Abstract: An optrode may provide a cylindrical substrate with two or more electrodes deposited on said cylindrical substrate. The cylindrical substrate and electrodes may be coated by an insulating layer with openings or vias over certain portions of the electrodes that may provide a contact for the neural probe or may be utilized to connect lead lines. Manufacturing of an optrode may utilize a jig that secures a cylindrical substrate coated by a conductive material and a resist. A first mask may be positioned in an opening provided by the jig, and the cylindrical substrate may expose ions or neutral particles to define one or more electrode patterns. After regions of the resist and conductive material are removed to form the electrodes, a second mask may be utilized to define via regions in which portions of the electrodes are exposed and uncoated by an insulating layer.

Abstract: An optrode may provide a cylindrical substrate two or more electrodes deposited said cylindrical substrate. The cylindrical substrate and electrodes may be coated by an insulating layer with openings or vias over certain portions of the electrodes that may provide a contact for the neural probe or may be utilized to connect lead lines. Manufacturing of an optrode may utilize a jig that secures a cylindrical substrate coated by a conductive material and a resist. A first mask may be positioned in an opening provided by the jig, and the cylindrical substrate may be exposed ions or neutral particles to define one or more electrode patterns. After regions of the resist and conductive material are removed to form the electrodes, a second mask may be utilized to define vias regions in which portions of the electrodes are exposed and uncoated by an insulating layer.

Abstract: An optrode may provide a cylindrical substrate two or more electrodes deposited said cylindrical substrate. The cylindrical substrate and electrodes may be coated by an insulating layer with openings or vias over certain portions of the electrodes that may provide a contact for the neural probe or may be utilized to connect lead lines. Manufacturing of an optrode may utilize a jig that secures a cylindrical substrate coated by a conductive material and a resist. A first mask may be positioned in an opening provided by the jig, and the cylindrical substrate may be exposed ions or neutral particles to define one or more electrode patterns. After regions of the resist and conductive material are removed to form the electrodes, a second mask may be utilized to define vias regions in which portions of the electrodes are exposed and uncoated by an insulating layer.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose devices and methods for fabricating microporous particulate filters with regularly spaced pores wherein sheet membrane substrates are exposed to energetic particle radiation through a mask and the damaged regions removed in a suitable developer. The required depth of field is achieved by using energetic particles to minimize diffraction and an energetic particle source with suitably small diameter.

Abstract: An optrode may provide a cylindrical substrate two or more electrodes deposited said cylindrical substrate. The cylindrical substrate and electrodes may be coated by an insulating layer with openings or vias over certain portions of the electrodes that may provide a contact for the neural probe or may be utilized to connect lead lines. Manufacturing of an optrode may utilize a jig that secures a cylindrical substrate coated by a conductive material and a resist. A first mask may be positioned in an opening provided by the jig, and the cylindrical substrate may be exposed ions or neutral particles to define one or more electrode patterns. After regions of the resist and conductive material are removed to form the electrodes, a second mask may be utilized to define vias regions in which portions of the electrodes are exposed and uncoated by an insulating layer.

Abstract: A neural probe includes a probe, wherein a tip of the probe is tapered; an insulating layer covering the probe, and one or more metallic traces, wherein the metallic traces are provide along the length of the probe. The probe also includes one or more contacts provided on the tip of the probe, wherein each of the one or more metallic traces terminates at the one or more contacts, and the one or more contacts provide an array of nanosized metallic pillars. The neural probe may also incorporate a lightguide. The lightguide may include an insulating layer providing a first cladding layer on the probe, a core layer provided on top of the first cladding layer, wherein the metallic traces and contacts are provided in the core layer with a core material, and a second cladding layer provided on top of the core layer.

Abstract: A neural probe includes a probe, wherein a tip of the probe is tapered; an insulating layer covering the probe, and one or more metallic traces, wherein the metallic traces are provide along the length of the probe. The probe also includes one or more contacts provided on the tip of the probe, wherein each of the one or more metallic traces terminates at the one or more contacts, and the one or more contacts provide an array of nanosized metallic pillars. The neural probe may also incorporate a lightguide. The lightguide may include an insulating layer providing a first cladding layer on the probe, a core layer provided on top of the first cladding layer, wherein the metallic traces and contacts are provided in the core layer with a core material, and a second cladding layer provided on top of the core layer.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose devices and methods for fabricating microporous particulate filters with regularly space pores wherein sheet membrane substrates are exposed to energetic particle radiation through a mask and the damaged regions removed in a suitable developer. The required depth of field is achieved by using energetic particles to minimize diffraction and an energetic particle source with suitably small diameter.

Abstract: The present inventors have developed an accurate method for forming a plurality of images on a substrate. The present method provides an improved pattern replication technique that provides submicron resolution, for example 20 nm or less, especially 10 nm or less. The method may involve moving a structured beam of energetic radiation across a target substrate. The motion of an image of the template mask on the substrate is achieved by tilting a mask and substrate assembly relative to the axis of the incident beam. The technique does not require high precision motion of the template mask relative to the target substrate. The energetic radiation may comprise energetic particles. The technique is insensitive to particle energy and can be applied to uncharged, neutral particles.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose devices and methods for fabricating microporous particulate filters with regularly spaced pores wherein sheet membrane substrates are exposed to energetic particle radiation through a mask and the damaged regions removed in a suitable developer. The required depth of field is achieved by using energetic particles to minimize diffraction and an energetic particle source with suitably small diameter.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose devices and methods for fabricating microporous particulate filters with regularly space pores wherein sheet membrane substrates are exposed to energetic particle radiation through a mask and the damaged regions removed in a suitable developer. The required depth of field is achieved by using energetic particles to minimize diffraction and an energetic particle source with suitably small diameter.

Abstract: An energetic neutral particle lithographic apparatus is disclosed for replicating sub-micron and nanoscale patterns including a source producing a beam of energetic neutral particles, comprising atoms or molecules, by charge transfer scattering of energetic ions from the molecules of a gas, a mask member having open stencil windows in a supporting membrane, an energetic neutral particle protective layer on the membrane, and a reproduction member consisting of an energetic neutral particle-sensitive layer between a substrate and the mask for absorbing energetic neutral particles in a pattern created by the mask.

Abstract: The present inventors have developed an accurate method for forming a plurality of images on a substrate. The present method provides an improved pattern replication technique that provides submicron resolution, for example 20 nm or less, especially 10 nm or less. The method may involve moving a structured beam of energetic radiation across a target substrate. The motion of an image of the template mask on the substrate is achieved by tilting a mask and substrate assembly relative to the axis of the incident beam. The technique does not require high precision motion of the template mask relative to the target substrate. The energetic radiation may comprise energetic particles. The technique is insensitive to particle energy and can be applied to uncharged, neutral particles.

Abstract: An RF diode reactive ion etching (RIE) method and apparatus (20) include an evacuable reaction chamber (22) in which an anode electrode (76) and cathode electrode (30)are spaced-apart facing each other and defining a gap (78) between the electrodes. A substrate (40) to be etched is placed in thermal contact with the cathode. A magnet (70) behind the anode provides a magnetic field which is characterized by lines-of-force (80) extending continuously through the gap from one of the electrodes to the other. To etch the substrate the reaction chamber is evacuated, an etchant-gas is admitted into the gap at a predetermined low pressure, a plasma (79) including ions of the etchant gas is generated by applying RF power to the electrodes. The substrate is etched by etchant gas ions attracted from the plasma toward the substrate by a negative self-bias potential established on the cathode.

Abstract: The present invention is, in part, a new process for dopant diffusion, both p-type (e.g., B) and n-type (e.g., P, As), into silicon wafers, using rapid thermal processing (RTP). It uses a surface layer of a new planar dopant as an active dopant source. Such a source is produced using either a rigid holder wafer with a spin-on dopant or CVD doped oxides deposited on its surface, or such a source is high pressure planar solid source having a surface that has been activated by dry etching or sputtering etching. Such a dopant source is placed in proximity to a processed silicon wafer in such a manner that its active surface is facing the surface of the silicon wafer during RTP. Both the silicon wafer and the dopant source are heated by lamps emitting light causing transport of dopant from the dopant source to the silicon surface.

Abstract: A process for depositing a compound of a metal and a reactive gas includes heating a metal target (32), in an evacuated chamber (22) to a predetermined reaction temperature. The reaction temperature is above a critical temperature which is higher than about half the melting point of the metal but below the vaporization temperature of the metal target. At this reaction temperature, the metal target reacts with the reactive gas to produce, in gaseous form, the compound or a sub-compound of the metal and the reactive gas. The gaseous compound or sub-compound is reacted with the reactive gas on a substrate (36) to form a solid layer of the compound on the substrate.

Abstract: The ion beam which performs the printing on the resist through the mask is also used to perform the alignment function. Alignment marks are initially provided on the wafer of a material which emits light when an ion beam impinges thereon, such as silicon dioxide. An ion mask, preferably of silicon, is then positioned over the wafer and alignment marks and ions are directed to the alignment marks through the mask. The degree of alignment is determined by the amount of light emitted by the alignment marks since more ions will strike the alignment marks with increased alignment. The emitted light is detected and +X, -X, +Y, -Y and +theta and -theta error signals are provided on a continuous basis for closed loop control of the mask relative to the wafer under proper alignment is achieved.

Abstract: Combination of a flattened cathode in a cylindrical magnetron sputtering system and positioning of a substrate relatively close to the flattened cathode allows deposition of a uniform film having good composition. The system and method of the present invention is especially suitable for depositing films using YBCO and BCSCO targets.

Abstract: An etching process and apparatus employ a novel magnetic enhancement means and a substantially pure molecular bromine plasma in order to perform in a desired manner for a number of important applications requiring etching of single-crystal and polycrystalline silicon.

Abstract: A high capacity, toothed belt having an elastomeric body composed of a single elastomeric compound which includes from 2 to 30 parts of short fiber flock reinforcement. The flock must have a length to diameter (L/D) ratio less than 10:1.