Abstract: Various embodiments may relate to a tunable optical device. The tunable optical device may include a ferroelectric layer including a ferroelectric material. The tunable optical device may also include one or more first electrodes on a first side of the ferroelectric layer. The tunable optical device may further include one or more second electrodes on a second side of the ferroelectric layer opposite the first side. A refractive index of the ferroelectric material may be changeable in response to a potential difference applied between the one or more first electrodes and the one or more second electrodes. The one or more first electrodes and the one or more second electrodes may be configured to allow visible light or infrared light to pass through.

Abstract: A holder for a microsphere comprises a first body portion and a second body portion coupled to the first body portion. The first body portion and the second body portion being configured to provide a receiving position therebetween for the microsphere, such that when the microsphere is at the receiving position, the microsphere is coupled to the first body portion and the second body portion. In another aspect, a lens system for near-field optics is disclosed. An optical microscope comprising the holder or the lens system is also disclosed. A microsphere assembly being attachable to an objective lens for near field optics is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for performing spectroscopic analysis of a sample, and a method of performing spectroscopic analysis of a sample are provided, the system comprising, an array of lenses positioned adjacent to a surface of the sample such that incident electromagnetic radiation passes through the array of lenses before irradiating the surface of the sample, and wherein the array of lenses is further configured to direct the incident electromagnetic radiation passing therethrough to form a plurality of incident electromagnetic radiation, each of the plurality of incident electromagnetic radiation irradiating a different focused spot on the surface of the sample.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, there is provided a tissue scaffold device including a porous core including a plurality of fibres; and an outer portion at least substantially surrounding the porous core, the outer portion including a plurality of pores elongated along a longitudinal axis of the tissue scaffold device.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a flexible surface plasmon resonance, SPR, film, a method of performing Surface enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, SERS, a flexible surface plasmon resonance, SPR, film, and a SERS system. The method of fabricating a flexible SPR film comprises the steps of depositing a metal film on a ductile poly (?-caprolactone), PCL-based film having a first length to form a composite PCL-based film; and stretching the composite PCL-based film such that the ductile PCL-based film undergoes an irreversible transformation to form the SPR film exhibiting a second length that is larger than the first length.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, there is provided a tissue scaffold device including a porous core including a plurality of fibres; and an outer portion at least substantially surrounding the porous core, the outer portion including a plurality of pores elongated along a longitudinal axis of the tissue scaffold device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for deflashing integrated circuit (IC) packages by laser irradiation. The method and apparatus include two lasers scanning flash area for performing deflashing operation. CO2 laser is used to remove top layer of flash and YAG laser is used to remove the thin layer of flash remained after CO2 laser deflashing. CO2 laser deflashing and following YAG laser deflashing can effectively remove flash and avoid damage of heat sinks as well as leads and bars in the IC packages.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for deflashing integrated circuit (IC) packages by laser irradiation. The method and apparatus include two lasers scanning flash area for performing deflashing operation. CO2 laser is used to remove top layer of flash and YAG laser is used to remove the thin layer of flash remained after CO2 laser deflashing. CO2 laser deflashing and following YAG laser deflashing can effectively remove flash and avoid damage of heat sinks as well as leads and bars in the IC packages.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for deflashing integrated circuit (IC) packages by laser irradiation. The method and apparatus include two lasers scanning flash area for performing deflashing operation. CO2 laser is used to remove top layer of flash and YAG laser is used to remove the thin layer of flash remained after CO2 laser deflashing. CO2 laser deflashing and following YAG laser deflashing can effectively remove flash and avoid damage of heat sinks as well as leads and bars in the IC packages.

Abstract: A method of patterning a substrate includes forming a liquid film on the substrate surface and directing laser energy from a laser through the film to etch the substrate surface. Etched material is carried away from the substrate surface via evaporation of the film during the etching. The liquid film may be formed on the substrate surface by jetting a liquid vapor onto the substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing surface contamination on a flexible circuit 34 for an inkjet printer cartridge by pulsed laser irradiation in air. The contamination 3 around and inside the tiny inkjet nozzles 4 can be completely removed without any damage on the flexible circuit 34 by the laser irradiation. The cleaning mechanisms are laser-induced ablation of the contamination and fast momentum transferring from the laser beam to the contamination materials. Compared with chemical solution cleaning and plasma etching, this technique has high throughput and does not cause flexible circuit damage, due to the fact that there are no water and chemical solutions involved in the process. Meanwhile, the laser irradiation is only limited in a small area around the tiny inkjet nozzles 4. There is no laser interaction with the thin conductive circuit 34.

Abstract: A method of laser marking, suitable for the marking of hard transparent materials without causing microcracking, includes arranging a sample of target material and a sample of markable material such that they are spaced apart; directing irradiation having an energy fluence above the ablation threshold of the target material onto the target material so that some of it is ablated and thrown onto a surface of the markable material; and subjecting the surface of the markable material to irradiation having an energy fluence below the ablation threshold of the markable material to induce an interaction between the ablated material and the surface which marks the surface of the ablated material. Different colours of mark can be obtained by using different target materials, and the tone of the mark can be controlled as desired. Apparatus for implementing the method permits control of the method in real time.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning solid surfaces like Si substrate, disk or magnetic head slider where contaminants, including organic contaminants, especially particles in the micron or sub-micron scale are effectively remove from the solid surfaces. The invention achieves this by generating a strong laser-induced liquid jet and shock wave near the solid surfaces immersed in liquid. The liquid is a solution of water and other solvents to help reduce adhesion force and enhance cleaning efficiency.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning solid surfaces like Si substrate, disk or magnetic head slider where contaminants, including organic contaminants, especially particles in the micron or sub-micron scale are effectively remove from the solid surfaces. The invention achieves this by generating a strong laser-induced liquid jet and shock wave near the solid surfaces immersed in liquid. The liquid is a solution of water and other solvents to help reduce adhesion force and enhance cleaning efficiency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for directly forming periodic structures on a substrate by laser irradiation comprises directing a linearly polarized laser beam onto a first location of the substrate; irradiating the substrate for a sustained duration using the linearly polarized laser beam for melting the substrate at the first location to induce a surface wave thereon; the melted substrate having a plurality of ridges corresponding to the wavelengths of the surface wave. The linearly polarized laser beam scans the substrate along a first path to propagate the surface wave on the substrate; and thereafter, substrate is cooled down following scanning of the linearly polarized laser for solidifying the plurality of ridges to form a first group of periodic structure on the substrate. Periodic structures formed according to the invention may be optical gratings such as diffraction or reflective gratings.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting a substrate using laser irradiation. A laser beam is scanned over a substrate. The beam ablates a first layer of the substrate. The beam is then refocused onto the newly revealed second layer and a further pass is performed. The process is repeated until complete separation occurs. The method and apparatus are particularly suitable for singulation of IC packages.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning solid surfaces like Si substrate, disk or magnetic head slider where contaminants, including organic contaminants, especially particles in the micron or sub-micron scale are effectively remove from the solid surfaces. The invention achieves this by generating a strong laser-induced liquid jet and shock wave near the solid surfaces immersed in liquid. The liquid is a solution of water and other solvents to help reduce adhesion force and enhance cleaning efficiency.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting a substrate using laser irradiation. A laser beam is scanned over a substrate. The beam ablates a first layer of the substrate. The beam is then refocused onto the newly revealed second layer and a further pass is performed. The process is repeated until complete separation occurs. The method and apparatus are particularly suitable for singulation of IC packages.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of patterning a substrate (30) according to a predetermined path, said method including forming a liquid film (134) on the substrate surface and directing laser energy from a laser (10) through the film (134) to etch the substrate surface, wherein etched material is carried away from the substrate surface via evaporation of the film during said etching.