Abstract: A layer of nanopatterned phase separated block copolymers on an arbitrary surface comprising a first arbitrary substrate absent of chemical preparation, a layer of graphene on the first arbitrary substrate, and a layer of phase-separated block copolymers on the layer of graphene, wherein the layer of phase-separated block copolymers on the layer of graphene was formed on a second substrate and delaminated via water liftoff and wherein the nanopatterned phase separated block copolymers are utilized as a shadow mask for lithography on the first arbitrary substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to strong hydrogen-bond acidic sorbents. The sorbents may be provided in a form that limits or eliminates intramolecular bonding of the hydrogen-bond acidic site between neighboring sorbent molecules, for example, by providing steric groups adjacent to the hydrogen-bond acidic site. The hydrogen bond site may be a phenolic structure based on a bisphenol architecture. The sorbents of the invention may be used in methods for trapping or detecting hazardous chemicals or explosives.

Abstract: Cyanophosphines other than P(CN)3 react with lithium dicyanamide to produce lithiated carbon phosphonitrides with mobile Li+ ions.

Abstract: The invention relates to concealing information within error correction codes of adaptive rate wireless communication systems. In some embodiments, the invention includes selecting a modulation and coding scheme with a more robust error correction capacity than needed by current channel conditions; encoding a hidden message with a pre-shared key that is known by a covert transmitter and a covert receiver, and after a standard message is encoded by a transmitting station of the wireless communication systems, replacing codeword parity bits of codewords in the encoded standard message with the encoded hidden message at designated locations. Before a receiving station of the wireless communication systems decodes the encoded standard message, a covert receiver extracts the embedded hidden message from the encoded standard message, replaces bit values of the embedded hidden message with zero at the designated locations, and decodes the extracted hidden message with the pre-shared key.

Abstract: A standoff chemical detection system that includes a source and detector are provided. The source includes: a controller, memory communicatively connected to the controller, optical sources each constructed to operate over different wavelength ranges, and a power supply. The controller controls the plurality of optical sources to emit respective infrared beams towards a target detection area in a sequential order. The detector includes: an image sensor and a controller that is communicatively connected to the image sensor. Memory and the notification device are also communicatively connected to the controller. The image sensor receives attenuated infrared beams emitted by the optical sources sequentially and at least partially attenuated by chemicals in the target detection area. The controller is constructed to calculate stimulus value signals from the recorded image data and determine whether a hazard chemical is located within the target detection area based on the calculated stimulus value signals.

Abstract: A method of extracting high-frequency temporal information from images or video recorded with a rolling shutter-based imager includes the steps of acquiring image data using the rolling shutter-based imager; and extracting time-domain frequency information from the image data based on two or more lines of pixels in the image data.

Abstract: A method of making an electrode by providing a mixture of first particles of silver or silver oxide and second particles of an inorganic porogen, molding the mixture, cohering the mixture to form a green body, demolding the green body, heating the green body to form a monolith, to convert any silver oxide to silver, and to fuse the first particles together, and submerging the monolith in a liquid that removes the second particles.

Abstract: A crystallographically-oriented metallic film with a two-dimensional crystal layer comprising a substrate, a metal film on the substrate, the two-dimensional crystal layer on the metal film on the substrate, and a tunable microstructure within the two-dimensional crystal layer on the metal film on the substrate, wherein the metal film has crystallographic registry to the two-dimensional crystal layer.

Abstract: A copper-doped glass formed by placing a target glass in a container, surrounding the target glass with a powder mixture comprised of SiO2 powder and Cu2S powder, wherein the SiO2 powder and the Cu2S powder are mixed according to the formula (SiO2)(1-x)(Cu2S)x, where 0.01<x<0.1, and heated to a temperature of between 800° C. and 1150° C. for a duration of between 1 and 10 hours.

Abstract: Building blocks are provided for on-chip chemical sensors and other highly-compact photonic integrated circuits combining interband or quantum cascade lasers and detectors with passive waveguides and other components integrated on a III-V or silicon. A MWIR or LWIR laser source is evanescently coupled into a passive extended or resonant-cavity waveguide that provides evanescent coupling to a sample gas (or liquid) for spectroscopic chemical sensing. In the case of an ICL, the uppermost layer of this passive waveguide has a relatively high index of refraction that enables it to form the core of the waveguide, while the ambient air, consisting of the sample gas, functions as the top cladding layer. A fraction of the propagating light beam is absorbed by the sample gas if it contains a chemical species having a fingerprint absorption feature within the spectral linewidth of the laser emission.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for generating trace vapors are provided. The apparatus includes a controller and an oven. The controller includes: a processor, a memory storing at least one control program, a clean solution supply port constructed to output a clean solution, an analyte solution supply port constructed to output an analyte solution, a carrier gas inlet port constructed to receive a carrier gas, and a plurality of carrier gas supply controllers constructed to output the carrier gas.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for mode conversion. An apparatus that includes a substrate, a first waveguide, a second waveguide, a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) perturber, and a controller is provided. The first waveguide is formed on the substrate includes: (i) an input section, (ii) a bend section, and (iii) an output section. The second waveguide is also formed on the substrate and is disposed adjacent to a portion of the input section of the first waveguide. A portion of the second waveguide is separated from the input section of the first waveguide by a coupling gap. The perturber is disposed above the first waveguide and configured to move between a first position that is distal from a surface of the input section of the first waveguide and a second position that is closer to the surface of the input section of the first waveguide than the second position. The controller is configured to control a movement of the perturber between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for decontaminating both contaminated waters and sorbent filter media, either separately or simultaneously, in a single system. Contaminants in a liquid flowing through a reaction chamber are removed by first generating a plasma within the liquid in the chamber, with the contaminants being broken into smaller particles at the interfaces between the generated plasma and the liquid. The combined plasma-liquid solution is then passed through a solid filter, which captures the smaller contaminant particles to decontaminate the liquid. To decontaminate the filter media, plasma flows through the filter material without the presence of liquid, the plasma reacting with the filter material to remove contaminants previously adsorbed by the filter.

Abstract: A rhodium-loaded porphyrin complex, comprising the porphyrin (meso-tri(4-sulfonatophenyl) mono(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine (C1S3TPP)) with coordinated with rhodium, effectively neutralizes the biological activity of naturally-occurring and synthetic opioids.

Abstract: A method to determine noise parameters of a scalable device, is presented in which the determination of the noise parameters of the scalable device is independent of the model adopted for the device. The scalable device is connected as part of a test circuit including a noise source, a recirculator, a first power detector and a second power detector. The first power detector is connected to the recirculator and between the noise source and the scalable device and the second detector is connected to the device under test.

Abstract: A number of single domain antibodies (sdAb, also known as nanobodies or VHH) were developed that bind nucleocapsid protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They are useful for detecting the virus and could also find application in therapeutics.

Abstract: The invention relates to strong hydrogen-bond acidic sorbents. The sorbents may be provided in a form that limits or eliminates intramolecular bonding of the hydrogen-bond acidic site between neighboring sorbent molecules, for example, by providing steric groups adjacent to the hydrogen-bond acidic site. The hydrogen bond site may be a phenolic structure based on a bisphenol architecture. The sorbents of the invention may be used in methods for trapping or detecting hazardous chemicals or explosives.

Abstract: A miniaturized apparatus for tracking the apparent motion of the sun comprising a light mask, a pixilated image sensor, and an image processing unit, wherein sunlight transmitted through the light mask allows the miniaturized apparatus to make time, latitude, direction, and date measurements. A method of making a miniaturized apparatus for tracking the apparent motion of the sun comprising the steps of providing a light mask, providing a pixilated image sensor, providing an image processing unit, and resulting in a miniaturized apparatus for tracking the apparent motion of the sun.

Abstract: A method of identifying a rip current that includes receiving an image comprising a body of water, and identifying, in the image an estimated location of a rip current associated with the body of water, wherein the identification comprises a plurality of displayed vertices based on least one of a rip length or a rip width. The method may include digitizing the estimated location of the rip current, the estimated location having highest, lower, and no confidence boundaries. The method may include generating, based on the digitized estimated location, a set of fuzzy-set scheme labels for one or more pixels in the image based on a respective confidence boundary, where the fuzzy-set scheme labels are based on a pixel interpolation associated with the lower confidence boundary, and generating, based on the generated fuzzy-set scheme labels, a refined digitizing of the estimated location of the rip current.

Abstract: A system having a networking device, a plurality of processing devices, and one or more unmanned devices, wherein each unmanned device couples to a corresponding one of the processing devices, wherein each unmanned device comprises one or more operational components. The system having a controller device configured to control at least one of the one or more unmanned devices via the networking device and the corresponding one of the processing devices, the controller device comprising one of the processing devices, wherein the controlled at least one unmanned device is configurable via the corresponding processing device in a control operating mode or in a robot operating mode, the control operating mode enabling the associated unmanned device to perform commands received from the controller device via the corresponding processing device, and the robot operating mode enabling the unmanned device to receive programmable instructions from the controller device via the corresponding processing device.