Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a patterned structure on a substrate. The method includes: forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer being a negative tone resist; exposing a first portion of the resist layer to a focused electron beam to form a modified first portion, the modified first portion defining a boundary of a second portion of the resist layer; performing a plasma treatment on a surface of the resist layer, including on a surface of the second portion of the resist layer to form a modified surface portion of the second portion of the resist layer, resulting in a plasma treated resist layer; and performing development of the plasma treated resist layer to form the patterned structure on the substrate corresponding the second portion of the resist layer.

Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a patterned structure on a substrate. The method includes: forming a resist layer on the substrate, the resist layer being a negative tone resist; exposing a first portion of the resist layer to a focused electron beam to form a modified first portion, the modified first portion defining a boundary of a second portion of the resist layer; performing a plasma treatment on a surface of the resist layer, including on a surface of the second portion of the resist layer to form a modified surface portion of the second portion of the resist layer, resulting in a plasma treated resist layer; and performing development of the plasma treated resist layer to form the patterned structure on the substrate corresponding the second portion of the resist layer.

Abstract: A street sign method, system and apparatus includes at least one translucent sign face, a solar photovoltaic panel system for generating electrical energy from sunlight, a rechargeable battery system for storing the electrical energy during the day, at least one Light Emitting Diode (LED) powered by the electrical energy stored in the rechargeable battery system, and a control circuit powered by the rechargeable battery system and configured to operate the at least one LED to illuminate the at least one sign face. The control circuit is configured to calculate an amount of electrical power that can be supplied from the rechargeable battery system to the at least one LED so that said the at least one LED operates at a relatively constant level of LED light output brightness during substantially the entire night time hours based on solar energy supplied to the rechargeable battery system during the previous daytime hours. The street name sign is mountable to a post or pole.

Abstract: An application program interface system and method for automating high speed network access ordering and provisioning processes, particularly involving business to business interactions, such as automating interactions between ISPs and ILEC/CLECs for xDSL service ordering and provisioning processes, are disclosed. The method for automating communications between service providers in connection with providing a high speed network access service generally comprises electronically receiving a request message relating to the high speed network access service from a service provider via a network, processing the request message from the service provider using a computer system to automatically generate a response message to the request message, and electronically transmitting the response message to the service provider via the network.