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Micro/Nano Scale

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Highly Controllable ICP Low Rate Etching of Gallium-Based III-V Semiconductor Materials A method of plasma etching Ga-based compound semiconductors includes providing a process chamber and a source electrode adjacent to the process chamber. The... Read More A method of plasma etching Ga-based compound semiconductors includes providing a process chamber and a source electrode adjacent to the process chamber. The process chamber contains a sample comprising a Ga-based compound semiconductor. The sample is in contact with a platen which is electrically connected to a first power supply, and the source electrode is electrically connected to a second power supply. The method includes flowing SiCl.sub.4 gas into the chamber, flowing Ar gas into the chamber, and flowing H.sub.2 gas into the chamber. RF power is supplied independently to the source electrode and the platen. A plasma is generated based on the gases in the process chamber, and regions of a surface of the sample adjacent to one or more masked portions of the surface are etched to create a substantially smooth etched surface including features having substantially vertical walls beneath the masked portions.
Extreme Miniaturization of On-Chip Filters for High Frequency or Wearable Electronics using Self-Rolled-up Membrane (S-RUM) Technology Dr. Xiuling Li from the University of IL has developed a new radio frequency filter structure using her Self-Rolled-Up Membrane (S-RUM) structure. The... Read More Dr. Xiuling Li from the University of IL has developed a new radio frequency filter structure using her Self-Rolled-Up Membrane (S-RUM) structure. The technology reduces the component size by two orders of magnitude to the state of the art technology and allows the devices to reach frequency ranges of up to 82 GHz, while retaining a comparable insertion loss. Furthermore, the performance of the device is not effected by the deformation of the substrate, and it is compatible for use in curved devices
Buried Extraordinary Optical Transmission Professors Xiuling Li and Daniel Wasserman have developed an optical architecture which integrates a metallic film with subwavelength apertures into semiconductor material... Read More Professors Xiuling Li and Daniel Wasserman have developed an optical architecture which integrates a metallic film with subwavelength apertures into semiconductor material. Unlike other optical architectures, these Buried Extraordinary Optical Transmission structures enhance optical transmission while reducing reflectivity. The "buried" metal film is capable of providing a near-uniform lateral voltage/current distribution over the surface of a device, while also capable of controlling and potentially enhancing the coupling of incident radiation into the device. Because of these properties, the structures have potential for a broad range of next-generation light-emitting and detecting optoelectronic devices.
Extreme Miniaturized 3D Spiral On-Chip Inductors, Transformers, and Transmission Lines Inductors Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip inductors using multiple turn microtubes based on stain-... Read More Inductors Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip inductors using multiple turn microtubes based on stain-induced self-rolled-up nanotechnology. This technology would allow nearly 200x smaller footprint compared to conventional planar inductors while achieving significant performance improvements in all aspects. Transformers Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip transformers using multiple turn microtubes based on strain-induced, self-rolled-up nanotechnology. This design allows a nearly 12x smaller footprint compared to conventional planar transformers, while achieving significant performance improvements. Transmission Lines Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip transmission lines using multiple turn microtubes based on strain-induced, self-rolled-up nanotechnology. This design allows transmission lines to operate at Terahertz frequencies with significant performance improvements and reductions in interference and loss.
Self-Rolled up On-Chip Transformer for Extreme Size Reduction and Performance Enhancement Inductors Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip inductors using multiple turn microtubes based on stain-... Read More Inductors Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip inductors using multiple turn microtubes based on stain-induced self-rolled-up nanotechnology. This technology would allow nearly 200x smaller footprint compared to conventional planar inductors while achieving significant performance improvements in all aspects. Transformers Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip transformers using multiple turn microtubes based on strain-induced, self-rolled-up nanotechnology. This design allows a nearly 12x smaller footprint compared to conventional planar transformers, while achieving significant performance improvements. Transmission Lines Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip transmission lines using multiple turn microtubes based on strain-induced, self-rolled-up nanotechnology. This design allows transmission lines to operate at Terahertz frequencies with significant performance improvements and reductions in interference and loss.
On-Chip Terahertz Cozxial Transmission Line Based on Local Stress controlled Self-Rolled-up SiNx Nanomembrane Technology Inductors Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip inductors using multiple turn microtubes based on stain-... Read More Inductors Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip inductors using multiple turn microtubes based on stain-induced self-rolled-up nanotechnology. This technology would allow nearly 200x smaller footprint compared to conventional planar inductors while achieving significant performance improvements in all aspects. Transformers Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip transformers using multiple turn microtubes based on strain-induced, self-rolled-up nanotechnology. This design allows a nearly 12x smaller footprint compared to conventional planar transformers, while achieving significant performance improvements. Transmission Lines Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a novel design of on-chip transmission lines using multiple turn microtubes based on strain-induced, self-rolled-up nanotechnology. This design allows transmission lines to operate at Terahertz frequencies with significant performance improvements and reductions in interference and loss.
Tunable Pillar Bowtie Nanoantennas A University of Illinois research team led by Dr. Kimani Toussaint has developed novel, metal, pillar-bowtie nanoantenna array templates on silicon dioxide pillars... Read More A University of Illinois research team led by Dr. Kimani Toussaint has developed novel, metal, pillar-bowtie nanoantenna array templates on silicon dioxide pillars. The team which includes Brian Roxworthy and Abdul Bhuiya demonstrated that the gap size for either individual or multiple p-BNAs can be tuned down to approximately 5nm, roughly ~4x smaller than what is currently achievable using conventional electron-beam lithography techniques. This technology enables the tuning of the optical response of the nanoantennas down to the level of a single nanoantenna. This could lead to unique spatially addressable nanophotonic devices for sensing and particle manipulations and provides a fertile platform for studying mechanical, electromagnetic and thermal phenomena in a nanoscale system.
Multiplexed Sensor Arrays for Micro/Nanofluidic Networks The ability to increase the functionality and complexity of micro/nanofluidic devices is currently limited by the capacity to accurately detect the position of... Read More The ability to increase the functionality and complexity of micro/nanofluidic devices is currently limited by the capacity to accurately detect the position of fluids within them. While an increased number of electrical sensors can improve detection capabilities, the presence of too many external electrical connections makes integration into the micro/nanofluidic network difficult and complicated. This invention is a method for connecting large arrays of electrical micro/nanofluidic sensors to external monitoring equipment, while using only a limited number of leads. Sensors consisting of small electrical components (resistors, capacitors, or conduction gaps) are placed within an interconnected fluidic network and are addressed using a multiplexing approach that allows an array of m*n sensors to be supported by only m+n+1 electrical contacts. The multiplexing relies on the fact that each sensing element is connected to two electrical leads, and each electrical lead is connected to multiple sensing elements. This is a new structure for the purpose of sensing in massively parallel fashion (electrical sensor arrays) while reducing the external connections necessary to address each individual sensor element in the field of lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology. Large arrays of electrical sensors that can be integrated in micro/nanofluidic networks can be controlled and addressed by a limited number of electrical leads that connect to low end electronic controls. Applications Lab-On-Chip (LOC) technologies Electrical Microfluidic/Microscale Sensors Micro/Nanofluidic Control Structures Benefits Reduces the size of current micro/nanofluidic devices Increases the functionality and complexity of devices without compromising size Increases the overall sensitivity of a circuit with capacitive and conductive sensors, improving sensing accuracy Applicable to virtually any micro/nano-scale electrical sensing network Easy to implement
Long-Range Energy Transfer via Quenching Surfaces for the Detection of Biomolecular Binding and Un-Binding This technology is a rapid, simple and sensitive method for detecting the binding or unbinding of biomolecules using a silicon wafer. It is a novel method... Read More This technology is a rapid, simple and sensitive method for detecting the binding or unbinding of biomolecules using a silicon wafer. It is a novel method for detecting when two biomolecules unbind. The target biomolecule is placed on the silicon wafer, and then the partner biomolecules is fluorescently labeled and allowed to bind to target protein. At this point, the fluorescent label is quenched as it is brought into proximity of the silicon substrate. The technology works best for detecting disassociation or unbinding, such as screening for drugs that interfere with protein-protein binding. Compared to quenching by the common technique of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), the technology yields much larger quenching (signal/background ratio); provides robust signals even on the largest biomolecules complexes; and simplifies labeling since only one protein must be labeled (compared with two labels needed for FRET). Also, position or rigidity of the labeling site is relatively unimportant compared with polarized fluorescence assays. Because silicon is used, photolithographic techniques can potentially be used to miniaturize and integrate excitation, detection, and sample handling. Finally, the technology is fluorescence-based so it is highly sensitive and safe without the need for radioactivity. Applications This technology would be highly useful in therapeutic drug screening, and should be of interest to major pharmaceutical companies. High-throughput screening for drug discovery Works best for measuring disassociation/unbinding Benefits Long-quenching range: more efficient at energy transfer than the standard fluoresce resonance energy transfer (FRET), thus larger complexes still receive energy transfer Simplified Labeling: acceptor protein does not have to be labeled and is less critical where dye is attached to donor Scalable: Possible to miniaturize technology Safe: Technology does not use radioactivity
Optical Frequency Up-Conversion of Femtosecond Pulses into Targeted Single Bands in the Visible and Ultraviolet An apparatus and methods for generating a substantially supercontinuum-free widely-tunable multimilliwatt source of radiation characterized by a narrowband line profile.... Read More An apparatus and methods for generating a substantially supercontinuum-free widely-tunable multimilliwatt source of radiation characterized by a narrowband line profile. The apparatus and methods employ nonlinear optical mechanisms in a nonlinear photonic crystal fiber (PCF) by detuning the wavelength of a pump laser to a significant extent relative to the zero-dispersion wavelength (ZDW) of the PCF. Optical phenomena employed for the selective up-conversion in the PCF include, but are not limited to, four-wave mixing and Cherenkov radiation. Tunability is achieved by varying pump wavelength and power and by substituting different types of PCFs characterized by specified dispersion properties. Optical frequency up-conversion of infrared (850-1100nm) femtosecond laser pulses into visible pulses (470-690nm) by Cherenkov radiation and inter-modal four-wave mixing in photonic crystal fibers (PCF) enables generation of: multi-milliwatt tunable supercontinuum-free optical pulses in a wavelength region otherwise inaccessible from the source. Current commercial devices for optical frequency up-conversion are optical parametric amplifiers based on Four-wave mixing (FWM). These devices are input laser wavelength specific, expensive and usually have a large footprint. Whereas other similar devices require dedicated fabrication facilities or special components, frequency up-conversion based on Cherenkov radiation does not call for exotic dispersion engineering of the photonic crystal fiber. The resulting compact device can be used with source lasers with various wavelengths. Intense, clean visible pulses have potential application in ultrafast spectroscopy, coherent nonlinear spectroscopy and multi-photon microscopy. Screen Shot 2016-09-16 at 1.51.58 PM.png

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