Abstract: Systems for batteries or galvanic cells are disclosed. The system comprises a mixing chamber. The system further comprises a first reservoir, in fluid communication with a mixing chamber, the first reservoir configured to store a concentrated electrolyte. Additionally the system comprises a pump configured to pump a fluid into the mixing chamber. The system further comprises an electrochemical energy cell in fluid communication with the mixing chamber wherein the mixing chamber is configured to receive the fluid and concentrated electrolyte and mix the fluid and the concentrated electrolyte to produce a diluted electrolyte. Finally the system comprises the electrochemical energy cell configured to receive the diluted electrolyte, use the received diluted electrolyte for an electrochemical reaction and remove the used electrolyte solution from the cell.

Abstract: A thin, rechargeable, flexible electrochemical energy cell includes a battery cell, or a capacitor cell, or a battery/capacitor hybrid cell that can be stackable in any number and order. The cell can be based on a powdery mixture of hydrated ruthenium oxide particles or nanoparticles with activated carbon particles or nanoparticles suspended in an electrolyte. The electrolyte may contain ethylene glycol, boric acid, citric acid, ammonium hydroxide, organic acids, phosphoric acid, and/or sulphuric acid. An anode electrode may be formed with a thin layer of oxidizable metal (Zn, Al, or Pb). The cathode may be formed with a graphite backing foil. The energy cell may have a voltage at or below 1.25V for recharging. The thickness 15 of the cell structure can be in the range of 0.5 mm-1 mm, or lower.

Abstract: An electrochemical energy cell has a galvanic cell including an anode electrode unit, a cathode electrode unit, an electrolyte body between the anode and cathode electrode units and contacting both the anode and cathode electrode units, and a separator layer including the electrolyte body and placed within the cell to contact both the anode and cathode electrode units to bring the anode and cathode electrode units in contact with the electrolyte body. The cathode electrode unit includes a cathode material including a powder mixture of a powder of hydrated ruthenium oxide and one or more additives. The anode electrode unit includes a structure formed of an oxidizable metal, and the separator layer includes a material that is porous to ions in liquid and is electrically non-conductive. A flexible electrochemical cell can be configured for a reduction-oxidation reaction to generate power at a surface of the electrode unit(s).

Abstract: A stepper system for ultra-high resolution nano-lithography employs a photolithographic mask which includes a layer of an electrically conductive optically opaque material in which periodic arrays of sub-wavelength apertures are formed. The plasmonic excitation in the photolithographic mask exposed to the light of the wavelength in the range of 197 nm-248 nm, produces high resolution far-field radiation patterns of sufficient intensity to expose a photoresist on a wafer. The stepper system demonstrates the resiliency to the mask defects and ability to imprint coherent clear features of nano dimensions (45 nm-500 nm) and various shapes on the wafers for integrated circuits design. The stepper system may be adjusted to image the plane of the highest plasmonic field exiting the mask.

Abstract: A nanophotolithography mask includes a layer of an electrically conductive optically opaque material deposited on a mask substrate in which regular arrays of sub-wavelength apertures are formed. The plasmonic excitation in the layer perforated with the sub-wavelength apertures arrays under the light incident on the mask produces high resolution far-field radiation patterns of sufficient intensity to expose a photoresist on a wafer when propagated to the same. The fill-factor of the mask, i.e., the ratio of the total apertures area to the total mask area, may lead to a significant increase in mask manufacturing throughput by FIB or electron beam “writing”. The mask demonstrates the defect resiliency and ability to imprint coherent clear features of nano dimensions and shapes on the wafers for integrated circuits design.

Abstract: A thin, rechargeable, flexible electrochemical energy cell includes a battery cell, or a capacitor cell, or a battery/capacitor hybrid cell that can be stackable in any number and order. The cell can be based on a powdery mixture of hydrated ruthenium oxide particles or nanoparticles with activated carbon particles or nanoparticles suspended in an electrolyte. The electrolyte may contain ethylene glycol, boric acid, citric acid, ammonium hydroxide, organic acids, phosphoric acid, and/or sulphuric acid. An anode electrode may be formed with a thin layer of oxidizable metal (Zn, Al, or Pb). The cathode may be formed with a graphite backing foil. The materials used in the energy cell can be explosive-free, nonflammable, nontoxic, and environmentally safe, and the energy cell may have a voltage at or below 1.25V for recharging. The thickness of the cell structure can be in the range of 0.5 mm-1 mm, or lower.

Abstract: A stepper system for ultra-high resolution nano-lithography employs a photolithographic mask which includes a layer of an electrically conductive optically opaque material in which periodic arrays of sub-wavelength apertures are formed. The plasmonic excitation in the photolithographic mask exposed to the light of the wavelength in the range of 197 nm-248 nm, produces high resolution far-field radiation patterns of sufficient intensity to expose a photoresist on a wafer. The stepper system demonstrates the resiliency to the mask defects and ability to imprint coherent clear features of nano dimensions (45 nm-500 nm) and various shapes on the wafers for integrated circuits design. The stepper system may be adjusted to image the plane of the highest plasmonic field exiting the mask.

Abstract: A nanophotolithography mask includes a layer of an electrically conductive optically opaque material deposited on a mask substrate in which regular arrays of sub-wavelength apertures are formed. The plasmonic excitation in the layer perforated with the sub-wavelength apertures arrays under the light incident on the mask produces high resolution far-field radiation patterns of sufficient intensity to expose a photoresist on a wafer when propagated to the same. The fill-factor of the mask, i.e., the ratio of the total apertures area to the total mask area, may lead to a significant increase in mask manufacturing throughput by FIB or electron beam “writing”. The mask demonstrates the defect resiliency and ability to imprint coherent clear features of nano dimensions and shapes on the wafers for integrated circuits design.

Abstract: This invention pertains to electronic/optoelectronic devices with reduced extended defects and to a method for making it. The device includes a substrate, a semiconductor active material deposited on said substrate, and electrical contacts. The semiconductor active material defines raised structures having atomically smooth surfaces. The method includes the steps of depositing a dielectric thin film mask material on a semiconductor substrate surface; patterning the mask material to form openings therein extending to the substrate surface; growing active material in the openings; removing the mask material to form the device with reduced extended defect density; and depositing electrical contacts on the device.

Abstract: A fiducial beam monitor includes a patterned diode layer on a semiconducting substrate. An electrical field between the diode (or diodes) on the diode layer and the semiconducting substrate modulates the size of the depletion layer formed by the diode or diode. A high energy beam incident upon a diode on the diode layer produces a greater current than a high energy beam incident upon a non-diodic region of the same layer. In use, the beam monitor is typically fixed to the backside of a workpiece such as a semitransparent membrane being patterned by a focused high energy beam that is translated with respect to workpiece and attached monitor. The changes in current during translation are then correlated with the position of the beam with respect to the pattern on the diode layer.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a process for modifying oxidizable surfaces, including diamond surfaces, including methods for metallizing these surfaces, where these methods include oxidation of these surfaces. The present invention also relates to the products of these methods. In this process, a surface is first plasma oxidized, usually under an RF O2 plasma. Chemical functional groups are then attached to the surface. If the surface is to be metallized, the chemical functional groups are selected to be catalyzable, the surface is then catalyzed for electroless metallization, and the surface is finally treated with an electroless plating solution to metallize the surface. If modified surface is to be patterned, the modified surface is exposed through a mask to pattern the surface after the attachment of the chemical functional groups.

Abstract: Improvement in resolution in terms of minimum feature sizes and proximity fects in an electronic mask is attained by making the mask using a high voltage electron beam which deflects or blocks backscattered electrons. The novel mask structure comprises a transparent support, an absorber layer disposed on said support, a dielectric layer disposed on said absorber layer, and a resist layer disposed on said dielectric layer. It is the dielectric layer which is credited for improving resolution in said mask which can be used a multiple number of times in printing a pattern for various applications, including electronic devices and integrated circuits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bonding a layer of coating material onto a subate with minimal bulk heating of the substrate. A pulsed electron beam generator is used to produce high energy electrons at the beginning of the pulse and a larger number of lower energy electrons at the end of the pulse. A thin sacrificial or ablative layer of an easily-vaporized material such as tin is placed on top the coating. The high energy electrons penetrate through the ablative and coating layers. The ablative layer is heated to a molten state, causing it to vaporize. The ablation process generates a force on the coating layer which drives it into the substrate.

Abstract: High aspect ratio metal microstructures may be prepared by a method involving(i) forming a layer of a photoresist on a substrate;(ii) exposing the layer to actinic radiation in an imagewise manner and developing the exposed layer to obtain a surface which contains regions having no remaining photoresist and regions covered with photoresist;(iii) metallizing the surface to form a layer of metal on the region of the surface having no remaining photoresist and on the sides of the regions of photoresist remaining on the surface; and(iv) optionally, stripping the photoresist remaining on the surface.Such microstructures are useful as electron emitters, anisotropic high dielectric interconnects, masks for x-ray photolithography, carriers for the controlled release of active agents, and ultramicroelectrode arrays.

Abstract: The present invention is a fiducial electron beam detector including an etron beam absorber layer having one or more apertures for transmitting an electron beam, and a conductive or semiconductive structure adapted to produce a current in response to an incident electron beam transmitted through an aperture. When electrons from the electron beam strike this structure, a flow of electrons is created which may be monitored using any of the known methods for detecting current flow.

Abstract: Sidewalls in a pattern of a refractory metal on a substrate are passivated during plasma etching by introducing water vapor into the etching chamber. This process obtains nearly vertical sidewalls. In one exemplified embodiment, a pattern of tungsten on a chromium etch step layer was reactive ion etched. In that embodiment, the reactive ion etching was intermittently paused. After each pause, the workpiece was warmed from below about 20.degree. C. to about room temperature. Then, water vapor was introduced into the etching chamber housing the workpiece. After the water vapor was introduced, the workpiece was cooled to below about 20.degree. C. and reactive ion etching was resumed. Alternatively, water vapor can be introduced into the etching chamber continuously during plasma etching.

Abstract: High aspect ratio metal microstructures may be prepared by a method involving(i) forming a layer of a photoresist on a substrate;(ii) exposing the layer to actinic radiation in an imagewise manner and developing the exposed layer to obtain a surface which contains regions having no remaining photoresist and regions covered with photoresist;(iii) metallizing the surface to form a layer of metal on the region of the surface having no remaining photoresist and on the sides of the regions of photoresist remaining on the surface; and(iv) optionally, stripping the photoresist remaining on the surface.Such microstructures are useful as electron emitters, anisotropic high dielectric interconnects, masks for x-ray photolithography, carriers for the controlled release of active agents, and ultramicroelectrode arrays.

Abstract: Improvement of resolution in terms of reducing minimum feature sizes and ximity effects on bulk substrates in high voltage electron beam lithography as applied to manufacture of electronic circuits from coated semiconductors involves the use of a dielectric layer interposed between an electrically semiconducting substrate and a resist layer. The dielectric layer functions to reduce the resist exposure resulting from the backscattered electrons coming from the substrate into the resist layer.

Abstract: A system which samples and records the locations of opaque particles accumulating on a surface. The system represents graphically the geometrical distributions of the particles through an integral electronic hardware/software subsystem. The key component is a radiant energy sensitive sensor which produces the sampling surface. The sensor is exposed to a constant level of radiant energy. Opaque particles becoming resident upon the sensor surface inhibit sensitization of the surface by the radiant energy and thereby indicates the presence and location of the particle. Embodiments of the sensor include charge coupled devices (CCDs), photodiode arrays, intrinsic or extrinsic "bulk" material, and optically- or UV-erasable memories.

Abstract: A method and means for x-ray lithography which utilizes means for producing in a vacuum system a high-temperature plasma from which soft x-rays are emitted. The x-rays pass through a mask exposing an x-ray resist on a substrate to produce the desired pattern on the substrate. The x-ray spectrum has a significant energy in the 1-5 keV range. These x-rays pass through the support layer of the mask, stop in the pattern material (gold) of the mask or, where the pattern material is lacking, are absorbed adequately by the x-ray resist. Since there is very little energy above 5 keV, there is little if any substrate damage due to the x-rays.