Abstract: Biologically-inspired compositions, including color changing compositions, and corresponding embodiments such as sensors, textile materials, coatings and films, are provided which typically include a solid, transparent and nondegradable matrix. The matrix contains a plurality of (i) synthetic particles having a size in the micrometer or nanometer range, each synthetic particle including one or more aggregates of a pigment selected from phenoxazone, phenoxazine, and a derivate or precursor thereof, and a stabilizing material which has a refractive index larger than 1.45, the aggregates having a size larger than about 100 nm; or (ii) submicrometer natural particles extracted and purified from homogenized tissue.

Abstract: A scalable method of fabricating large area nanoparticle arrays is disclosed. The method uses a combination of nanofabrication and additive manufacturing techniques to fabricate ordered nanoparticle arrays on wide number of substrates, including flexible substrates. Nanosphere lithography may be used to form a monolayer of polymer nanospheres. A metal may be deposited on the nanospheres, using a physical vapor deposition technique. The nanoparticles may then be decomposed using intense pulsed light technique. Ordered nanoparticle arrays have several promising applications, for example, thin films with tailored light scattering signatures, sensors based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering, nanostructured electrode arrays, and ordered catalytic islands for nanostructure growth.

Abstract: Biologically-inspired compositions, including color changing compositions, and corresponding embodiments such as sensors, textile materials, coatings and films, are provided which typically include a solid, transparent and nondegradable matrix. The matrix contains a plurality of (i) synthetic particles having a size in the micrometer or nanometer range, each synthetic particle including one or more aggregates of a pigment selected from phenoxazone, phenoxazine, and a derivate or precursor thereof, and a stabilizing material which has a refractive index larger than 1.45, the aggregates having a size larger than about 100 nm; or (ii) submicrometer natural particles extracted and purified from homogenized tissue.

Abstract: Translucent, transparent, or semi-translucent microlens sheetings with composite images are disclosed, in which a composite image floats above or below the sheeting, or both. The composite image may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. The sheeting may have at least one layer of material having a surface of microlenses that form one or more images at positions internal to the layer of material, at least one of the images being a partially complete image. Additional layers, such as retroreflective, translucent, transparent, or optical structure layers may also be incorporated into the sheeting.

Abstract: A particle detection system that images and detects particles in a fluid flow stream through use of detector array(s) is described. The detection system may include light source arrays that may selectively illuminate a particle in a fluid stream. The detection system may also include a detector array employing smart binning to read the measured signals. The smart binning of the detector array may be achieved through knowledge of an exact particle location provided by a position sensitive detector. The detector array(s) may be low cost based on intelligence built into the system. This particle detection system may be particularly useful for detection and discrimination of different particle types since the read-out of the particle signals can be accomplished with low noise and can be flexible enough to optimize the read out measurements for each particle. The particle detection system may be used, for example, in early warning contamination detection systems and manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A particle detection system that images and detects particles in a fluid flow stream through use of detector array(s) is described. The detection system may include light source arrays that may selectively illuminate a particle in a fluid stream. The detection system may also include a detector array employing smart binning to read the measured signals. The smart binning of the detector array may be achieved through knowledge of an exact particle location provided by a position sensitive detector. The detector array(s) may be low cost based on intelligence built into the system. This particle detection system may be particularly useful for detection and discrimination of different particle types since the read-out of the particle signals can be accomplished with low noise and can be flexible enough to optimize the read out measurements for each particle. The particle detection system may be used, for example, in early warning contamination detection systems and manufacturing processes.

Abstract: Translucent, transparent, or semi-translucent microlens sheetings with composite images are disclosed, in which a composite image floats above or below the sheeting, or both. The composite image may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. The sheeting may have at least one layer of material having a surface of microlenses that form one or more images at positions internal to the layer of material, at least one of the images being a partially complete image. Additional layers, such as retroreflective, translucent, transparent, or optical structure layers may also be incorporated into the sheeting.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating thin membrane structures in localized surface regions of a single crystal substrate. In the method, ion implantation masks are patterned on the surface of the single crystal substrate with openings that define the localized surface regions. Foreign ions are implanted through the openings into the single crystal substrate to modify the chemical and/or structural properties of subsurface layers at predetermined depths underneath super layers of material. These subsurface layers are removed by selective etching. The removal of the subsurface layers leaves the super layers of material intact as membrane structures on top of openings or channels corresponding to the space of the removed subsurface layers. At least one portion or end of a membrane structure remains attached to the single crystal substrate.

Abstract: Microlens sheetings with composite images are disclosed, in which the composite image floats above or below the sheeting, or both. The composite image may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Methods for providing such an imaged sheeting, including by the application of radiation to a radiation sensitive material layer adjacent the microlenses, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A device and method for optical isolation for use in optical systems is disclosed. The device provides for a waveguide optical isolator fabricated using two arms, made of optical waveguides comprising magneto-optical material, in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer configuration. The device of the present invention operates using the TM mode of a light wave and, thus, does not require phase-matching of TM and TE modes. Further, the present invention does not use polarizers to extinguish the optical feed-back.

Abstract: The Multimode Interference coupler according to the invention has smoothly continuous inwardly tapered sidewalls (301) which define the width of the multimode region (W1) along the propagation axis of the device. The inward taper causes the average width of the device to be reduced in comparison to known couplers having straight sidewalls (202). Further, invention allows the access waveguides (303, 309) to remain sufficiently spaced, while reducing the overall length of the device, to avoid lithographic gap fill-in and unwanted optical coupling between the waveguides.

Abstract: A device and method for optical isolation for use in optical systems is disclosed. The device provides for a waveguide optical isolator fabricated using two arms, made of optical waveguides comprising magneto-optical material, in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer configuration. The device of the present invention operates using the TM mode of a light wave and, thus, does not require phase-matching of TM and TE modes. Further, the present invention does not use polarizers to extinguish the optical feedback.

Abstract: A method for fabricating ultra-thin single-crystal metal oxide wave retarder plates, such as a zeroth-order X-cut single-crystal LiNbO3 half-wave plate, comprises ion implanting a bulk birefringent metal oxide crystal at normal incidence through a planar major surface thereof to form a damage layer at a predetermined distance d below the planar major surface, and detaching a single-crystal wave retarder plate from the bulk crystal by either chemically etching away the damage layer or by subjecting the bulk crystal having the damage layer to a rapid temperature increase to effect thermally induced snap-off detachment of the wave retarder plate. The detached wave retarder plate has a predetermined thickness d dependent on the ion implantation energy.

Abstract: A method is provided for detaching a single-crystal film from an epilayer/substrate or bulk crystal structure. The method includes the steps of implanting ions into the crystal structure to form a damage layer within the crystal structure at an implantation depth below a top surface of the crystal structure, and chemically etching the damage layer to effect detachment the single-crystal film from the crystal structure. The thin film may be detached by subjecting the crystal structure with the ion implanted damage layer to a rapid temperature increase without chemical etching. The method of the present invention is especially useful for detaching single-crystal metal oxide films from metal oxide crystal structures. Methods for enhancing the crystal slicing etch-rate are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating ultra-thin single-crystal metal oxide wave retarder plates, such as a zeroth-order X-cut single-crystal LiNbO3 half-wave plate, comprises ion implanting a bulk birefringent metal oxide crystal at normal incidence through a planar major surface thereof to form a damage layer at a predetermined distance d below the planar major surface, and detaching a single-crystal wave retarder plate from the bulk crystal by either chemically etching away the damage layer or by subjecting the bulk crystal having the damage layer to a rapid temperature increase to effect thermally induced snap-off detachment of the wave retarder plate. The detached wave retarder plate has a predetermined thickness d dependent on the ion implantation energy.

Abstract: A method is provided for detaching a single-crystal film from an epilayer/substrate or bulk crystal structure. The method includes the steps of implanting ions into the crystal structure to form a damage layer within the crystal structure at an implantation depth below a top surface of the crystal structure, and chemically etching the damage layer to effect detachment the single-crystal film from the crystal structure. The thin film may be detached by subjecting the crystal structure with the ion implanted damage layer to a rapid temperature increase without chemical etching. The method of the present invention is especially useful for detaching single-crystal metal oxide films from metal oxide crystal structures. Methods for enhancing the crystal slicing etch-rate are also disclosed.

Abstract: Microlens sheetings with composite images are disclosed, in which the composite image floats above or below the sheeting, or both. The composite image may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Methods for providing such an imaged sheeting, including by the application of radiation to a radiation sensitive material layer adjacent the microlenses, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is provided for detaching a single-crystal film from an epilayer/substrate or bulk crystal structure. The method includes the steps of implanting ions into the crystal structure to form a damage layer within the crystal structure at an implantation depth below a top surface of the crystal structure, and chemically etching the damage layer to effect detachment the single-crystal film from the crystal structure. The thin film may be detached by subjecting the crystal structure with the ion implanted damage layer to a rapid temperature increase without chemical etching. The method of the present invention is especially useful for detaching single-crystal metal oxide films from metal oxide crystal structures. Methods for enhancing the crystal slicing etch-rate are also disclosed.

Abstract: Microlens sheetings with composite images are disclosed, in which the composite image floats above or below the sheeting, or both. The composite image may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Methods for providing such an imaged sheeting, including by the application of radiation to a radiation sensitive material layer adjacent the microlenses, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is provided for detaching a single-crystal film from an epilayer/substrate or bulk crystal structure. The method includes the steps of implanting ions into the crystal structure to form a damage layer within the crystal structure at an implantation depth below a top surface of the crystal structure, and chemically etching the damage layer to effect detachment the single-crystal film from the crystal structure. The method of the present invention is especially useful for detaching single-crystal metal oxide films from metal oxide crystal structures.