Abstract: A system for converting solar energy to chemical energy, and, subsequently, to thermal energy includes a light-harvesting station, a storage station, and a thermal energy release station. The system may include additional stations for converting the released thermal energy to other energy forms, e.g., to electrical energy and mechanical work. At the light-harvesting station, a photochemically active first organometallic compound, e.g., a fulvalenyl diruthenium complex, is exposed to light and is photochemically converted to a second, higher-energy organometallic compound, which is then transported to a storage station. At the storage station, the high-energy organometallic compound is stored for a desired time and/or is transported to a desired location for thermal energy release.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device whereby the thermal conductance of a multiwalled nanostructure such as a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) can be controllably and reversibly tuned by sliding one or more outer shells with respect to the inner core. As one example, the thermal conductance of an MWCNT dropped to 15% of the original value after extending the length of the MWCNT by 190 nm. The thermal conductivity returned when the tube was contracted. The device may comprise numbers of multiwalled nanotubes or other graphitic layers connected to a heat source and a heat drain and various means for tuning the overall thermal conductance for applications in structure heat management, heat flow in nanoscale or microscale devices and thermal logic devices.

Abstract: The invention provides for a nanostructure, or an array of such nanostructures, each comprising a rough surface, and a doped or undoped semiconductor. The nanostructure is an one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructure, such a nanowire, or a two-dimensional (2-D) nanostructure. The nanostructure can be placed between two electrodes and used for thermoelectric power generation or thermoelectric cooling.

Abstract: A computer-implementable method for protecting the integrity of dependent multi-tiered transactions is disclosed. The method includes a first application calling a transaction coordinator for the multi-tiered transaction, requesting initialization of a universal transaction context and the transaction coordinator starting a universal transaction composed of at least two component transactions by initializing the universal transaction context and returning a universal transaction identifier to the first application. The first application sending the universal transaction identifier to a second application, the second application committing a first transaction and a third application committing a second transaction depending on the first transaction. The integrity of the dependent transaction is protected by, in response to a failure of the second transaction, rolling back the second transaction and performing an atomic coordinated rollback of the first transaction.

Abstract: The invention provides for a thermoelectric system comprising a substrate comprising a first complex oxide, wherein the substrate is optionally embedded with a second complex oxide. The thermoelectric system can be used for thermoelectric power generation or thermoelectric cooling.

Abstract: The invention provides for a receptor, capable of binding to a target molecule, linked to a hygroscopic polymer or hydrogel; and the use of this receptor in a device for detecting the target molecule in a gaseous and/or liquid phase. The invention also provides for a method for detecting the presence of a target molecule in the gas phase using the device. In particular, the receptor can be a peptide capable of binding a 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) or 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT).

Abstract: A system for converting solar energy to chemical energy, and, subsequently, to thermal energy includes a light-harvesting station, a storage station, and a thermal energy release station. The system may include additional stations for converting the released thermal energy to other energy forms, e.g., to electrical energy and mechanical work. At the light-harvesting station, a photochemically active first organometallic compound, e.g., a fulvalenyl diruthenium complex, is exposed to light and is photochemically converted to a second, higher-energy organometallic compound, which is then transported to a storage station. At the storage station, the high-energy organometallic compound is stored for a desired time and/or is transported to a desired location for thermal energy release.

Abstract: The invention provides for a nanostructure, or an array of such nanostructures, each comprising a rough surface, and a doped or undoped semiconductor. The nanostructure is an one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructure, such a nanowire, or a two-dimensional (2-D) nanostructure. The nanostructure can be placed between two electrodes and used for thermoelectric power generation or thermoelectric cooling.

Abstract: Nanofluidic devices incorporating inorganic nanotubes fluidly coupled to channels or nanopores for supplying a fluid containing chemical or bio-chemical species are described. In one aspect, two channels are fluidly interconnected with a nanotube. Electrodes on opposing sides of the nanotube establish electrical contact with the fluid therein. A bias current is passed between the electrodes through the fluid, and current changes are detected to ascertain the passage of select molecules, such as DNA, through the nanotube. In another aspect, a gate electrode is located proximal the nanotube between the two electrodes thus forming a nanofluidic transistor. The voltage applied to the gate controls the passage of ionic species through the nanotube selected as either or both ionic polarities. In either of these aspects the nanotube can be modified, or functionalized, to control the selectivity of detection or passage.

Abstract: Thermal rectifiers using linear nanostructures as core thermal conductors have been fabricated. A high mass density material is added preferentially to one end of the nanostructures to produce an axially non-uniform mass distribution. The resulting nanoscale system conducts heat asymmetrically with greatest heat flow in the direction of decreasing mass density. Thermal rectification has been demonstrated for linear nanostructures that are electrical insulators, such as boron nitride nanotubes, and for nanostructures that are conductive, such as carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: The invention provides for a thermoelectric system comprising a substrate comprising a first complex oxide, wherein the substrate is optionally embedded with a second complex oxide. The thermoelectric system can be used for thermoelectric power generation or thermoelectric cooling.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a metal-molecule heterostructure comprising (a) a plurality of metal, semimetallic or semiconducting nanoparticles, and (b) a plurality of electrically conductive organic molecules interspersed among the nanoparticles. The metal-molecular heterostructure is useful in a device, such as a thermoelectric energy converter, battery or capacitor.

Abstract: Nanofluidic devices incorporating inorganic nanotubes fluidly coupled to channels or nanopores for supplying a fluid containing chemical or biochemical species are described. In one aspect, two channels are fluidly interconnected with a nanotube. Electrodes on opposing sides of the nanotube establish electrical contact with the fluid therein. A bias current is passed between the electrodes through the fluid, and current changes are detected to ascertain the passage of select molecules, such as DNA, through the nanotube. In another aspect, a gate electrode is located proximal the nanotube between the two electrodes thus forming a nanofluidic transistor. The voltage applied to the gate controls the passage of ionic species through the nanotube selected as either or both ionic polarities. In either of these aspects the nanotube can be modified, or functionalized, to control the selectivity of detection or passage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device whereby the thermal conductance of a multiwalled nanostructure such as a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) can be controllably and reversibly tuned by sliding one or more outer shells with respect to the inner core. As one example, the thermal conductance of an MWCNT dropped to 15% of the original value after extending the length of the MWCNT by 190 nm. The thermal conductivity returned when the tube was contracted. The device may comprise numbers of multiwalled nanotubes or other graphitic layers connected to a heat source and a heat drain and various means for tuning the overall thermal conductance for applications in structure heat management, heat flow in nanoscale or microscale devices and thermal logic devices.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product is provided for deploying software in a data processing system. A topology pattern is selected in which the selected topology pattern describes an arrangement of software and hardware devices. Augments to the selected topology pattern are received to form an augmented topology pattern after a selection of a selected topology pattern from a plurality of topology patterns. The augmented topology pattern is transformed into a set of deployable scripts, wherein the set of deployable scripts is used for the software deployment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer usable code for constructing a queue namespace object having encapsulation of data stored in the queue namespace object. A series of steps may include receiving a request from a requesting program or other entity for a queue in a set of queues using a selected name. Upon getting the request, a processor may associate a selected name with a queue namespace object in a set of namespace objects. Further features may include processing requests for accessing the queues using the selected name and the queue namespace object in the set of namespace objects such that different applications may be assigned different queues in the set of queues, even though the selected name may be the same.

Abstract: A computer-implementable method for protecting the integrity of dependent multi-tiered transactions is disclosed. The method includes a first application calling a transaction coordinator for the multi-tiered transaction, requesting initialization of a universal transaction context and the transaction coordinator starting a universal transaction composed of at least two component transactions by initializing the universal transaction context and returning a universal transaction identifier to the first application. The first application sending the universal transaction identifier to a second application, the second application committing a first transaction and a third application committing a second transaction depending on the first transaction. The integrity of the dependent transaction is protected by, in response to a failure of the second transaction, rolling back the second transaction and performing an atomic coordinated rollback of the first transaction.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product is provided for deploying software in a data processing system. A topology pattern is selected in which the selected topology pattern describes an arrangement of software and hardware devices. Augments to the selected topology pattern are received to form an augmented topology pattern after a selection of a selected topology pattern from a plurality of topology patterns. The augmented topology pattern is transformed into a set of deployable scripts, wherein the set of deployable scripts is used for the software deployment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer usable code for constructing a queue namespace object having encapsulation of data stored in the queue namespace object. A series of steps may include receiving a request from a requesting program or other entity for a queue in a set of queues using a selected name. Upon getting the request, a processor may associate a selected name with a queue namespace object in a set of namespace objects. Further features may include processing requests for accessing the queues using the selected name and the queue namespace object in the set of namespace objects such that different applications may be assigned different queues in the set of queues, even though the selected name may be the same.

Abstract: Nanometer holes can be reliably and repeatedly defined in the tips of cantilevered probes and used in various types of scanning multiprobe microscopy by defining the hole within a layer disposed on the tip using focused electron or ion beams. The drilling of the hole on the apex of the tip and is stopped just as soon as the hole is defined through an overlying insulating layer under which lies a metallic or semiconductor layer at the apex. The hole is then backfilled with another metallic or semiconductor layer so that an active electrical junction is formed between the two layers through the hole in the insulating layer. The hole may be defined in conductive layers in various combinations with oxide layers, other metal layers and semiconductor materials to define Schottky diodes, thermocouple junctions, near-field optical detectors, and atomic force tips.