Abstract: A nanopore cell may include a well having a seamless porous electrode and hydrophobic sidewalls. The seamless porous electrode may be formed by depositing porous electrode material on a planar electrode support layer formed by a conductive layer island and a dielectric layer. The porous electrode material may form uniform seamless columns and may be protected during manufacturing by depositing a selectably removable protective layer thereon. The well may be formed by forming and then patterning hydrophobic cladding over the protective layer. The protective layer may be removed to expose the seamless porous electrode at the bottom of the well.

Abstract: A nanopore cell may include a well having a working electrode at a bottom of the well. The well may be formed within a dielectric layer, where the sidewalls of the well may be formed of the dielectric or other materials coating the walls of the dielectric layer. Various materials having different hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity can be used to provide desired properties of the cell. The nanopore in the nanopore cell can be inserted in a membrane formed over the well. Various techniques can be used for providing a desired shape and other properties e.g., of materials and processes for forming the well.

Abstract: A nanopore cell may include a well having a working electrode at a bottom of the well. The well may be formed within a dielectric layer, where the sidewalls of the well may be formed of the dielectric or other materials coating the walls of the dielectric layer. Various materials having different hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity can be used to provide desired properties of the cell. The nanopore in the nanopore cell can be inserted in a membrane formed over the well. Various techniques can be used for providing a desired shape and other properties e.g., of materials and processes for forming the well.

Abstract: By directly connecting, ballast to an emitter electrode of an ion generator (e.g., a corona-discharge device), a rapid and self-corrective reduction in emitter-to-collector voltage may be provided responsive to an increase in current characteristic of incipient sparking discharge. Voltage levels in the emitter-to-collector gap can be rapidly reduced based on voltage drop across the ballast that, while negligible under nominal ion current conditions, transiently increases in the event of a sparking discharge. As a result, the portion of supply voltage (typically multi-KV supply voltage) across the emitter-to-collector gap is transiently reduced to levels below a current breakdown voltage and, indeed, field intensity proximate to the emitter is transiently reduced below levels otherwise necessary to sustain ion generation.

Abstract: Surfaces for electromagnetic shielding, retaining electrostatic charge and indeed collecting ion current in EHD fluid mover designs may be formed as or on surfaces of other components and/or structures in an electronic device. In this way, dimensions may be reduced and packing densities increased. In some cases, electrostatically operative portions of an EHD fluid mover are formed as or on surfaces of an enclosure, an EMI shield, a circuit board and/or a heat pipe or spreader. Depending on the role of these electrostatically operative portions, dielectric, resistive and/or ozone robust or catalytic coatings or conditioning may be applied.

Abstract: Cleaning and/or conditioning electrode surfaces can provide significant performance and operational benefits in EHD devices. In particular, conditioning of emitter electrode surfaces with silver (Ag), silver compositions or silver preparations applied in situ at successive times throughout the operating lifetime of an EHD air mover has been found to significantly reduce ozone production. Structures and techniques are described for in situ conditioning electrode surfaces and, in particular, emitter electrode surfaces of an EHD device such as an air mover or precipitator, with a conditioning material that includes silver.

Abstract: An electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator apparatus includes a corona electrode having an axial shape and configured to receive a first voltage. The electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator apparatus includes a collector electrode disposed coaxially around the at least one corona electrode and configured to receive a second voltage. Application of the first and second voltages on the corona electrode and the collector electrode, respectively, causes fluid proximate to the corona electrode to ionize and travel in a first direction between the corona electrode and the collector electrode, thereby causing other fluid molecules to travel in a second direction to generate a fluid stream. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the ionized fluid proximate to the emitter electrode travels in a radial direction from the corona electrode to the collector electrode, causing the other fluid molecules to travel in an axial direction to thereby generate the fluid stream.

Abstract: An electronic system is configurable to accommodate either of a mechanical air mover and an EHD air mover within an enclosure. At least one of a plurality of electronic components is selectively configurable to alternately accommodate the mechanical air mover or the EHD air mover within the enclosure. The mechanical fan or EHD is positioned to motivate air flow along a air flow path between inlet and outlet ventilation boundaries of the enclosure. A connector for a respective one of the electronic components allows for selective configuration in an alternate orientation of the respective one of the electronic components to accommodate a difference in geometry between the EHD air mover and the mechanical air mover.

Abstract: Performance of an electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator device may be improved and adverse events such as sparking or arcing may be reduced based, amongst other things, on electrode geometries and/or positional interrelationships of the electrodes. For example, in a class of EHD devices that employ a longitudinally elongated corona discharge electrode (often, but not necessarily, a wire), a plurality of generally planar, collector electrodes may be positioned so as to present respective leading surfaces toward the corona discharge electrode. The generally planar collector electrodes may be oriented so that their major surfaces are generally orthogonal to the longitudinal extent of the corona discharge electrode. In such EHD devices, a high intensity electric field can be established in the “gap” between the corona discharge electrode and leading surfaces of the collector electrodes.

Abstract: In thermal management systems that employ EHD devices to motivate flow of air between ventilated boundary portions of an enclosure, it can be desirable to have some heat transfer surfaces participate in electrohydrodynamic acceleration of fluid flow while providing additional heat transfer surfaces that may not. In some embodiments, both collector electrodes and additional heat transfer surfaces are thermally coupled into a heat transfer path. Collector electrodes then contribute both to flow of cooling air and to heat transfer to the air flow so motivated. The collector electrodes and additional heat transfer surfaces may be parts of a unitary, or thermally coupled, structure that is introduced into a flow path at multiple positions therealong. In some embodiments, the collector electrodes and additional heat transfer surfaces may be proximate each other along the flow path. In some embodiments, the collector electrodes and additional heat transfer surfaces may be separate structures.

Abstract: Reversible flow may be provided in certain EHD device configurations that selectively energize corona discharge electrodes arranged to motivate flows in generally opposing directions. In some embodiments, a first set of one or more corona discharge electrodes is positioned, relative to a first array of collector electrode surfaces, to when energized, motivate flow in a first direction, while second set of one or more corona discharge electrodes is positioned, relative to a second array of collector electrode surfaces, to when energized, motivate flow in a second direction that opposes the first. In some embodiments, the first and second arrays of collector electrode surfaces are opposing surfaces of individual collector electrodes. In some embodiments, the first and second arrays of collector electrode surfaces are opposing surfaces of respective collector electrodes.

Abstract: An apparatus for tandem cleaning of an emitter electrode and collector electrode in electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator and precipitator devices via movement of a cleaning mechanism including respective cleaning surfaces positioned to frictionally engage the emitter electrode and collector electrode. The cleaning mechanism causes the respective cleaning surfaces to travel along a longitudinal extent of the emitter electrode and, in tandem, over a major dimension of the collector electrode to remove detrimental material from respective electrode surfaces. Alternatively, the electrodes can be transited in tandem in frictional engagement with a fixed cleaning mechanism in the same or opposite directions. A conditioning material is optionally deposited on an electrode to at least partially mitigate ozone, erosion, corrosion, oxidation, or dendrite formation on the electrodes. The conditioning material can include an ozone reducer.

Abstract: Cleaning and/or conditioning electrode surfaces can provide significant performance and operational benefits in EHD devices. In particular, conditioning of emitter electrode surfaces with silver (Ag), silver compositions or silver preparations applied in situ at successive times throughout the operating lifetime of an EHD air mover has been found to significantly reduce ozone production. Structures and techniques are described for in situ conditioning electrode surfaces and, in particular, emitter electrode surfaces of an EHD device such as an air mover or precipitator, with a conditioning material that includes silver.

Abstract: An electrohydrodynamic (EHD) air mover is positionable within the enclosure to, when energized, motivate air flow through the enclosure along a flow path between the inlet and outlet ventilation boundaries. Ductwork within the enclosure has cross-sections substantially matched to a cross-section of the EHD air mover. A fan curve-type, pressure-air flow characteristic measured for the EHD air mover in open air substantially overstates mechanical impedance of the EHD air mover to air flow along the flow path between the inlet and outlet ventilation boundaries in that, when the EHD air mover is operably positioned within the enclosure appurtenant to the ductwork, no more than about 50% of the mechanical impedance of the EHD air mover indicated by the measured fan curve-type, pressure-air flow characteristic actually contributes to total mechanical impedance to air flow through the enclosure along the flow path between the inlet and outlet ventilation boundaries.

Abstract: A tilting mirror MEMS variable optical attenuator attenuates light over a band of wavelengths with minimum wavelength dependent loss. The attenuator includes a lens that has a wedged input face and is made from a material that has high dispersion. The lens design causes different wavelengths to travel different paths through the attenuator such that wavelength dependent loss is reduced. The attenuator may be designed to have minimum wavelength dependent loss at a specified attenuation greater than zero.

Abstract: Flow paths, duct work, ventilation boundaries, and/or placement of EHD and mechanical air mover within a electronic device enclosure can all affect the efficacy of a thermal management solution that seeks to provide silent air cooling over a significant thermal operating envelope with staged introduction of electrohydrodynamic (EHD) and mechanical air mover devices. For electronic devices in which it is desirable to employ passive, unforced convective cooling over a portion of the thermal operating envelope, practical designs for consumer electronics form factors may be quite sensitive to flow path, duct work and ventilation boundary design as well as to the placement of EHD and mechanical air mover components relative thereto and to each other. A range of inventive solutions that have been developed to address some or all of these design challenges.

Abstract: Techniques are described for integration of EHD-type air movers with electronic systems, and in particular, for limiting infiltration of ions and/or charged particulates into an internal air plenum. In some designs, it may be desirable to allow or even encourage EHD motivated air flow (whether drawn or forced) through the internal air plenum while providing a barrier to transit of ions and/or charged particulates that may be generated during EHD operation. Such a barrier may employ electrostatic forces to impede transit of ions and/or charged particulate across a vent positioned to allow air flow from or into the internal air plenum. In some cases, an electrostatic barrier may include a fluid permeable mesh or grill that spans a substantial cross-section of the vent.

Abstract: An electronic system is configurable to accommodate either of a mechanical air mover and an EHD air mover within an enclosure. At least one of a plurality of electronic components is selectively configurable to alternately accommodate the mechanical air mover or the EHD air mover within the enclosure. The mechanical fan or EHD is positioned to motivate air flow along a air flow path between inlet and outlet ventilation boundaries of the enclosure. A connector for a respective one of the electronic components allows for selective configuration in an alternate orientation of the respective one of the electronic components to accommodate a difference in geometry between the EHD air mover and the mechanical air mover.

Abstract: An electronic system enclosure houses a plurality of electronic components together presenting one or more surfaces coated with ozone reducing material. An EHD air mover positioned remote from an outlet ventilation boundary of the enclosure motivates air flow through the enclosure along a flow path past the one or more surfaces coated with ozone destructive material over heat transfer surfaces and out through an outlet ventilation boundary of the enclosure.

Abstract: An electronic system including an enclosure and an internal air plenum within the enclosure. At least one component of the electronic system within the enclosure evolves heat and has a surface exposed to the internal air plenum. The enclosure has inlet and outlet ventilation boundaries together with an EHD air mover disposed therein to motivate airflow along a flow path between the inlet and outlet ventilation boundaries, wherein the flow path is substantially excluded from the internal air plenum by a barrier.