Abstract: A metastable depassivation lithography process for fabricating microstructures on a surface which utilizes the energy contained in neutral metastable rare gas atoms to remove passivating atoms from selected areas of a surface. Removal of the passivating atoms in a pattern allows further chemical processing to add or remove material to the exposed areas. The neutral metastable rare gas atoms can be directed to the surface using atom optical techniques to effect a desired pattern of exposure by the atoms. Alternatively, a mask can be used to effect a desired pattern of exposure.

Abstract: A method of depositing atoms on a substrate in which a beam of atoms is optically focused utilizing a laser beam. The laser beam is used to form a standing wave above the surface of a substrate. As the beam of atoms is passed through the standing wave, the atoms are focused by dipole force interactions. The deposition of atoms is focused into parallel lines which coincide with the minima of the standing wave. The use of two standing waves allows for focusing the atoms into discrete dots or spots. Relative movement between the substrate and the standing wave(s) allows for depositing atoms in a scanning manner. Various nanostructures can be made by the disclosed method.

Abstract: Provided herein are a device and a method for determining the spin polarization of an electron beam where the device and method contemplate diffusely backscattering the beam from an electron opaque target, at a kinetic energy less than 10,000 electron volts, collecting the scattered electrons which may be of a preselected energy range and within a predetermined solid angle relative to the target and the collector, and measuring the number of scattered electrons which were collected.