Abstract: A method of decomposing a cured aromatic epoxy resin uses a molten salt bath at less than about 350° C. The molten salt bath includes a plurality of alkali metal hydroxides. The cured aromatic epoxy resin can be in intimate physical contact with a metal or alloy. The cured aromatic epoxy resin can be patterned by a lithographic method. The lithographic method can be multibeam interference lithography to form a three-dimensional photonic crystal template on a conductive substrate for electrodeposition of metal. Contacting the three-dimensional photonic crystal template with the electrodeposited metal with the molten salt bath can form a metal matrix device displaying a periodic pattern that is the inverse of the periodic pattern of the decomposed three-dimensional photonic crystal template.

Abstract: A method to control the density of a three-dimensional photonic crystal template involves changing the irradiation time from at least four laser beams to yield a periodic percolating matrix of mass and voids free of condensed matter from a photoresist composition. The photoresist composition includes a photoinitiator at a concentration where the dose or irradiation is controlled by the irradiation time and is less than the irradiation time that would convert all photoinitiator to initiating species such that the density of the three-dimensional photonic crystal template differs for different irradiation times. A deposition of reflecting or absorbing particles can be patterned on the surface of the photoresist composition to form a template with varying densities above different areas of the substrate.

Abstract: An anode material for a secondary battery is provided. The anode material for the secondary battery includes a metal oxide containing four or more than four elements, or an oxide mixture containing four or more than four elements. The metal oxide includes cobalt-copper-tin oxide, silicon-tin-iron oxide, copper-manganese-silicon oxide, tin-manganese-nickel oxide, manganese-copper-nickel oxide, or nickel-copper-tin oxide. The oxide mixture includes the oxide mixture containing cobalt, copper and tin, the oxide mixture containing silicon, tin and iron, the oxide mixture containing copper, manganese and silicon, the oxide mixture containing tin, manganese and nickel, the oxide mixture containing manganese, copper and nickel, or the oxide mixture containing nickel, copper and tin.

Abstract: An anode material for a secondary battery is provided. The anode material for the secondary battery includes a metal oxide containing four or more than four elements, or an oxide mixture containing four or more than four elements. The metal oxide includes cobalt-copper-tin oxide, silicon-tin-iron oxide, copper-manganese-silicon oxide, tin-manganese-nickel oxide, manganese-copper-nickel oxide, or nickel-copper-tin oxide. The oxide mixture includes the oxide mixture containing cobalt, copper and tin, the oxide mixture containing silicon, tin and iron, the oxide mixture containing copper, manganese and silicon, the oxide mixture containing tin, manganese and nickel, the oxide mixture containing manganese, copper and nickel, or the oxide mixture containing nickel, copper and tin.

Abstract: A component with a reflective substrate, a photoresist layer disposed on the reflective substrate, and a light diffusing layer sandwiched between the reflective substrate and the photoresist layer is provided. The light diffusing layer includes an outer metal oxide layer with an outer rough surface configured to diffuse laser light during laser interference lithography of the photoresist layer. The outer metal oxide is also configured to be reduced to a conductive metallic layer during electroplating of the substrate. The outer metal oxide layer includes a plurality of elongated light diffusing elements extending in an outward direction from the substrate such that the outer rough surface diffuses at least 90% of laser light during the laser interference lithography of the photoresist layer.

Abstract: A component with a reflective substrate, a photoresist layer disposed on the reflective substrate, and a light diffusing layer sandwiched between the reflective substrate and the photoresist layer is provided. The light diffusing layer includes an outer metal oxide layer with an outer rough surface configured to diffuse laser light during laser interference lithography of the photoresist layer. The outer metal oxide is also configured to be reduced to a conductive metallic layer during electroplating of the substrate. The outer metal oxide layer includes a plurality of elongated light diffusing elements extending in an outward direction from the substrate such that the outer rough surface diffuses at least 90% of laser light during the laser interference lithography of the photoresist layer.

Abstract: A method to form a three-dimensional photonic crystal template with a gradient structure involves irradiating a photoresist composition of a thickness of at least 15 ?m from at least four laser beams to yield a periodic patterned with a percolating matrix of mass in constructive volumes of a cured photoresist composition and destructive volumes of voids free of condensed matter where the proportion of constructive volume displays a gradient from the irradiated surface to the substrate after development. For a given light intensity, photoinitiator concentration in the photoresist composition, and a given thickness, by irradiating for a relatively short period, a three-dimensional photonic crystal template displaying a gradient having greater constructive volume proximal the air interface forms and a relatively long irradiation period results in a gradient having greater constructive volume proximal the substrate.

Abstract: A three-dimensional photonic crystal template on a reflective substrate displays a periodic patterned from multibeam interference lithography with constructive volumes of a cured photoresist composition and destructive volumes that are voids free of mass containing defects and where the reflective substrate is conductive. A method to generate the three-dimensional photonic crystal template includes using at least four laser beams of unequal intensity, oriented such that a dose of light controlled by the irradiation time generates the periodic pattern with a small dose, where the light reflected from the substrate is insufficient to activate a threshold quantity of photoinitiator in the destructive volumes for the formation of any anomalous condensed matter in the intended void volume.

Abstract: A method to control the density of a three-dimensional photonic crystal template involves changing the irradiation time from at least four laser beams to yield a periodic percolating matrix of mass and voids free of condensed matter from a photoresist composition. The photoresist composition includes a photoinitiator at a concentration where the dose or irradiation is controlled by the irradiation time and is less than the irradiation time that would convert all photoinitiator to initiating species such that the density of the three-dimensional photonic crystal template differs for different irradiation times. A deposition of reflecting or absorbing particles can be patterned on the surface of the photoresist composition to form a template with varying densities above different areas of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of decomposing a cured aromatic epoxy resin uses a molten salt bath at less than about 350° C. The molten salt bath includes a plurality of alkali metal hydroxides. The cured aromatic epoxy resin can be in intimate physical contact with a metal or alloy. The cured aromatic epoxy resin can be patterned by a lithographic method. The lithographic method can be multibeam interference lithography to form a three-dimensional photonic crystal template on a conductive substrate for electrodeposition of metal. Contacting the three-dimensional photonic crystal template with the electrodeposited metal with the molten salt bath can form a metal matrix device displaying a periodic pattern that is the inverse of the periodic pattern of the decomposed three-dimensional photonic crystal template.

Abstract: A method to form a three-dimensional photonic crystal template with a gradient structure involves irradiating a photoresist composition of a thickness of at least 15 ?m from at least four laser beams to yield a periodic patterned with a percolating matrix of mass in constructive volumes of a cured photoresist composition and destructive volumes of voids free of condensed matter where the proportion of constructive volume displays a gradient from the irradiated surface to the substrate after development. For a given light intensity, photoinitiator concentration in the photoresist composition, and a given thickness, by irradiating for a relatively short period, a three-dimensional photonic crystal template displaying a gradient having greater constructive volume proximal the air interface forms and a relatively long irradiation period results in a gradient having greater constructive volume proximal the substrate.

Abstract: An anode material for a secondary battery is provided. The anode material for the secondary battery includes a metal oxide containing four or more than four elements, or an oxide mixture containing four or more than four elements. The metal oxide includes cobalt-copper-tin oxide, silicon-tin-iron oxide, copper-manganese-silicon oxide, tin-manganese-nickel oxide, manganese-copper-nickel oxide, or nickel-copper-tin oxide. The oxide mixture includes the oxide mixture containing cobalt, copper and tin, the oxide mixture containing silicon, tin and iron, the oxide mixture containing copper, manganese and silicon, the oxide mixture containing tin, manganese and nickel, the oxide mixture containing manganese, copper and nickel, or the oxide mixture containing nickel, copper and tin.

Abstract: An anode material for a secondary battery is provided. The anode material for the secondary battery includes a metal oxide containing four or more than four elements, or an oxide mixture containing four or more than four elements. The metal oxide includes cobalt-copper-tin oxide, silicon-tin-iron oxide, copper-manganese-silicon oxide, tin-manganese-nickel oxide, manganese-copper-nickel oxide, or nickel-copper-tin oxide. The oxide mixture includes the oxide mixture containing cobalt, copper and tin, the oxide mixture containing silicon, tin and iron, the oxide mixture containing copper, manganese and silicon, the oxide mixture containing tin, manganese and nickel, the oxide mixture containing manganese, copper and nickel, or the oxide mixture containing nickel, copper and tin.

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal display is provided, including a substrate, a first electrode layer disposed on the substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed on the first electrode layer, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises at least two liquid crystals having different sensitivities to driving frequencies, mixed with each other, and the liquid crystals having a greater initial state-transition temperature are more sensitive to driving frequency.

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal display is provided, including a substrate, a first electrode layer disposed on the substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed on the first electrode layer, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises at least two liquid crystals having different sensitivities to driving frequencies, mixed with each other, and liquid crystals having a greater initial state-transition temperature are more sensitive to driving frequency.

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal display is provided, including a substrate, a first electrode layer disposed on the substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed on the first electrode layer, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises at least two liquid crystals having different sensitivities to driving frequencies, mixed with each other, and liquid crystals having a greater initial state-transition temperature are more sensitive to driving frequency.