Nanopatterning on nonplanar and fragile substrates with ice resists

Electron beam (e-beam) lithography using polymer resists is an important technology that provides the spatial resolution needed for nanodevice fabrication. But it is often desirable to pattern nonplanar structures on which polymeric resists cannot be reliably applied. Furthermore, fragile substrates, such as free-standing nanotubes or thin films, cannot tolerate the vigorous mechanical scrubbing procedures required to remove all residual traces of the polymer resist. Here we demonstrate several examples where e-beam lithography using an amorphous ice resist eliminates both of these difficulties and enables the fabrication of unique nanoscale device structures in a process we call ice lithography. (1, 2) We demonstrate the fabrication of micro- and nanostructures on the tip of atomic force microscope probes, microcantilevers, transmission electron microscopy grids, and suspended single-walled carbon nanotubes. Our results show that by using amorphous water ice as an e-beam resist, a new generation of nanodevice structures can be fabricated on nonplanar or fragile substrates.     

Wafer-scale fabrication of nanofluidic arrays and networks using nanoimprint lithography and lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition gold nanowire masters

Wafer scale (cm(2)) arrays and networks of nanochannels were created in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) from a surface pattern of electrodeposited gold nanowires in a master-replica process and characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and fluorescence imaging measurements. Patterns of gold nanowires with cross-sectional dimensions as small as 50 nm in height and 100 nm in width were prepared on silica substrates using the process of lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition (LPNE). These nanowire patterns were then employed as masters for the fabrication of inverse replica nanochannels in a special formulation of PDMS. SEM and AFM measurements verified a linear correlation between the widths and heights of the nanowires and nanochannels over a range of 50 to 500 nm. The PDMS replica was then oxygen plasma-bonded to a glass substrate in order to create a linear array of nanofluidic channels (up to 1 mm in length) filled with solutions of either fluorescent dye or 20 nm diameter fluorescent polymer nanoparticles. Nanochannel continuity and a 99% fill success rate was determined from the fluorescence imaging measurements, and the electrophoretic injection of both dye and nanoparticles in the nanochannel arrays was also demonstrated. Employing a double LPNE fabrication method, this master-replica process was also used to create a large two-dimensional network of crossed nanofluidic channels.     

An overview of smart packaging technologies for monitoring safety and quality of meat and meat products

The food packaging sector has experienced much development since its inception. In the past few decades, innovations in packaging sector have led to the development of smart packaging (SP) systems that carve a niche in a highly competitive food industry. SP systems have great potential for improving the shelf‐life, and safety of food products apart from their basic roles of protecting the products against unwanted biological, chemical, and physical damage and keeping them clean. Indicators and sensors, SP components, are used for real‐time monitoring of meat quality and subsequently inform the retailers and consumers about the freshness, microbiological, temperature, and shelf life status of the products. Barcodes and radio‐frequency identification tags are employed in meat packaging for real‐time information about the authenticity, and traceability of the products in the supply chain. Recently, innovations in SP technologies resulted in fast, sensitive, and effective detection, sensing, and record keeping of freshness, microbiological, and shelf life status of meat and meat products. The SP system shows promise for extensive utilization in the meat industry in response to the consumer appreciation for safe, and quality meat products, as well as their waste reduction notions. This paper gives an updated overview of ongoing scientific research, and recent technological advances that offer the perspectives of developing smart meat packaging systems that are capable of monitoring the physical, microbial, and chemical changes of the package contents from producer to the point of sale and even beyond, and remediating potential adverse reactions.     

Miniaturized,Battery‐Free Optofluidic Systems with Potential for Wireless Pharmacology and Optogenetics

Combination of optogenetics and pharmacology represents a unique approach to dissect neural circuitry with high specificity and versatility. However, conventional tools available to perform these experiments, such as optical fibers and metal cannula, are limited due to their tethered operation and lack of biomechanical compatibility. To address these issues, a miniaturized, battery‐free, soft optofluidic system that can provide wireless drug delivery and optical stimulation for spatiotemporal control of the targeted neural circuit in freely behaving animals is reported. The device integrates microscale inorganic light‐emitting diodes and microfluidic drug delivery systems with a tiny stretchable multichannel radiofrequency antenna, which not only eliminates the need for bulky batteries but also offers fully wireless, independent control of light and fluid delivery. This design enables a miniature (125 mm³), lightweight (220 mg), soft, and flexible platform, thus facilitating seamless implantation and operation in the body without causing disturbance of naturalistic behavior. The proof‐of‐principle experiments and analytical studies validate the feasibility and reliability of the fully implantable optofluidic systems for use in freely moving animals, demonstrating its potential for wireless in vivo pharmacology and optogenetics.     

Widely tunable rapid-scanning mid-infrared laser spectrometer for industrial gas process stream analysis

A mid-infrared spectrometer with a tuning range of >400 cm(-1) in the C-H stretching region of the spectrum has been designed and constructed. The spectrometer is based on the difference-frequency generation of two tunable diode lasers in periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides. Tuning is achieved by varying a single parameter, the wavelength of one of the near-infrared input lasers. The instrument can be tuned over the entire tuning range in less than 1 s. By taking advantage of the wide tuning range, the instrument has been used to analyze a mixture of methane, ethylene, and propylene. Each of these major components was measured with an accuracy of better than 2% (where the error is defined as a percentage of the measured value) in a single 30 s long scan. When optimized, the spectrometer has the potential to meet both the performance requirements and the practical requirements for real-time process control in petrochemical manufacturing. The general principles for the design of mid-infrared spectrometers with wide tuning ranges are explained, including the use of variable waveguide fabrication recipes to create broad phase-matching resonances (which lead to broad tuning) in the desired location.     

Insiders and the law: The impact of regulatory change on insider trading

Abstract and Key Results

Human platelet lipids and their relationship to blood coagulation

There is now reasonable agreement on the sequence of physiological and biochemical events leading to fibrin formation, and phospholipids are an important part of this process. The phosphatides are ordinarily provided by platelets, and it appears that a lipoprotein complex is responsible for this activity. The anatomic site of this complex is not known, but evidence is presented that it may be a property of the platelet membrane. Methods for the study of platelet lipids including fatty acids and aldehydes are described, and include silicic acid column and paper chromatography, as well as thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatographic procedures. These are also being utilized in studies of subcellular platelet particles, where only limited amts of biological material are available for study. It is stressed that experimental results obtained from studies on isolated lipids should be interpreted with a certain degree of caution. It is unlikely that they are available as such in in vivo coagulation, and the drastic procedures used for their extraction and isolation may alter their basic physiological properties.