25° C. electrical conductivity in the bulk portion of M. The composition of matter can be an article that includes a frequency selective surface-based metamaterial, and the plurality of modified surface portions can be a plurality of periodic surface elements that provide a resonant frequency.

Abstract: An imaging device may include an RF source configured to irradiate an object with RF radiation, and an array of RE antenna elements. Each RF antenna element may include a loop bolometer configured to receive the RF radiation after interaction with the object. The imaging device may include a processor configured to generate an image based upon respective outputs from the array of RF antenna elements, and a display coupled to the processor and configured to display the image of the object.

Abstract: A detector is for identifying chemicals in a sample. The detector may include a photodetector comprising SiC semiconductor material and configured to have an acceptor energy band of range Ea??Ea to Ea+?Ea. The SiC semiconductor material may be doped with a dopant to exceed a threshold dopant concentration level. The photodetector may be configured to receive fluorescence information from the sample.

Abstract: A detector is for identifying chemicals in a sample. The detector may include a photodetector comprising SiC semiconductor material and configured to have an acceptor energy band of range Ea??Ea to Ea+?Ea. The SiC semiconductor material may be doped with a dopant to exceed a threshold dopant concentration level. The photodetector may be configured to receive fluorescence information from the sample.

Abstract: An imaging device may include an RF source configured to irradiate an object with RF radiation, and an array of RE antenna elements. Each RF antenna element may include a loop bolometer configured to receive the RF radiation after interaction with the object. The imaging device may include a processor configured to generate an image based upon respective outputs from the array of RF antenna elements, and a display coupled to the processor and configured to display the image of the object.

Abstract: A system for forming surface modified substrates includes a laser system, and a laser processing chamber. A laser scanner automatically controls a position of the laser beam or an x-y translating stage upon which the laser processing chamber is mounted thereon for scanning the laser beam relative to a substrate of material (M) having a bulk portion and an outer surface integrated with the bulk portion, and a coating including metal organic molecules including at least one metal X or particles of metal X on the outer surface. At laser-heated spots atoms of X from the metal coating diffuse into the outer surface to form a modified surface layer including both M and X. The modified surface layer has a thickness of 1 nm, and a 25° C. electrical conductivity ?2.5% above or ?2.5% below a 25° C. electrical conductivity in the bulk portion.

Abstract: A method of forming surface modified substrates includes providing a substrate of material (M) having a bulk portion and an outer surface integrated with the bulk portion. A coating is deposited including metal organic molecules including at least one metal X or particles of metal X onto the outer surface. The coating is laser irradiated with a laser beam, where atoms of metal X diffuse into the outer surface to form a modified surface layer including both M and atoms of metal X on the bulk portion. The modified surface layer has a thickness of at least 1 nm, and a 25° C. electrical conductivity that is at least 2.5% above or 2.5% below a 25° C. electrical conductivity in the bulk portion.

Abstract: A laser-assisted microfluidics manufacturing process has been developed for the fabrication of additively manufactured structures. Roll-to-roll manufacturing is enhanced by the use of a laser-assisted electrospray printhead positioned above the flexible substrate. The laser electrospray printhead sprays microdroplets containing nanoparticles onto the substrate to form both thin-film and structural layers. As the substrate moves, the nanoparticles are sintered using a laser beam directed by the laser electrospray printhead onto the substrate.

Abstract: A method includes generating a laser beam and applying the beam to a substrate to form a via in the substrate. The laser beam has an intensity profile taken at a cross-section transverse to the direction of propagation of the beam. The intensity profile has a first substantially uniform level across an interior region of the cross-section and a second substantially uniform level across an exterior region of the cross-section. The second intensity level is greater than the first intensity level.

Abstract: A method includes generating a laser beam and applying the beam to a substrate to form a via in the substrate. The laser beam has an intensity profile taken at a cross-section transverse to the direction of propagation of the beam. The intensity profile has a first substantially uniform level across an interior region of the cross-section and a second substantially uniform level across an exterior region of the cross-section. The second intensity level is greater than the first intensity level.

Abstract: A method of optical signal amplification. Incident photons are received at a photodetector including a doped semiconductor biased by a power source. The photons generate a change in a reflective property, refractive index, or electrical conductivity of the doped semiconductor. For the change in reflective property or refractive index, a first optical signal is reflected off the photodetector to provide a reflected beam, or the photodetector includes a reverse biased semiconductor junction including the doped semiconductor within a laser resonator including a laser medium, wherein a second optical signal is emitted. For the change in electrical conductivity the photodetector includes a reversed biased semiconductor junction that is within an electrical circuit along with an electrically driven light emitting device, where a drive current provided to the light emitting device increases as the electrical conductivity of the photodetector decreases, and the light emitting device emits a third optical signal.

Abstract: An optical output photodetector includes a substrate having a semiconductor surface and at least one optical photodetector element on the semiconductor surface. The optical photodetector element includes a plurality of integrated sensing regions which collectively provide a plurality of different absorbance spectra. The plurality of sensing regions includes a plurality of different semiconductor materials or a semiconductor material having a plurality of different dopants. The optical photodetector element can be configured as an array of optical photodetector elements and the dopants can be magnetic dopants.

Abstract: A method includes generating a laser beam and applying the beam to a substrate to form a via in the substrate. The laser beam has an intensity profile taken at a cross-section transverse to the direction of propagation of the beam. The intensity profile has a first substantially uniform level across an interior region of the cross-section and a second substantially uniform level across an exterior region of the cross-section. The second intensity level is greater than the first intensity level.