Abstract: The present invention teaches a successful synthesis regime to grow highly oriented plate-like In2Te3 nanostructures inside bulk thermoelectric Bi2Te3 using a thermodynamically driven nucleation and growth technique. As described herein, the inventive materials can further be doped with +2 and +4 rare earth elements, and others, in order to achieve the desired performance characteristics.

Abstract: A method for controlling microstructural and nanostructural arrangement of nominally-aligned arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is disclosed. The method comprises synthesizing metal oxide particles in situ in nominally-aligned arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) after synthesis of CNTs. The particles can be SnO2 particles or MnO2 particles. A foam structure is further disclosed. The foam structure comprises nominally-aligned arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and a plurality of metal oxide particles associated with the nominally-aligned arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The CNTs have an original crystalline structure as grown and the CNTs with the metal oxide particles have a crystalline structure equal to the crystalline structure of the CNTs as grown.

Abstract: The disclosure provides conductive membranes for water splitting and solar fuel generation. The membranes comprise an embedded semiconductive/photoactive material and an oxygen or hydrogen evolution catalyst. Also provided are chassis and cassettes containing the membranes for use in fuel generation.

Abstract: The present invention teaches a successful synthesis regime to grow highly oriented plate-like In2Te3 nanostructures inside bulk thermoelectric Bi2Te3 using a thermodynamically driven nucleation and growth technique. As described herein, the inventive materials can further be doped with +2 and +4 rare earth elements, and others, in order to achieve the desired performance characteristics.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fabricating multi-functional articles comprised of additively formed gradient materials are provided. The fabrication of multi-functional articles using the additive deposition of gradient alloys represents a paradigm shift from the traditional way that metal alloys and metal/metal alloy parts are fabricated. Since a gradient alloy that transitions from one metal to a different metal cannot be fabricated through any conventional metallurgy techniques, the technique presents many applications. Moreover, the embodiments described identify a broad range of properties and applications.

Abstract: A method for controlling the microstructural arrangement of nominally-aligned arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and a foam structure of CNTs are disclosed. The method includes a functionalization of CNT surfaces, for example, a non-covalent functionalization. The non-covalent functionalization of CNT surfaces can be obtained by way of a wetting process, for example by the use of a solution of surfactant or silica (SiO2) nanoparticles to wet the CNTs. In particular, the CNT array is first detached from the growth substrate and then a functionalization substance (surfactant or SiO2) is added to the CNT array. The functionalization substance can be dissolved in a volatile solvent, such that CNT arrays densify after the solvent evaporates. A method for synthesizing nominally-aligned arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is further disclosed, wherein the synthesizing method is combined with the wetting process.

Abstract: A method and system provide the ability to measure relative displacement and rotation. A first light is continuously shined from a first light source that is fixed on a first entity to a first two-dimensional (2D) plate fixed on a second entity. The first direction of propagation of the first light does not change relative to the first entity. A second light is shined from a second light source that is fixed on the first entity to a second 2D plate fixed on the second entity. A second direction of propagation of the second light does not change relative to the first entity and is different from the first direction of propagation. The displacement of the lights on plates is directly monitored to determine a 3D displacement vector that represents a relative displacement between the first entity and the second entity. Thus, a three dimensional gravity gradient tensor is constructed.

Abstract: An integrated optical linewidth reduction system includes a phase modulator adapted to modulate the phase of an incoming optical signal in response to a feedback control signal defined by a first electrical signal. The phase modulator is further adapted to generate a first optical signal travelling through a first optical path. The first electrical signal is representative of a phase noise of the first optical signal. An optical linewidth of the first optical signal is less than an optical linewidth of the incoming optical signal.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises a waveguide substrate and an optical reference cavity. The optical reference cavity comprises an optical waveguide formed on the waveguide substrate and arranged to form a closed loop greater than or about equal to 10 cm in length. The RMS resonance frequency fluctuation is less than or about equal to 100 Hz. The Q-factor can be greater than or about equal to 108. The optical waveguide can exhibit optical loss less than or about equal to 0.2 dB/m for propagation of an optical signal along the optical waveguide. The closed loop path can comprise two or more linked spirals greater than or about equal to 1 meter in length and can occupy an area on the waveguide substrate less than or about equal to 5 cm2.

Abstract: Multi-valve autoregulatory microfluidic devices and methods are described. The described devices and methods offer improved performance and new means of tuning autoregulatory effects in microfluidic devices.

Abstract: Connecting mechanisms between medical device or other physical components are described. One or more plug pin connector(s) is received in a matching socket connector(s) to either permanently or temporarily join at least two components together along with associated components. Each plug connector is associated with a releasable pull line to facilitate such assembly.

Abstract: The basic structure and functionality of a probe as disclosed herein allows for flexibly incorporating into the probe, various sensing elements for various sensing applications. Two example applications among these various sensing applications include bio-sensing and chemical-sensing applications. For bio-sensing applications the probe, which is fabricated upon a silicon substrate, includes a bio-sensing element such as a nano-pillar transistor, and for chemical-sensing applications the probe includes a sensing element that has a functionalized contact area whereby the sensing element generates a voltage when exposed to one or more chemicals of interest.

Abstract: A field effect nano-pillar transistor has a pillar shaped gate element incorporating a biomimitec portion that provides various advantages over prior art devices. The small size of the nano-pillar transistor allows for advantageous insertion into cellular membranes, and the biomimitec character of the gate element operates as an advantageous interface for sensing small amplitude voltages such as transmembrane cell potentials. The nano-pillar transistor can be used in various embodiments to stimulate cells, to measure cell response, or to perform a combination of both actions.

Abstract: High-density microfluidic chips contain plumbing networks with thousands of micromechanical valves and hundreds of individually addressable chambers. These fluidic devices are analogous to electronic integrated circuits fabricated using large scale integration (LSI). A component of these networks is the fluidic multiplexor, which is a combinatorial array of binary valve patterns that exponentially increases the processing power of a network by allowing complex fluid manipulations with a minimal number of inputs. These integrated microfluidic networks can be used to construct a variety of highly complex microfluidic devices, for example the microfluidic analog of a comparator array, and a microfluidic memory storage device resembling electronic random access memories.

Abstract: An optical phased array includes, in part, a multitude of optical signal emitters and a multitude of optical signal phase/delay elements each associated with and disposed between a different pair of the optical signal emitters. Each optical signal phase/delay element is adapted to cause a phase/delay shift between the optical signals emitted from its associated pair of optical signal emitters. Each optical signal phase/delay element is optically a ring resonator that includes a p-i-n junction. By varying the bias applied to the p-i-n junction, the phase/delay generated by the ring resonator is varied. Furthermore, each optical signal emitter is optionally an optical grating having a multitude of grooves. The groove lengths of the optical gratings are optionally selected so as to increase along the direction of travel of the input optical signal through the optical phase array.

Abstract: High throughput screening of crystallization of a target material is accomplished by simultaneously introducing a solution of the target material into a plurality of chambers of a microfabricated fluidic device. The microfabricated fluidic device is then manipulated to vary the solution condition in the chambers, thereby simultaneously providing a large number of crystallization environments. Control over changed solution conditions may result from a variety of techniques, including but not limited to metering volumes of crystallizing agent into the chamber by volume exclusion, by entrapment of volumes of crystallizing agent determined by the dimensions of the microfabricated structure, or by cross-channel injection of sample and crystallizing agent into an array of junctions defined by intersecting orthogonal flow channels.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for creating molecular barcodes or indicia for cellular constituents within single cells and for resolving such barcodes or indicia with super-resolution technologies such as super-resolution microscopy. By this approach, numerous molecular species that can be measured simultaneously in single cells. It has been demonstrated that multiple mRNA transcripts can be labeled with a spatially ordered sequence of fluorophores, and that barcodes can be resolved. In addition, alternative splicing events can be characterized by identifying and quantifying mRNA isoforms in an individual cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microfabricated device and methods of using the device for analyzing and sorting polynucleotide molecules by size.

Abstract: An integrated optical linewidth reduction system detects/estimates the phase noise of an incoming optical signal and subtracts the detected phase noise from the phase noise of the incoming signal. A first coupler/splitter of the linewidth reduction system may split the incoming signal into first and second optical signals travelling through first and second optical paths. A second coupler/splitter may split the second optical signal into third and fourth optical signals travelling through third and fourth optical paths. The third optical path has a longer propagation delay than the fourth optical path. Two different coupling ratios of the third and fourth optical signals are used to generate an electrical signal representative of the phase noise of the incoming signal. A phase detector/estimator estimates the phase noise from the electrical signal. A phase modulator subtracts the detected/estimated phase noise from the phase noise of the incoming signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fluidic devices for preparing, processing, storing, preserving, and/or analyzing samples. In particular, the devices and related systems and methods allow for preparing and/or analyzing samples (e.g., biospecimen samples) by using one or more of capture regions and/or automated analysis.