University of California

Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc.

Optech Ventures, LLC

Chang-Jin Kim

Gaurav Shah

R Michael Van Dam

Janet Hur

Uichong B Yi

Pei Yuin Keng

Supin Chen

Muchen Xu

Huijiang Ding

Vladimir Rubtsov

Peter Patrick De Guzman

Wyatt C Nelson

Gennady Sigal

Prosenjit Sen

Wook Choi

Choongyeop Lee

Junghoon Lee

Jian Gong

Bruce S Dunn

Leland Smith

Wayne Po-Wen Liu

Desheng Meng

Jia Li

Wayne Liu

Jane G Tsai

De-Sheng Meng

Tingyi Liu

A method of forming a microstructured surface includes the operations of depositing electrodes on a surface of a substrate and securing a mold against the surface of the substrate containing the electrodes with a tight contact with the electrodes, the mold containing a plurality of cavities therein. Pressure is applied between the mold and the substrate to force material from the substrate into the plurality of cavities around the electrodes to form a plurality of microfeatures. The mold is separated from the substrate.

Method of forming a microstructured surface

A method of fluid manipulation involves applying electric signals at one or more electrodes located on or adjacent to a surface in contact with a liquid that contains a surfactant. The electric field generated by the electric signals (e.g., biasing voltage) applied to the electrodes makes the liquid less wetting on the surface than the natural state and can be used to move or modify the shape of the liquid droplet placed on the surface. One embodiment makes a liquid dewet locally on a surface by applying electric signals locally on the surface so that the liquid can be electrically manipulated on a hydrophilic surface.

Methods for fluid manipulation by electrodewetting

A stereo-imaging device that operates by translating a single lens in front of an exposed imaging sensor, or translating one of the objective lens group for higher image quality. The device and method is used as a surgical instrument guide. An objective lens with a translating lens part can directly attached in front of a camera with an exposed sensor or an endoscopic circuit with an exposed imaging fiber bundle surface to capture/record the image shift generated by the lens translation. The stereo-imaging device can realize a camera which can swing back and forth from regular 2D image capturing mode to the stereo mode to capture images for 3D viewing, or a switchable stereo endoscope without size increases of multiple imaging systems to be used for periodical 3D inspections.

Stereo imaging acquisition by lens translation

A method of making microstructures having re-entrant or doubly re-entrant topology includes forming a mold defining the negative surface features of the re-entrant or doubly re-entrant topology that is to be formed. In one embodiment, a soft or flowable material is formed on a first substrate and the mold is contacted with the same to form a solid, now positive surface having the re-entrant or doubly re-entrant topology. The mold is then released from the first substrate. The microstructures are secured to a second, different substrate, and the first substrate is removed. Any residual microstructure material located between adjacent microstructures may be removed to form the separate microstructures on the second substrate. The second substrate may be thin and flexible any manipulated into useful or desired shapes having the microstructures on one side thereof.

Method for manufacturing doubly re-entrant microstructures

Disclosed is a microbattery having a substrate with a surface that includes an array of posts extending from the surface of the substrate to form a first electrode. An selectively-cured electrolyte forms a conformal coating over the surface of the substrate and the array of posts to provide a coated electrode. A second electrode substantially encases the coated electrode.

Microbattery

An artificial surface is disclosed where super-repellency is obtained solely from surface roughness regardless of the material's intrinsic wettability. The surface is able to repel all known liquids. The surface contains thereon a plurality of microstructures having a doubly re-entrant topology and a liquid-solid contact fraction of less than 50%. In one embodiment, the doubly re-entrant topology includes a cap portion and downwardly extending lip extending from the periphery of the cap portion. The surface withstands high temperatures and resists surface changing phenomenon such as biofouling and chemical scaling.

Liquid-repellent surfaces made of any materials

A superhydrophobic surface includes a plurality of microfeatures disposed on a substrate and a gas generator disposed within the microfeatures, the gas generator configured to generate a gas within the microfeatures. Gas is generated within the microfeatures when at least a portion of the microfeatures is in a wetted state to restore the microfeatures to a dewetted state. Gas generation is self-regulating in that gas generation automatically starts when a wetted condition exists and stops when sufficient gas has been generated to recover a dewetted state that restores superhydrophobicity.

Method and device for restoring and maintaining superhydrophobicity under liquid

A low-profile shear-sensing unit includes a floating plate surrounded by a frame and a displacement sensor that measures in-plane movement of the floating plate. Covered with a surface sample, the floating plate is displaced by the friction drag (i.e., shear) on the surface caused by the flow of fluid and the in-plane displacement is measured by the displacement sensor. The shear force on the sample surface is then obtained by multiplying the measured displacement and the spring constant of the flexure beams, which suspend the floating plate. The floating plate and the flexure beams are formed out of one plate or substrate to achieve monolithic construction with a beam geometry that leads to a high-resolution measurement.

Low profile shear-sensing unit

A fuel cell is disclosed with a self-regulated oxygen supply used in conjunction with a self-pumping fuel supply (e.g., a self-pumping anode). The cathode side of the fuel cell includes a gas diffusion electrode interposed between the fuel chamber and the oxidant chamber (e.g., HO), the gas diffusion electrode having a catalyst layer formed thereon. An oxygen gas capturing substrate is disposed in the oxidant chamber and is spaced apart from the gas diffusion electrode. The gas capturing substrate has first and second sides containing a plurality of holes extending there between. The first side of the substrate faces the oxidant and the second side faces the gas diffusion electrode. The substrate contains a catalyst on the second side of the substrate or within an inner surface of the holes.

Microstructured cathode for self-regulated oxygen generation and consumption

The present invention is directed to a device, and method of operation, for a fuel cell which uses bubble-based pumping to self-pump the fuel to the anode, and a single, common channel separating the anode from the cathode through which a mixed fuel and electrolyte flow. The fuel cell includes a single channel having two of its sides formed by the anode and the cathode, each having a suitable catalyst. A bubble generating region is formed in the anode and cathode reaction area of the channel. A one-way valve is located upstream of the bubble generating region. A vent for venting bubbles is disposed over a portion of the channel downstream of the bubble generating region. The fuel cell may be advantageously used to build miniature fuel cells for miniature electronic devices, or scaled to build larger fuel cells for larger electronic devices.

Self-pumping membraneless fuel cell

Disclosed herein are methods of performing microchemical reactions and electro-wetting-on-dielectric devices (EWOD devices) for use in performing those reactions. These devices and method are particularly suited for preparing radiochemical compounds, particularly compounds containingF.

Digital microfluidic platform for radiochemistry

A device for generating droplets includes a substrate comprising a reservoir site configured to hold a liquid and including a first electrode, a droplet creation site including a second electrode, and droplet separation site disposed between the reservoir site and the droplet creation site and containing an electrode. The device includes control circuitry operatively coupled to the first, second, and third electrodes. The control circuitry is configured to measure the fluid volume on the electrodes and independently adjust an applied voltage to increase/decrease the quantity of fluid. The device can move fluid onto the creation site or back onto to the reservoir site. When the fluid volume is at the desired value or range, a driving voltage is delivered to the first and second electrodes to form a new droplet. The device may generate droplets having a uniform or user-defined size smaller than the electrode.

Growing community of inventors

Beverly Hills, CA, United States of America

Chang-Jin Kim