Abstract: An electromechanical switching device includes a first electrode, comprising layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; a second electrode, comprising layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface opposite the first surface; and an actuation mechanism; wherein each of the first and second 2D layered materials has an anisotropic electrical conductivity, which is lower transversely to its layers than in-plane with the layers; the first electrode includes two distinct areas alongside the first surface, which areas differ in at least one structural, electrical and/or magnetic property; and at least one of the first and second electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism, such that actuation thereof for modification of an electrical conductance transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface to enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: A method of fabrication of a micro-optics device included providing a layer of material; patterning the layer of material by one or more of: locally unzipping and desorbing molecules thereof, with a nano-scale dimensioned probe, to obtain a curved surface for the layer of material, the curved surface having a curved profile in a plane section; and completing a layer structure perpendicular to the plane section by providing one or more additional layers of material in contact with the curved surface to obtain the micro-optics device, wherein the micro-optics device has the layer structure, with a given layer thereof comprising a defect delimited by two surfaces, wherein one of the two surfaces is the curved surface.

Abstract: The present invention is notably directed to a microfluidic surface processing device including a microfluidic probe head with at least one aperture, on a face, including at least an outlet aperture; and a surface processing structure extending outward and perpendicular with respect to the face, the processing structure being further dimensioned and located with respect to the outlet aperture such that it can intercept a flowpath of liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture. The present invention is further directed to related apparatuses and methods.

Abstract: A device is disclosed, comprising: a first layer including a first molecular network having a first 2D lattice structure, a second layer including a second molecular network having a second 2D lattice structure, wherein the first layer and the second layer are arranged at a distance from each other such that the first and the second molecular network interact electronically via molecular orbital interactions, and a rotation device implemented to rotate the first layer relative to the second layer by a rotation angle, wherein an electrical resistance between the first molecular network and the second molecular network changes as a function of the rotation angle.

Abstract: The present invention relates a method of producing a data storage medium comprising the steps of: a) coating a layer comprising a polymer material onto at least a part of a template surface thereby to obtain a modified template surface; b) clamping the modified template surface produced in step (a) with a target surface thereby to obtain an assembly; and c) introducing a liquid to an environment of the assembly obtained in step (b) thereby to transfer the layer comprising the polymer material of the modified template surface onto at least an adjacent region on the target surface.

Abstract: An electromechanical switching device includes a first electrode, comprising layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; a second electrode, comprising layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface opposite the first surface; and an actuation mechanism; wherein each of the first and second 2D layered materials has an anisotropic electrical conductivity, which is lower transversely to its layers than in-plane with the layers; the first electrode includes two distinct areas alongside the first surface, which areas differ in at least one structural, electrical and/or magnetic property; and at least one of the first and second electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism, such that actuation thereof for modification of an electrical conductance transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface to enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: A local probe storage array is provided that includes a substrate, and a polymeric layer over the substrate, the polymeric layer comprising a crosslinking agent comprising at least three alkyne groups.

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 method of fabrication of a micro-optics device included providing a layer of material; patterning the layer of material by one or more of: locally unzipping and desorbing molecules thereof, with a nano-scale dimensioned probe, to obtain a curved surface for the layer of material, the curved surface having a curved profile in a plane section; and completing a layer structure perpendicular to the plane section by providing one or more additional layers of material in contact with the curved surface to obtain the micro-optics device, wherein the micro-optics device has the layer structure, with a given layer thereof comprising a defect delimited by two surfaces, wherein one of the two surfaces is the curved surface.

Abstract: A local probe storage array is provided that includes a substrate, and a polymeric layer over the substrate, the polymeric layer comprising a crosslinking agent that has been cured, the crosslinking agent comprising at least three alkyne groups.

Abstract: The present invention relates a method of producing a data storage medium comprising the steps of: a) coating a layer comprising a polymer material onto at least a part of a template surface thereby to obtain a modified template surface; b) clamping the modified template surface produced in step (a) with a target surface thereby to obtain an assembly; and c) introducing a liquid to an environment of the assembly obtained in step (b) thereby to transfer the layer comprising the polymer material of the modified template surface onto at least an adjacent region on the target surface.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for patterning a surface of a material. A substrate having a polymer film thereon is provided. The polymer is a selectively reactive polymer (e.g., thermodynamically unstable): it is able to unzip upon suitable stimulation. A probe is used to create patterns on the film. During the patterning, the film is locally stimulated for unzipping polymer chains. Hence, a basic idea is to provide a stimulus to the polymeric material, which in turn spontaneously decomposes e.g., into volatile constituents. For example, the film is thermally stimulated in order to break a single bond in a polymer chain, which is sufficient to trigger the decomposition of the entire polymer chain.

Abstract: A method for positioning nano-objects on a surface and an apparatus for implementing the method. The method includes: providing a first surface and a second surface in a position facing each other, where one or more of the surfaces exhibits one or more position structures having dimensions on the nanoscale; providing an ionic liquid suspension of the nano-objects between the two surfaces, where the suspension comprises two electrical double layers each formed at an interface with a respective one of the two surfaces, and the surfaces have electrical charges of the same sign; enabling the nano-objects in the suspension to position according to a potential energy resulting from the electrical charge of the two surfaces; and depositing one or more of the nano-objects on the first surface according to the positioning structures by shifting the minima of the potential energy towards the first surface.

Abstract: The present invention is notably directed to an electromechanical switching device having: two electrodes, including: a first electrode, having layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; and a second electrode, having layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface vis-à-vis said first surface; and an actuation mechanism, where: each of the first and second 2D layered materials is electrically conducting; and at least one of said two electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism to modify a distance between the first surface and the second surface, such as to modify an electrical conductivity transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface and thereby enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: The present invention is notably directed to a microfluidic surface processing device including a microfluidic probe head with at least one aperture, on a face, including at least an outlet aperture; and a surface processing structure extending outward and perpendicular with respect to the face, the processing structure being further dimensioned and located with respect to the outlet aperture such that it can intercept a flowpath of liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture. The present invention is further directed to related apparatuses and methods.

Abstract: The present invention is notably directed to an electromechanical switching device having: two electrodes, including: a first electrode, having layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; and a second electrode, having layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface vis-à-vis said first surface; and an actuation mechanism, where: each of the first and second 2D layered materials is electrically conducting; and at least one of said two electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism to modify a distance between the first surface and the second surface, such as to modify an electrical conductivity transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface and thereby enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: A local probe storage array is provided that includes a substrate, and a polymeric layer over the substrate, the polymeric layer comprising a crosslinking agent that has been cured, the crosslinking agent comprising at least three alkyne groups.

Abstract: An arrangement for a laboratory room that is confined by a floor, a ceiling and walls connecting the floor with the ceiling, the arrangement comprises: a main base suspended on the floor; a tool base arranged on the main base; a platform arranged around the tool base, wherein the platform is permeable for air, and the platform is suspended at the walls; an air inlet arranged below the platform; an air outlet arranged above the tool base; and air guides for directing an air flow upwards at least partially parallel to the main base and/or the tool base.

Abstract: The invention notably concerns a method for depositing nano-objects on a surface. The method includes: providing a substrate with surface patterns on one face thereof; providing a transfer layer on said face of the substrate; functionalizing areas on a surface of the transfer layer parallel to said face of the substrate, at locations defined with respect to said surface patterns, such as to exhibit enhanced binding interactions with nano-objects; depositing nano-objects and letting them get captured at the functionalized areas; and thinning down the transfer layer by energetic stimulation to decompose the polymer into evaporating units, until the nano-objects reach the surface of the substrate.

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.