Abstract: The present invention concerns the fabrication, reshaping, and repair of scanning probes (SPs), which are the most essential part of any scanning probe microscope (SPM). This is effected by controlled, possibly multi-stage chemical reactions between an SP surface and a reactive medium, which reactions, by appropriate selection and matching of chemicals to the material to be treated at the SP, and by appropriate control of the contact area and, eventually, of other parameters that govern the progress of the reactions such as the electrical environment, results in deposition, removal, or modification of material at well-defined regions on the surface of the SP, in particular at the very tip of the SP, e.g. as desired for aperture SPs (ASPs) used in scanning near field optical microscopes (SNOMs). The chemical reactions may preferably be electrolytic ones and/or performed while the SP is mounted in the SPM. The latter even enables repair of a damaged SP in situ.

Abstract: A highly efficient monolithic direct bandgap lattice accommodated semiconductor structure in which an input signal is converted to photons on one side of an insulating region and the photons are reconverted on the opposite side of the insulating region to an output signal in a multi-oblique segment region. The structure converts AC to DC, AC to AC and DC to DC signals and is adapted to the efficient V-groove multijunction solar cell.

Abstract: In a crucible or reactor for making multi-layered semiconductor devices by means of liquid-phase epitaxy, different supersaturated solutions are brought into contact with semiconductor substrates for short times. Transport of the solutions occurs by alternating acceleration. Either gravity alternates with centrifugal force, or a positive rotational acceleration alternates with a negative one. Chambers within the reactor are interconnected by channels so that the alternating forces acting upon the solutions cause these to flow in a preferred direction without mixing with each other.