Abstract: A method of protecting a polymeric layer from contamination by a photoresist layer. The method includes: (a) forming a polymeric layer over a substrate; (b) forming a non-photoactive protection layer over the polymeric layer; (c) forming a photoresist layer over the protection layer; (d) exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation and developing the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer, thereby exposing regions of the protection layer; (e) etching through the protection layer and the polymeric layer where the protection layer is not protected by the patterned photoresist layer; (f) removing the patterned photoresist layer in a first removal process; and (g) removing the protection layer in a second removal process different from the first removal process.

Abstract: Nanoporous structures are constructed that have hydrophilic regions separated by hydrophobic regions. The porous, hydrophilic regions have reaction sites suitable for use in a bioassay application and have a higher density of reaction sites than that of a non-porous (2-D) surface. The structure may be made by depositing a layer of a matrix material (e.g., an organosilicate) and a porogen, and then crosslinking the matrix material to form a nanohybrid composite structure. The porogen is decomposed to form pores within the matrix material, and a reactive gas phase species (e.g., ozone) is patternwise directed onto a surface of the matrix material. Ultraviolet light (directed through a mask) activates the gas phase species to form a reactive species that then reacts with the matrix material to make it hydrophilic. The porogen may be decomposed thermally or by exposing it to an oxidizing atmosphere in the presence of ultraviolet light.

Abstract: An approach is presented for designing a polymeric layer for nanometer scale thermo-mechanical storage devices. Cross-linked polyaryletherketone polymers are used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage devices, giving significantly improved performance when compared to previously reported cross-linked and linear polymers. The cross-linking of the polyaryletherketone polymers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles.

Abstract: A nanoparticle which includes a multi-armed core and surface decoration which is attached to the core is prepared. A multi-armed core is provided by any of a number of possible routes, exemplary preferred routes being living anionic polymerization that is initiated by a reactive, functionalized anionic initiator and ?-caprolactone polymerization of a bis-MPA dendrimer. The multi-armed core is preferably functionalized on some or all arms. A coupling reaction is then employed to bond surface decoration to one or more arms of the multi-armed core. The surface decoration is a small molecule or oligomer with a degree of polymerization less than 50, a preferred decoration being a PEG oligomer with degree of polymerization between 2 and 24. The nanoparticles (particle size?10 nm) are employed as sacrificial templating porogens to form porous dielectrics. The porogens are mixed with matrix precursors (e.g., methyl silsesquioxane resin), the matrix vitrifies, and the porogens are removed via burnout.

Abstract: A nanoporous material exhibiting a lamellar structure is disclosed. The material comprises three or more substantially parallel sheets of an organosilicate material, separated by highly porous spacer regions. The distance between the centers of the sheets lies between 1 nm and 50 nm. The highly porous spacer regions may be substantially free of condensed material. For the manufacture of such materials, a process is disclosed in which matrix non-amphiphilic polymeric material and templating polymeric material are dispersed in a solvent, where the templating polymeric material includes a polymeric amphiphilic material. The solvent with the polymeric materials is distributed onto a substrate. Organization is induced in the templating polymeric material. The solvent is removed, leaving the polymeric materials in place. The matrix polymeric material is cured, forming a lamellar structure.

Abstract: A biomolecular array includes a substrate across which is distributed an array of discrete regions of a porous substance formed from a porogen-containing organosilicate material. The porous substance is designed to bind chemical targets useful in biotechnology applications, such as gene expression, protein, antibody, and antigen experiments. The regions are preferably optically isolated from each other and may be shaped to enhance detection of optical radiation emanating from the porous substance, e.g., as a result of irradiation of the regions with ultraviolet light. The discrete regions may be configured as microscopic wells within the substrate, or they may reside on top of the substrate in the form of microscopic mesas.

Abstract: A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone polymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone polymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having two or more phenylethynyl moieties. The one or more polyaryletherketone polymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage devices.

Abstract: A nanoporous material exhibiting a lamellar structure is disclosed. The material comprises three or more substantially parallel sheets of an organosilicate material, separated by highly porous spacer regions. The distance between the centers of the sheets lies between 1 nm and 50 nm. The highly porous spacer regions may be substantially free of condensed material. For the manufacture of such materials, a process is disclosed in which matrix non-amphiphilic polymeric material and templating polymeric material are dispersed in a solvent, where the templating polymeric material includes a polymeric amphiphilic material. The solvent with the polymeric materials is distributed onto a substrate. Organization is induced in the templating polymeric material. The solvent is removed, leaving the polymeric materials in place. The matrix polymeric material is cured, forming a lamellar structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a structure. The method including: forming a layer of a polymerizable composition including one or more polyhedral silsesquioxane oligomers each having one or more polymerizable groups, one or more polymerizable diluents, one or more photoacid generators and/or one or more photoinitiators; pressing a surface of a template having a relief pattern into the layer, the template, the layer filling voids in the relief pattern; polymerizing the layer to have thick and thin regions corresponding to the relief pattern; removing the template; removing the thin regions of the dielectric layer; and either curing the layer to create a porous dielectric layer followed by filling spaces between the thick regions of the porous dielectric layer with an electrically conductive material or filling spaces between the thick regions of the dielectric layer with an electrically conductive material followed by curing the dielectric layer to create a porous dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a structure. The method including: forming a precursor layer on a substarte, the precursor layer including a resin and, polymeric nano-particles dispersed in the resin, and a solvent, each the polymeric nano-particle comprising a multi-arm core polymer and pendent polymers attached to the milti-arm core polymer and pendent polymers attached to the multi-arm core polymer, the multi-arm core polymer immiscible with the resin and the pendent polymers miscuble with the resin; heating the precursor layer to cross-link at least about 90% of the resin thereby converting the pre-baked precursor layer to a dielectric layer; forming trenches in the dielectric layer and filling the trenches with an electrical conductor; heating the dielectric layer to thermally decompose at least acout 99.5% of the polymeric nano-particles into decomposition products and to drive the decomposition products out of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: An approach is presented for designing a polymeric layer for nanometer scale thermo-mechanical storage devices. Cross-linked polyimide oligomers are used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage device, giving significantly improved performance when compared to previously reported cross-linked and linear polymers. The cross-linking of the polyimide oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles. Additionally, the cross-linked polyimide oligomers are suitable for use in nano-scale imaging.

Abstract: A method of protecting a polymeric layer from contamination by a photoresist layer. The method includes: (a) forming a polymeric layer over a substrate; (b) forming a non-photoactive protection layer over the polymeric layer; (c) forming a photoresist layer over the protection layer; (d) exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation and developing the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer, thereby exposing regions of the protection layer; (e) etching through the protection layer and the polymeric layer where the protection layer is not protected by the patterned photoresist layer; (f) removing the patterned photoresist layer in a first removal process; and (g) removing the protection layer in a second removal process different from the first removal process.

Abstract: A method of protecting a polymeric layer from contamination by a photoresist layer. The method includes: (a) forming a polymeric layer over a substrate; (b) forming a non-photoactive protection layer over the polymeric layer; (c) forming a photoresist layer over the protection layer; (d) exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation and developing the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer, thereby exposing regions of the protection layer; (e) etching through the protection layer and the polymeric layer where the protection layer is not protected by the patterned photoresist layer; (f) removing the patterned photoresist layer in a first removal process; and (g) removing the protection layer in a second removal process different from the first removal process.

Abstract: A material and an associated method of formation. A self-assembling block copolymer that includes a first block species and a second block species respectively characterized by a volume fraction of F1 and F2 with respect to the self-assembling block copolymer is provided. At least one crosslinkable polymer that is miscible with the second block species is provided. The self-assembling block copolymer and the at least one crosslinkable polymer are combined to form a mixture. The mixture having a volume fraction, F3, of the crosslinkable polymer, a volume fraction, F1A, of the first block species, and a volume fraction, F2A, of the second block species is formed. A material having a predefined morphology where the sum of F2A and F3 were preselected is formed.

Abstract: A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers comprising (a) a first monomer including an aryl ether ketone and (b) a second monomer including an aryl ether ketone and a first phenylethynyl moiety, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having a phenylethynyl moiety the same as or different from the first phenylethynyl moiety. The one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layer in an atomic force data storage device.

Abstract: A composition of matter for a recording medium in atomic force data storage devices. The composition includes one or more poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers, each of the one or more poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers including (a) a first monomer including an aryl ether ketone and (b) a second monomer including an aryl ether ketone and a hydrogen bonding cross-linking moiety, the moiety capable of forming two or more hydrogen bonds at room temperature, each of the one or more poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having a phenylethynyl moiety. The covalent and hydrogen bonding cross-linking of the poly(aryl ether ketone) oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles.

Abstract: ESD damage caused by connecting devices that have separate grounds, is reduced by equalizing the charge on the first and second device grounds before connecting their signal lines together; but when the grounds are equalized, the transfer of charge between them is sufficiently slowed down so as to avoid harming components within the device receiving the extra charge. In one embodiment, a connector for connection with a complementary connector is provided with an inhibited shell. The inhibited shell is mounted to the connector body for connection with a shell on a complementary connector. The inhibited shell is configured (e.g., with a conductive polymer having a desired resistance) to sufficiently slow down the detrimental transfer of charge between the separate grounds on the connected devices while at the same time allowing them to equalize with one another.

Abstract: A composition of matter for a recording medium in atomic force data storage devices. The composition includes polyimide oligomers having covalently bonded monomers forming a backbone, the oligomer thermally stable to at least 400° C.; one or more covalent bonding cross-linking moieties incorporated into the polyimide oligomer; and one or more hydrogen bonding cross-linking moieties incorporated into the polyimide oligomer. The covalent and hydrogen bonding cross-linking of the polyimide oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles.

Abstract: A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone polymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone polymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having two or more phenylethynyl moieties. The one or more polyaryletherketone polymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage devices.

Abstract: A composition of matter for a recording medium in atomic force data storage devices. The composition includes one or more poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers, each of the one or more poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers including (a) a first monomer including an aryl ether ketone and (b) a second monomer including an aryl ether ketone and a hydrogen bonding cross-linking moiety, the moiety capable of forming two or more hydrogen bonds at room temperature, each of the one or more poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having a phenylethynyl moiety. The covalent and hydrogen bonding cross-linking of the poly(aryl ether ketone) oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles.