Abstract: Micro- or nano-pores are produced in a membrane for various applications including filtration and sorting functions. Pores with at least one cross-sectional dimension in or near the nano-scale are provided. Device designs and processing allow for the use of thin film disposition and nano-imprinting or nano-molding to produce arrays of nano-pores in membrane materials functioning in applications such as filtration membranes, drug application/control structures, body fluid sampling structures, and sorting membranes. The nano-imprinting or nano-molding approach is utilized to create nano-elements in an organic or inorganic mold material with at least one nano-element cross-sectional dimension in or close to the nano-scale. These nano-elements can be in various shapes including slits, cones, columns, domes, and hemispheres.

Abstract: A three dimensional biomedical probe device is provided that includes a planar substrate. A probe structure is supported on the planar substrate. The probe structure has a base and a portion essentially perpendicular to the base extending along a length to a tip and has a linear dimension at the tip of said probe structure of between 5 nanometers (nm) and 5 microns thereby defining an AC, DC, or transient current, charge, or voltage sensing probe. In one variation, this probe is the electrical contact to the biomedical medium. In another variation, this probe is also the gate electrode of a field effect transistor (FET). An array of selectively electrically addressable such devices is also provided giving the ability to sample the physiological activity at many positions within cells, fluids and intercellular regions without the need for mechanical motion and inducing cellular lysis.

Abstract: Micro- or nano-pores are produced in a membrane for various applications including filtration and sorting functions. Pores with at least one cross-sectional dimension in or near the nano-scale are provided. Device designs and processing allow for the use of thin film disposition and nano-imprinting or nano-molding to produce arrays of nano-pores in membrane materials function ing in applications such as filtration membranes, drug application/control structures, body fluid sampling structures, and sorting membranes. The nano-imprinting or nano-molding approach is utilized to create nano-elements in an organic or inorganic mold material with at least one nano-element cross-sectional dimension in or close to the nano-scale. These nano-elements can be in various shapes including slits, cones, columns, domes, and hemispheres.

Abstract: A three dimensional biomedical probe device is provided that includes a planar substrate. A probe structure is supported on the planar substrate. The probe structure has a base and a portion essentially perpendicular to the base extending along a length to a tip and has a linear dimension at the tip of said probe structure of between 5 nanometers (nm) and 5 microns thereby defining an AC, DC, or transient current, charge, or voltage sensing probe. In one variation, this probe is the electrical contact to the biomedical medium. In another variation this probe is the gate electrode of a field effect transistor (FET). An array of selectively electrically addressable such devices is also provided giving the ability to sample the physiological activity at many positions within cells, fluids and intercellular regions without the need for mechanical motion and inducing cellular lysis.

Abstract: A process for forming a nano-element structure is provided that includes contacting a template with a material to form the nano-element structure having an array of nano-elements and a base physically connecting the array of nano-elements. The material that is contacted with the template is the nano-element structure material or precursor material from which the array of nano-elements is formed. The nano-element structure is then removed from contact with the template. The nano-element structure material or its precursor is brought into contact with the template for the forming of the array of nano-elements by techniques such as nano-imprinting and printing. A final substrate subsequently supports the array of nano-elements so produced. The array of nano-elements is exposed free and at least one layer of a dopant layer, a spacer layer, a light absorber layer, a conductor, or a counter electrode layer, are employed to complete an operative device.

Abstract: A material design is provided for a light and carrier collection (LCCM) architecture in single junction and multi-junction photovoltaic and light sensor devices. The LCCM architecture improves performance and, when applied to single or multi-junctions, can lead to solar cells on flexible plastic substrates which can be easily deployed and even draped over various shapes and forms. The device has an array of conducting nano-elements in electrical and physical contact with the planar electrode. A spacer of 0 to 100 nm in thickness may be used to contact the array of conducting nano-elements. One or more volume regions comprised of at least one light absorbing material is present with the first in simultaneous contact with said spacer to form an operating photovoltaic single- or multi-junction device with periodic undulations to enhance trapping of the impinging light and photocarrier collection throughout the absorber volume regions.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device is provided that includes a periodic array having a unit cell with a first electrode protrusion of a height H, characteristic width W, and period L. An absorber of nominal thickness T has a volume with a first component between the electrode element protrusions and a second component completely covering the electrode protrusions, H, W, and L for a given T allow carrier collection from the majority of points within the volume and simultaneously to enhance the photon density distribution within the absorber resulting from path length, photonic and plasmonic effects produced by the topology and morphology created by the electrode shapes and the volume distribution between the first and the second components.

Abstract: Lateral collection photovoltaic (LCP) structures based on micro- and nano-collecting elements are used to collect photogenerated carriers. In one set of embodiments, the collecting elements are arrayed on a conducting substrate. In certain versions, the collecting elements are substantially perpendicular to the conductor. In another set of embodiments, the micro- or nano-scale collecting elements do not have direct physical and electrical contact to any conducting substrate. In one version, both anode and cathode electrodes are laterally arrayed. In another version, the collecting elements of one electrode are a composite wherein a conductor is separated by an insulator, which is part of each collector element, from the opposing electrode residing on the substrate. In still another version, the collection of one electrode structure is a composite containing both the anode and the cathode collecting elements for collection. An active material is positioned among the collector elements.

Abstract: This invention uses large surface to volume ratio materials for separation, release layer, and sacrificial material applications. The invention outlines the material concept, application designs, and fabrication methodologies. The invention is demonstrated using deposited column/void network materials as examples of large surface to volume ratio materials. In a number of the specific applications discussed, it is shown that it is advantageous to create structures on a laminate on a mother substrate and then, using the separation layer material approach, to separate this laminate from the mother substrate using the present separation scheme. It is also shown that the present materials have excellent release layer utility. In a number of applications it is also shown how the approach can be used to uniquely form cavities, channels, air-gaps, and related structures in or on various substrates.

Abstract: This invention presents a novel method to form uniform or heterogeneous, straight or curved and size-controllable nanostructures including, for example, nanotubes, nanowires, nanoribbons, and nanotapes, including SiNW, using a nanochannel template. In the case of semiconductor nanowires, doping can be included during growth. Electrode contacts are present as needed and may be built in to the template structure. Thus completed devices such as diodes, transistors, solar cells, sensors, and transducers are fabricated, contacted, and arrayed as nanowire or nanotape fabrication is completed. Optionally, the template is not removed and may become part of the structure. Nanodevices such as nanotweezers, nanocantilevers, and nanobridges are formed utilizing the processes of the invention.

Abstract: This invention presents a novel method to form uniform or heterogeneous, straight or curved and size-controllable nanostructures including, for example, nanotubes, nanowires, nanoribbons, and nanotapes, including SiNW, using a nanochannel template. In the case of semiconductor nanowires, doping can be included during growth. Electrode contacts are present as needed and may be built in to the template structure. Thus completed devices such as diodes, transistors, solar cells, sensors, and transducers are fabricated, contacted, and arrayed as nanowire or nanotape fabrication is completed. Optionally, the template is not removed and may become part of the structure. Nanodevices such as nanotweezers, nanocantilevers, and nanobridges are formed utilizing the processes of the invention.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method providing micro-scale devices, nano-scale devices, or devices having both nano-scale and micro-scale features. The method of the invention comprises fluidic assembly and various novel devices produced thereby. A variety of nanofluidic and molecular electronic type devices and structures having applications such as filtering and genetic sequencing are provided by the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to chemical reactor templates having channel-like voids parallel to the template's major axis. The channel-like voids may have either micro-scale or nano-scale cross sectional areas. The chemical reactor templates may be used to produce micro- and nano-scale filaments and particles which have a variety of uses. In some embodiments a chemical reactor template of the invention have at least two intersecting channel-like voids substantially parallel to the major axis of said template. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing a chemical reactor template using sacrificial layers. The chemical reactor templates of the invention may be fabricated to have multiple arrays of channel-like structures as well as vertical elements to provide access to act as contacts for the channel-like voids and materials formed within the template. The invention relates to methods for producing filaments and particles using a chemical reactor template.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method providing micro-scale devices, nano-scale devices, or devices having both nano-scale and micro-scale features. The method of the invention comprises fluidic assembly and various novel devices produced thereby.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of producing nano or micro-scale chemical reactor devices and novel devices produced by said method. The method of the invention uses deposited sacrificial layers to provide various channels and reservoirs of reactor devices. Reactor devices of the present invention are chemical reactor devices, electro-chemical reactor devices, or chemical/electro-chemical deivices. A fuel cell embodiment is disclosed.

Abstract: This invention uses large surface to volume ratio materials for separation, release layer, and sacrificial material applications. The invention outlines the material concept, application designs, and fabrication methodologies. The invention is demonstrated using deposited column/void network materials as examples of large surface to volume ratio materials. In a number of the specific applications discussed, it is shown that it is advantageous to create structures on a laminate on a mother substrate and then, using the separation layer material approach, to separate this laminate from the mother substrate using the present separation scheme. It is also shown that the present materials have excellent release layer utility. In a number of applications it is also shown how the approach can be used to uniquely form cavities, channels, air-gaps, and related structures in or on various substrates.