Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a chemically pure and stably dispersed organic nanoparticle colloidal suspension using an ultrafast pulsed laser ablation process. The method comprises irradiating a target of an organic compound material in contact with a poor solvent with ultrashort laser pulses at a high repetition rate and collecting the nanoparticles of the organic compound produced. The method may be implemented with a high repetition rate ultrafast pulsed laser source, an optical system for focusing and moving the pulsed laser beam, an organic compound target in contact with a poor solvent, and a solvent circulating system to cool the laser focal volume and collect the produced nanoparticle products. By controlling various laser parameters, and with optional poor solvent flow movement, the method provides stable colloids of dispersed organic nanoparticles in the poor solvent in the absence of any stabilizing agents.

Abstract: A method for generating nanoparticles in a liquid comprises generating groups of ultrafast laser pulses, each pulse in a group having a pulse duration of from 10 femtoseconds to 200 picoseconds, and each group containing a plurality of pulses with a pulse separation of 1 to 100 nanoseconds and directing the groups of pulses at a target material in a liquid to ablate it. The multiple pulse group ablation produces nanoparticles with a reduced average size, a narrow size distribution, and improved production efficiency compared to prior pulsed ablation systems.

Abstract: A simple method is developed in the present invention for fabricating periodic ripple microstructures on the surface of an ITO film by using single-beam femtosecond laser pulses. The periodic ripple microstructures composed of self-organized nanodots can be directly fabricated through the irradiation of the femtosecond laser, without scanning. The ripple spacing of ˜800 nm, ˜400 nm and ˜200 nm observed in the periodic ripple microstructures can be attributed to the interference between the incident light and the scattering light of the femtosecond laser from the surface of the ITO film. In the present invention, the self-organized dots are formed by the constructive interference formed in the surface of the ITO film, where includes higher energy to break the In—O and Sn—O bonds and then form the In—In bonds. Therefore, the dots have higher surface current greater than other disconstructive regions of the ITO film.

Abstract: A method for making a carbon nanotube micro-tip structure is disclosed. A carbon nanotube film structure and an insulting substrate are provided. The insulating substrate includes a surface. At least one strip-shaped recess is defined at the surface. The carbon nanotube film structure is covered on the surface of the insulating substrate, and has a suspended portion covered on the at least one strip-shaped recess. The suspended portion of the carbon nanotube film structure is laser etched, to define a first hollow pattern in the suspended portion and form a patterned carbon nanotube film structure according to the first hollow pattern. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure includes two strip-shaped arms. The two strip-shaped arms are joined at one end to form a tip portion. The tip portion is suspended above the strip-shaped recess.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for the precision fabrication of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems (NEMS), Microsytems, Nanosystems, Photonics, 3-D integration, heterogeneous integration, and Nanotechology devices and structures. The disclosed system and method can also be used in any fabrication technology to increase the precision and accuracy of the devices and structures being made compared to conventional means of implementation. A platform holds and moves a substrate to be machined during machining and a plurality of lasers and/or ion beams are provided that are capable of achieving predetermined levels of machining resolution and precision and machining rates for a predetermined application. The plurality of lasers and/or ion beams comprises a plurality of the same type of laser and/or ion beam.

Abstract: A method for making a carbon nanotube micro-tip structure is disclosed. A carbon nanotube film structure and an insulting substrate are provided. The insulating substrate includes a surface. At least one strip-shaped recess is defined at the surface. The carbon nanotube film structure is covered on the surface of the insulating substrate, and has a suspended portion covered on the at least one strip-shaped recess. The suspended portion of the carbon nanotube film structure is laser etched, to define a first hollow pattern in the suspended portion and form a patterned carbon nanotube film structure according to the first hollow pattern. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure includes two strip-shaped arms. The two strip-shaped arms are joined at one end to form a tip portion. The tip portion is suspended above the strip-shaped recess.

Abstract: At least one embodiment includes a method for fabricating a catalyst comprising a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles, the nanoparticles comprising intermetallics of two or more metals exhibiting long range superlattice crystal ordering. The method comprising the steps of: producing a bulk target of the intermetallics of two or more metals exhibiting long range crystal ordering and submerging the target in a solvent. A pulsed laser is used to ablate bulk target material and to produce nanoparticle of the intermetallics of two or more metals exhibiting long range crystal ordering. At least one embodiment includes a catalyst made with the method. The catalyst can exhibit some desirable properties. For example, the catalyst may remain suspended in solution, essentially without surface modification by ionic compounds. Furthermore, the concentration of elements other than those which comprise the solvent or the intermetallic compound may be less than about 1 ppm.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for creating uniformly sized, spherical nanoparticles from a solid target. The solid target surface is ablated to create an ejecta event containing nanoparticles moving away from the surface. Ablation may be caused by laser or electrostatic discharge. At least one electromagnetic field is placed in front of the solid target surface being ablated. The electromagnetic field manipulates at least a portion of the nanoparticles as they move away from the target surface through the electromagnetic field to increase size and spherical shape uniformity of the nanoparticles. The manipulated nanoparticles are collected.

Abstract: A surface nanostructure forming method includes: preparing a substrate having an appropriate processing value; a first process of irradiating a part which is close to a surface of the substrate with laser light having a pulse duration of picosecond order or shorter at an irradiation intensity being close to the appropriate processing value of the substrate, or greater than or equal to the appropriate processing value and less than or equal to an ablation threshold and forming periodic nanostructures in which first modified portions and second modified portions are periodically arranged in a self-assembled manner at a focus at which the laser light is concentrated and in a region being close to the focus; and a second process of performing an etching treatment on the surface of the substrate having the periodic nanostructures formed thereon to form an uneven structure having the first modified portions as valleys.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is disclosed wherein an inner surface of a container is coated with SERS active materials such as nanoparticles of noble metals. Such a container can provide a partially enclosed, optical diffuse cavity whose inner surfaces serve for dual purposes of enhancing Raman scattering of the contained analyte and optical integration, therefore improving the efficiency of optical excitation and signal collection. The container may be configured to isolate the SERS active material from the external environment. The container, which may be a cylindrical tube, may be referred to as a SERS tube. Methods of coating the inner wall of a container with pulsed laser ablation and with nanoparticle colloids, respectively, are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nanowire production method that is simpler than conventional nanowire production methods, and that makes it easier to control the size and shape of the nanowires by using a technique completely different from the conventional ones. A powder particle containing a metal element is divided into nanometer-size wires containing the metal element by irradiating a suspension of the powder particles with a femtosecond laser. The present invention also makes it possible to divide the nanometer-size wires thus formed into nanometer-size particles containing the metal element by irradiating further the nanometer-size wires with the femtosecond laser.

Abstract: A novel nanostructure-film patterning method is discussed, wherein a laser is employed to etch a nanostructure-film. The laser may be a solid state UV laser, and the nanostructure-film may be patterned while mounted and moving on a roll-to-roll apparatus.

Abstract: A housing includes a main body having an interface and a plastic portion molded on the interface. The main body defines a nanostructure in the interface. The nanostructure includes a plurality of regular, repeating units. A pitch between the adjacent units is in the range from 10 nanometers to 500 nanometers. A height of each unit is in the range from 10 nanometers to 100 nanometers. A surface roughness of the nanostructure is in the range from 1 nanometer to 10 nanometers.

Abstract: The method for detection of cyanide in water is a method for the detection of a highly toxic pollutant, cyanide, in water using ZnO2 nanoparticles synthesized locally by an elegant Pulsed Laser Ablation technique. ZnO2 nanoparticles having a median size of 4 nm are synthesized from pure zinc metal target under UV laser irradiation in a 1-10% H2O2 environment in deionized water. The synthesized ZnO2 nanoparticles are suspended in dimethyl formamide in the presence of Nafion, and then ultrasonicated to create a homogenous suspension, which is used to prepare a thin film of ZnO2 nanoparticles on a metal electrode. The electrode is used for cyanide detection.

Abstract: A method for producing active glass nanoparticles that exhibit upconversion is described. The method employs pulsed-laser ablation of an active glass substrate using, for example, a high repetition rate ultra-short pulse duration laser under normal atmospheric conditions or in a liquid environment.

Abstract: Laser-assisted apparatus and methods for performing nanoscale material processing, including nanodeposition of materials, can be controlled very precisely to yield both simple and complex structures with sizes less than 100 nm. Optical or thermal energy in the near field of a photon (laser) pulse is used to fabricate submicron and nanometer structures on a substrate. A wide variety of laser material processing techniques can be adapted for use including, subtractive (e.g., ablation, machining or chemical etching), additive (e.g., chemical vapor deposition, selective self-assembly), and modification (e.g., phase transformation, doping) processes. Additionally, the apparatus can be integrated into imaging instruments, such as SEM and TEM, to allow for real-time imaging of the material processing.

Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing nanoelectrode lines. The method includes the steps of: sequentially forming an insulating layer, a first photoresist layer, and a drop-shaped second photoresist on a substrate; disposing an imprint mold having a plurality of molding patterns over the second photoresist; applying pressure to the mold to allow the second photoresist to flow into the mold patterns; irradiating ultraviolet (UV) light onto the mold to cure the second photoresist; removing the mold from the cured second photoresist and patterning the second photoresist; patterning the first photoresist layer using the patterned second photoresist as a mask; patterning the insulating layer; and forming a metal layer between the patterned insulating layers. In this method, metal electrode lines are formed between insulating layers using an imprint lithography process, so that nanoelectronic devices can be freed from crosstalk between the metal electrode lines.

Abstract: The surface of a material is textured and by exposing the surface to pulses from an ultrafast laser. The laser treatment causes pillars to form on the treated surface. These pillars provide for greater light absorption. Texturing and crystallization can be carried out as a single step process. The crystallization of the material provides for higher electric conductivity and changes in optical and electronic properties of the material. The method may be performed in vacuum or a gaseous environment. The gaseous environment may aid in texturing and/or modifying physical and chemical properties of the surfaces. This method may be used on various material surfaces, such as semiconductors, metals and their alloys, ceramics, polymers, glasses, composites, as well as crystalline, nanocrystalline, polycrystalline, microcrystalline, and amorphous phases.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nanopatterned biopolymer optical device includes providing a biopolymer, processing the biopolymer to yield a biopolymer matrix solution, providing a substrate with a nanopatterned surface, casting the biopolymer matrix solution on the nanopatterned surface of the substrate, and drying the biopolymer matrix solution to form a solidified biopolymer film on the substrate, where the solidified biopolymer film is formed with a surface having a nanopattern thereon. In another embodiment, the method also includes annealing the solidified biopolymer film. A nanopatterned biopolymer optical device includes a solidified biopolymer film with a surface having a nanopattern is also provided.

Abstract: A method for producing active glass nanoparticles that exhibit upconversion is described. The method employs pulsed-laser ablation of an active glass substrate using, for example, a high repetition rate ultra-short pulse duration laser under normal atmospheric conditions or in a liquid environment.

Abstract: A method for producing composite, shelled, alloy and compound nanoparticles as well as nanostructured films of composite, shelled, alloy and compound nanoparticles by using laser ablation of microparticles is disclosed.

Abstract: A novel nanostructure-film patterning method is discussed, wherein a laser is employed to etch a nanostructure-film. The laser may be a solid state UV laser, and the nanostructure-film may be patterned while mounted and moving on a roll-to-roll apparatus.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for producing a variable, known number of nanoparticles of various materials in an expanding mist in a vacuum or enclosure. The configurations allow for this mist of small particles to be produced in bursts, at repetition rates over a wide range of frequencies. The technique produces an isotropically expanding mist of particles. Direct applications of the invention can be used for the development of high power short wavelength incoherent light sources for applications in EUV lithography (EUVL), advanced microscopy, precision metrology, and other fields.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for producing semiconductor nanoparticles having a monodispersed distribution of particle sizes and the semiconductor nanoparticles produced by the same, which were insufficient in conventional reversed micelle methods. This method for producing semiconductor nanoparticles comprises steps of: forming semiconductor nanoparticles in the reaction field in the micelle or in the reversed micelle; and regulating the particle size of the semiconductor nanoparticles by size-selective photoetching, wherein the reaction field in the micelle or in the reversed micelle serves also as the dissolution field for ions that are produced when the semiconductor nanoparticles are subjected to size-selective photoetching. In this method, particle sizes of the semiconductor nanoparticles are regulated by adjusting the size of the dissolution field for ions and regulating the reactivity of size-selective photoetching.