Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting error modes of a deformable mirror, including selecting or targeting one or more target error modes of a deformable mirror; and designing a pattern and/or shape of one or more electrodes, wherein the pattern and/or shape of the electrodes are designed to optimally correct the target error modes when the electrodes are disposed on the deformable mirror via an active material. Also disclosed is a deformable structure, including a composite shell including a plurality of plies each including carbon fibers embedded in a resin; a nanolaminate comprising individual nanolayers attached to a first side of the composite shell; an actuation structure attached to a second side of the composite shell; and a flexible electrode routing layer attached to the actuation structure.

Abstract: A thin-film deposition system and method based on separating the function of multiple material sources by locating the sources in separate chambers partitioned by a partition wall, and providing a substrate conveyer, such as a rotating platform, to cyclically convey a substrate between the partitioned chambers so that the materials from the separated sources are serially introduced to the substrate per cycle in isolation of each other for layer-by-layer deposition and/or reaction on the substrate.

Abstract: Sol-gel chemistry is used to prepare igniters comprising energetic multilayer structures coated with energetic materials. These igniters can be tailored to be stable to environmental aging, i.e., where the igniters are exposed to extremes of both hot and cold temperatures (?30 C to 150 C) and both low (0%) and high relative humidity (100%).

Abstract: An energetic composition and system using amassed energetic multilayer pieces which are formed from the division, such as for example by cutting, scoring, breaking, crushing, shearing, etc., of a mechanically activatable monolithic energetic multilayer(s) (e.g. macro-scale sheets of multilayer films), for enhancing the sensitivity of the energetic composite and system to mechanical initiation of self-sustained reaction. In particular, mechanical initiation of the energetic composition may be achieved with significantly lower mechanical energy inputs than that typically required for initiating the monolithic energetic multilayers from which it is derived.

Abstract: Sol-gel chemistry is used to prepare igniters comprising energetic multilayer structures coated with energetic materials. These igniters can be tailored to be stable to environmental aging, i.e., where the igniters are exposed to extremes of both hot and cold temperatures (?30 C to 150 C) and both low (0%) and high relative humidity (100%).

Abstract: Sol-gel chemistry is used to prepare igniters comprising energetic multilayer structures coated with energetic booster materials. These igniters can be tailored to be stable to environmental aging, i.e., where the igniters are exposed to extremes of both hot and cold temperatures (?30 C to 150 C) and both low (0%) and high relative humidity (100%).

Abstract: An energetic composition and system using amassed energetic multilayer pieces which are formed from the division, such as for example by cutting, scoring, breaking, crushing, shearing, etc., of a mechanically activatable monolithic energetic multilayer(s) (e.g. macro-scale sheets of multilayer films), for enhancing the sensitivity of the energetic composite and system to mechanical initiation of self-sustained reaction. In particular, mechanical initiation of the energetic composition may be achieved with significantly lower mechanical energy inputs than that typically required for initiating the monolithic energetic multilayers from which it is derived.

Abstract: A heating apparatus comprising an energetic nanolaminate film that produces heat when initiated, a power source that provides an electric current, and a control that initiates the energetic nanolaminate film by directing the electric current to the energetic nanolaminate film and joule heating the energetic nanolaminate film to an initiation temperature. Also a method of heating comprising providing an energetic nanolaminate film that produces heat when initiated, and initiating the energetic nanolaminate film by directing an electric current to the energetic nanolaminate film and joule heating the energetic nanolaminate film to an initiation temperature.

Abstract: A microfluidic device made from nanolaminate materials that are capable of electrophoretic selection of particles on the basis of their mobility. Nanolaminate materials are generally alternating layers of two materials (one conducting, one insulating) that are made by sputter coating a flat substrate with a large number of layers. Specific subsets of the conducting layers are coupled together to form a single, extended electrode, interleaved with other similar electrodes. Thereby, the subsets of conducting layers may be dynamically charged to create time-dependent potential fields that can trap or transport charge colloidal particles. The addition of time-dependence is applicable to all geometries of nanolaminate electrophoretic and electrochemical designs from sinusoidal to nearly step-like.

Abstract: Nanochannel electrophoretic and electrochemical devices having selectively-etched nanolaminates located in the fluid transport channel. The normally flat surfaces of the nanolaminate having exposed conductive (metal) stripes are selectively-etched to form trenches and baffles. The modifications of the prior utilized flat exposed surfaces increase the amount of exposed metal to facilitate electrochemical redox reaction or control the exposure of the metal surfaces to analytes of large size. These etched areas variously increase the sensitivity of electrochemical detection devices to low concentrations of analyte, improve the plug flow characteristic of the channel, and allow additional discrimination of the colloidal particles during cyclic voltammetry.

Abstract: A method and system of placing cells of an IC design using partition preconditioning. In one embodiment, cells of an integrated circuit design are grouped to model curvature of an objective function. The grouping produce a plurality of cell clusters. The model formed may be a binary tree. The curvature of the objective function for each of the cell clusters is estimated. Interactions between said cell clusters are described as a relation. A set of preconditioning values which achieves a separation of variables of the relation is determined. The preconditioning may be applied to a conjugate gradient placement process to advantageously decrease the number of iterations required to produce an optimized placement of the cells.

Abstract: A method and system of placing cells of an IC design using partition preconditioning. In one embodiment, cells of an integrated circuit design are grouped to model curvature of an objective function. The grouping produce a plurality of cell clusters. The model formed may be a binary tree. The curvature of the objective function for each of the cell clusters is estimated. Interactions between said cell clusters are described as a relation. A set of preconditioning values which achieves a separation of variables of the relation is determined. The preconditioning may be applied to a conjugate gradient placement process to advantageously decrease the number of iterations required to produce an optimized placement of the cells.

Abstract: Nanochannel electrophoretic and electrochemical devices having selectively-etched nanolaminates located in the fluid transport channel. The normally flat surfaces of the nanolaminate having exposed conductive (metal) stripes are selectively-etched to form trenches and baffles. The modifications of the prior utilized flat exposed surfaces increase the amount of exposed metal to facilitate electrochemical redox reaction or control the exposure of the metal surfaces to analytes of large size. These etched areas variously increase the sensitivity of electrochemical detection devices to low concentrations of analyte, improve the plug flow characteristic of the channel, and allow additional discrimination of the colloidal particles during cyclic voltammetry.

Abstract: Electrophoric/electrochemical devices involving two separate, parallel, flat surfaces consisting of metal/insulator nano-laminates. The use of two nano-laminates increases the electrophoretic flow through a channel of given dimensions at a given applied voltage as compared to prior approaches. The introduction of these separate electrodes to the walls of the fluid channel maximizes the amount of exposed metal and minimizes the diffusion distance to facilitate electrochemical redox reactions. The combination of rapid solvent turnover and efficient detection of low concentrations of analyte creates a fast and sensitive detector.

Abstract: Nanolaminate materials are composites that consist of alternating layers of different materials (often conducting and insulating materials) that are manufactured by repeated sputter coating of a flat substrate. The layers can be exceedingly thin—on the order of a few atomic layers up to hundreds of nanometers. When the composite is cut perpendicular to the planes of these layers, a surface results that along one dimension has closely spaced alternating stripes of the materials. This patterned surface is incorporated into electrochemical and electrophoretic devices. The device may be positioned such that sample fluid may pass horizontally or vertically relative to the exposed closely spaced stripes. Such a device may be constructed to use an array of discrete conducting layers to define a voltage gradient so as to perform electrophoretic transport in a narrow fluid channel with one surface defined by the nanolaminate material.

Abstract: A microfluidic device made from nanolaminate materials that are capable of electrophoretic selection of particles on the basis of their mobility. Nanolaminate materials are generally alternating layers of two materials (one conducting, one insulating) that are made by sputter coating a flat substrate with a large number of layers. Specific subsets of the conducting layers are coupled together to form a single, extended electrode, interleaved with other similar electrodes. Thereby, the subsets of conducting layers may be dynamically charged to create time-dependent potential fields that can trap or transport charge colloidal particles. The addition of time-dependence is applicable to all geometries of nanolaminate electrophoretic and electrochemical designs from sinusoidal to nearly step-like.

Abstract: Nanochannel electrophoretic and electrochemical devices having selectively-etched nanolaminates located in the fluid transport channel. The normally flat surfaces of the nanolaminate having exposed conductive (metal) stripes are selectively-etched to form trenches and baffles. The modifications of the prior utilized flat exposed surfaces increase the amount of exposed metal to facilitate electrochemical redox reaction or control the exposure of the metal surfaces to analytes of large size. These etched areas variously increase the sensitivity of electrochemical detection devices to low concentrations of analyte, improve the plug flow characteristic of the channel, and allow additional discrimination of the colloidal particles during cyclic voltammetry.

Abstract: Nanolaminate materials are composed of alternating layers of two materials, such as conducting and insulating materials, that are synthesized by sputter coating on a flat substrate with a large number of layers. By employing lithographic processing during the deposition process, it is possible to make separate electrical contact to specific subsets of the metallic layers in the composite nanolaminate. Any number of separate electrodes is possible, in principle. This allows for multiple electrochemical circuits for simultaneous cyclic voltammetry in a single detection electrophoretic channel. The improvement allows for electrophoretic flow of 1 electrolyte and the electrochemical detection and discrimination of various analyte particles. The microfluidic component can be incorporated in a device for the purpose of analyzing or performing a chemical or biological assay on a very small fluid electrolyte, such as water. Such devices can be used as pathogen detectors.

Abstract: Sol-gel chemistry is used to prepare igniters comprising energetic multilayer structures coated with energetic booster materials. These igniters can be tailored to be stable to environmental aging, i.e., where the igniters are exposed to extremes of both hot and cold temperatures (−30 C to 150C) and both low (0%) and high relative humidity (100%).

Abstract: Structural nano-laminate templates to collect and organize atoms, molecules, nano-crystals, colloids, cells, proteins, and spores. The nanostructured materials enables controlled deposition of molecules and nanoparticles, and in many applications, enable attachment of organic or “soft” matter to an inorganic or “hard” substrate. This enables the deposition of proteins onto specific site or into ordered arrays which can facilitate their detection as well as their crystallization. The nano-laminates may be constructed using magnetron sputtering to deposit alternating layers of selected materials, such as amorphous alumina and amorphous silica, on a silicon substrate. The substrate is then sectioned and polished, exposing the cross-sections of the deposited layers, and to which selected proteins, for example, are attached in an ordered manner.