Abstract: An optical sensor is provided, comprising (a) a silicon nanowire of finite length having an electrical contact pad at each end thereof; and (b) a plurality of self-assembled molecules on a surface of the silicon nanowire, the molecules serving to modulate electrical conductivity of the silicon nanowire by either a reversible change in dipole moment of the molecules or by a reversible molecule-assisted electron/energy transfer from the molecules onto the silicon nanowire. Further, a method of making the optical sensor is provided. The concept of molecular self-assembly is applied in attaching functional molecules onto silicon nanowire surfaces, and the requirement of molecule modification (hydroxy group in molecules) is minimal from the point view of synthetic difficulty and compatibility. Self-assembly will produce well-ordered ultra-thin films with strong chemical bonding on a surface that cannot be easily achieved by other conventional methods.

Abstract: Langmuir-Blodgett films are provided in which a molecule is chemically bonded with a bottom electrode substrate as part of a crossed wire device comprising two electrodes and a molecular layer therebetween. The molecule, which comprises a switchable moiety and a connecting moiety, is provided with a photolabile capping group attached to the connecting moiety. The photolabile capping group temporarily caps the reactive connecting group of the molecule. The capped molecules are processed to form a LB film on the water-air interface of water. The films are then exposed to UV light. The photolabile capping group decomposes to give back the connecting group, which remains in the water. As the uncapped LB films are transferred to a bottom electrode substrate, the surface of the electrode reacts with the reactive connecting group of the molecule to form a chemically bonded LB layer on the substrate, thereby providing improved LB films.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for document content publishing, distribution, and display, including a method of doing business. An electronic display includes at least one reusable imaging stratum forming a pixel array of a bi-modal molecular colorant. Preferably, the molecules have bistable orientations. The imaging stratum having a viewing surface and a back surface. Adjacent said back surface is a background stratum. An addressing device is mounted for selectively switching colorant molecules of the imaging stratum between a transparent orientation and a color-exhibiting orientation. The present invention is adaptable to reflective light, back lit, and projection implementations.

Abstract: Bistable molecules are provided with at least one photosensitive functional group. As thus constituted, the bistable molecules are photopatternable, thereby allowing fabrication of micrometer-scale and nanometer-scale circuits in discrete areas without relying on a top conductor as a mask. The bistable molecules may comprise molecules that undergo redox reactions, such as rotaxanes and catenanes, or may comprise molecules that undergo an electric-field-induced band gap change that causes the molecules, or a portion thereof, to rotate, bend, twist, or otherwise change from a substantially fully conjugated state to a less conjugated state. The change in states in the latter case results in a change in electrical conductivity.

Abstract: Bistable molecules are provided with at least one photosensitive functional group. As thus constituted, the bistable molecules are photopatternable, thereby allowing fabrication of micrometer-scale and nanometer-scale circuits in discrete areas without relying on a top conductor as a mask. The bistable molecules may comprise molecules that undergo redox reactions, such as rotaxanes and catenanes, or may comprise molecules that undergo an electric-field-induced band gap change that causes the molecules, or a portion thereof, to rotate, bend, twist, or otherwise change from a substantially fully conjugated state to a less conjugated state. The change in states in the latter case results in a change in electrical conductivity.

Abstract: A molecular light valve controlled color display. The display is formed through a layer of such molecules between a crossbar array of transparent electrodes, the crossbar intersections forming addressable pixels. A rapid sequencing of primary colors is controlled by molecular light valves congruent with display pixels. Native display resolution for a full gamut of colors is maintained for each pixel via a temporally distributed color pixel scheme. Both still and motion images can be displayed. Molecular valves, or switches, transition between two optically distinct states, e.g., transparent and black.

Abstract: An electronic writing instrument for rewritable electronic writing surfaces. A self-powered, untethered, pencil-like instrument uses a perpendicular fringe field for changing the orientation of pixels composed of bistable, bichromal colorant elements. An appendix hereto describes bistable, bichromal, molecular colorant.

Abstract: Optical properties of a screen on which an image is being projected are considered. A patterned surface is given a predetermined pattern of color pixels whereby a degree of wavelength selectivity is employed to improve the color qualities of the projected image. A system is provided wherein there is a matching of emission characteristics of a projector to the screen's reflective characteristics.

Abstract: A bistable molecular switch can have a highly conjugated first state and a less conjugated second state. The bistable molecular switch can be configured such that application of an electric field reversibly switches the molecular switch from the first state to the second state. Additionally, the bistable molecular switch can include a hydrophobic moiety and a hydrophilic moiety. Such molecular switches can be incorporated into a thin film as part of a molecular switch system which can include a layer of molecular switches between a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer. The layer of molecular switches can have substantially all of the molecular switches having their hydrophilic moiety oriented in the same direction. An electric potential can then be induced between the first and second electrode layers sufficient to switch the molecular switches from the first or second state to the second or first state, respectively.

Abstract: A composition of matter is provided that results in a change of electrical properties through intra-molecular charge transfer or inter-molecular charge transfer or charge transfer between a molecule and an electrode, wherein the charge transfer is induced by an electric field.

Abstract: Ceramic pigment-based, chemically-modified porous coatings can be used for enhancing image permanence of ink-jet image printing. Specifically, a porous coated media sheet, comprising a media substrate, having a porous coating coated thereon comprising a modified ceramic pigment including a fixer group and a stabilizer group, each covalently attached to the ceramic pigment is disclosed. Additionally, a method and system for preparing permanent ink-jet images is also provided.

Abstract: An electric field activated bi-stable molecular system configured within an electric field generated by a pair of electrodes is provided for use, e.g., as electronic ink or other visual displays. The molecular system has at least one rotor portion connected to at least one stator portion, wherein the rotor portion rotates with respect to the stator portion between at least two different states upon application of the electric field, thereby inducing a band gap change in the molecular system, wherein in a first state, there is extended conjugation throughout the major portion of the molecular system, resulting in a relatively smaller band gap, and wherein in a second state, the extended conjugation is destroyed, resulting in a relatively larger band gap. A primary advantage of the molecular system is improved contrast. Because the colorant of the present invention is molecular and thus effectively monoplanar, there should be no backside reflection or scattering from the colorant.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for packing, including single pixel data strings, and playback tracking of informative data, e.g., audio signals, associated with graphics. To maximize the signal-to-noise ratio during data recovery, a Read sensor is kept substantially on-center of each data block throughout reading. A Print-and-Read ink-jet embodiment carriage mechanism in conjunction with the paper feed mechanism keeps the Read sensor on track center as misalignment information has been determined beforehand or in real time for active track servoing. Additional functionalities are incorporated in scanning ink-jet class of printers so that they can further operate as informative data recovery or retrieval systems for digitized data on graphical data images. In another embodiment, a digital camera itself is provided with additional functionalities to operate as a recovery and playback device for prints containing informative data.

Abstract: An electronic book, having a single screen, employs an electric field addressable, rewritable, colorant, preferably a bistable molecular colorant, for providing printed pages sequentially to a reader. The electronic book includes the rewritable screen coupled to an extraction-retraction device, an electrode array printer, a sheet position detector, and associated circuitry to download, store, sequence, and print images on the screen. Methods associated with document distribution are another aspect of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printer and media solution that is conducive to briefcase-compatible compactness, battery operation, and media reuse. The printer consists of a low power, electrode array that images the surface of a paper-like, rewritable sheet. The sheet is responsive to pixel-sized electric fields produced by each electrode, resulting in a pixel array that is imaged in response to field polarity. The sheet is coated with a rewritable colorant that is a highly energy efficient, bistable, bi-modal molecular layer, requiring energy only to change an image, not to hold or illuminate it.

Abstract: A molecular system is provided for nanometer-scale reversible electronic and optical switches, specifically, electric field-activated molecular switches that have an electric field induced band gap change that occurs via rotation of rotor units connected to immobile stator units. The molecular system has two branches on one side of an immobile junction unit and one or two branches on the opposite side to thereby provide “Y” and “X” configurations, respectively. The ends of the branches opposite the junction unit are connected to, or electrically associated with, other molecular systems or substrates, such as electrodes. The rotor units each rotate between two states as a function of an externally-applied field. Both multi-stable molecular mechanical devices and electric field-activated optical switches are provided.

Abstract: A molecular system is provided for electric field activated switches, such as a crossed-wire device or a pair of electrodes to which the molecular system is linked by linking moieties. The crossed-wire device comprises a pair of crossed wires that form a junction where one wire crosses another at an angle other than zero degrees and at least one connector species connecting the pair of crossed wires in the junction. The connector species comprises the molecular system, which has an electric field induced band gap change, and thus a change in its electrical conductivity, that occurs via one a molecular conformation change, based on a rotor/stator construction of the molecular system, involving a rotating portion (rotor) connected between to stationary portions (stators). Nanometer-scale reversible electronic switches are thus provided that can be assembled easily to make cross-bar circuits, which provide memory, logic, and communication functions.

Abstract: A molecular system is provided for electric field activated switches, such as optical switches. The molecular system has an electric field induced band gap change that occurs via a molecular conformation change, based on a rotor/stator construction of the molecular system, involving a rotating portion (rotor) connected between two stationary portions (stators). Nanometer-scale reversible optical switches are thus provided that can be assembled easily to make a variety of optical devices, including optical displays.

Abstract: A digital dye having an optical change resulting from an electrochemical oxidation/reduction reaction is provided for use in a molecular system. The molecular system provides two different colors based on two different oxidation states of at least one digital dye in the molecular system. Further, an optical switch comprising the molecular system configured within an electric field generated by a pair of electrodes is provided, employing the above-described digital dye. Still further, a display device including a transparent display electrode, a counter electrode, and the molecular system disposed therebetween is provided, where the molecular system comprises at least one digital dye.

Abstract: An electrochromic molecular colorant and a plurality of uses as an erasably writeable medium. Multitudinous types of substrates, such as paper, are adaptable for receiving a coating of the colorant. Electrical fringe field or through fields are used to transform targeted pixel molecules between a first, high color state and transparent state, providing information content having resolution and viewability at least equal to hard copy document print. The scope of the invention includes both the liquid coating and the combination of coating on substrate.