University of Illinois

University of Massachusetts

Other

Joel M Therrien

Munir H Nayfeh

Zain Hassan Yamani

Sahraoui Chaieb

Samson Kh Mil'shtein

Gennadey Belomoin

Satish Rao

Kenneth A Marx

Daniel Schmidt

Susan J Braunhut

Adam D Smith

Abiche H Dewilde

Lian Dai

Gennadiy Belmoin

Berk Akinci

Alireza Amirkhizi

In an embodiment, a system includes a plurality of sensor devices contained in a plurality of wells contained in a well-plate assembly. The sensor devices are used in a plurality of oscillators. Each oscillator generates a frequency and a resistance based on a quality of living biological cells contained in a corresponding well. The quality may include, for example, surface coupled mass, density, viscosity, and/or viscoelasticity of the living biological cells. The system also includes logic for measuring a resonant frequency and motional resistance associated with each sensor device and logic for processing the measured resonant frequency and motional resistance. Moreover, the system includes logic for displaying one or more graphs showing one or more characteristics of the living biological cells contained in the wells.

Multi-well quartz crystal microbalance mass and viscoelastic sensor

According to one configuration, an acoustical device includes a piezoelectric substrate and at least one curved electrode. Material on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate defines boundaries of a resonance region. The curved electrode is disposed on the piezoelectric substrate in the resonance region and is operable to receive a voltage input signal through a first conductive waveguide. When present, the voltage input signal causes generation and conveyance of acoustical waves from the curved electrode into the resonance region. The acoustical device optionally includes a second curved electrode in the resonance region, which converts the acoustical waves present in the resonance region to an output voltage signal.

Piezoelectric transducer device with resonance region

A method of forming ceramic pattern structures of silicon carbide film includes depositing an electron-beam resist or a photo-resist onto a substrate. A portion of the resist is selectively removed from the substrate to form a resist pattern on the substrate. A film of pre-ceramic polymer that includes silicon and carbon is deposited onto the substrate and resist pattern and the pre-ceramic polymer film is cured. A portion of the cured pre-ceramic polymer film on the resist pattern is removed, thereby forming a pre-ceramic polymer pattern on the substrate. The pre-ceramic polymer pattern is then converted to a ceramic pattern.

System for producing patterned silicon carbide structures

A family of discrete and uniformly sized silicon nanoparticles, including 1 (blue emitting), 1.67 (green emitting), 2.15 (yellow emitting), 2.9 (red emitting) and 3.7 nm (infrared emitting) nanoparticles, and a method that produces the family. The nanoparticles produced by the method of the invention are highly uniform in size. A very small percentage of significantly larger particles are produced, and such larger particles are easily filtered out. The method for producing the silicon nanoparticles of the invention utilizes a gradual advancing electrochemical etch of bulk silicon, e.g., a silicon wafer. The etch is conducted with use of an appropriate intermediate or low etch current density. An optimal current density for producing the family is &#x2dc;10 milli Ampere per square centimeter (10 mA/cm). Higher current density favors 1 nm particles, and lower the larger particles. Blue (1 nm) particles, if any appreciable quantity exist depending on the selected current density, may be removed by, for example, shaking or ultrasound. After the etch, the pulverized wafer is immersed in dilute HF for a short time, while the particles are still connected to the wafer to weaken the linkages between the larger particles. This may be followed by separation of nanoparticles from the surface of the silicon. Once separated, various methods may be employed to form plural nanoparticles into crystals, films and other desirable forms. The nanoparticles may also be coated or doped. The invention produces the family of a discrete set of sized particles and not a continuous size distribution. Particles may be isolated from the family, i.e., it is possible to produce any one of the sizes of particles from the family after the basic method steps have been executed to produce the family of particles.

Family of discretely sized silicon nanoparticles and method for producing the same

A silicon nanoparticle transistor and transistor memory device. The transistor of the invention has silicon nanoparticles, dimensioned on the order of 1 nm, in a gate area of a field effect transistor. The resulting transistor is a transistor in which single electron flow controls operation of the transistor. Room temperature operation is possible with the novel transistor structure by radiation assistance, with radiation being directed toward the silicon nanoparticles to create necessary holes in the quantum structure for the flow of an electron. The transistor of the invention also forms the basis for a memory device. The device is a flash memory device which will store electrical charge instead of magnetic effects.

Silicon nanoparticle field effect transistor and transistor memory device

A method and apparatus for computing correlating images for image recognition is provided. In particular, the method is used to compare images of a biometric object to authorize an individual or verify whether an individual is the person he claims to be. The biometric objects may include fingerprints, hand or palm prints, and retina scans. The method uses a deviation of symmetry of correlation functions to determine whether the images are of a same object.

Method of correlation of images in biometric applications

Highly uniform 1 nm silicon nanoparticles are provided by the invention. The nanoparticles exhibit beneficial properties. They are a source of stimulated emissions. They may be suspended in liquids, and solids. They can be formed into crystals, colloids and films. The nanoparticles of the invention are about 1 nm having about only one part in one thousand greater than 1 nm. A method for producing the silicon nanoparticle of the invention is a gradual advancing electrochemical etch of bulk silicon. Separation of nanoparticles from the surface of the silicon may also be conducted. Once separated, various methods may be employed to form plural nanoparticles into colloids, crystals, films and other desirable forms. The particles may also be coated or doped.

Silicon nanoparticle and method for producing the same

A family of discrete and uniformly sized silicon nanoparticles, including 1 (blue emitting), 1.67 (green emitting), 2.15 (yellow emitting), 2.9 (red emitting) and 3.7 nm (infrared emitting) nanoparticles, and a method that produces the family. The nanoparticles produced by the method of the invention are highly uniform in size. A very small percentage of significantly larger particles are produced, and such larger particles are easily filtered out. The method for producing the silicon nanoparticles of the invention utilizes a gradual advancing electrochemical etch of bulk silicon, e.g., a silicon wafer. The etch is conducted with use of an appropriate intermediate or low etch current density. An optimal current density for producing the family is &tilde;10 milli Ampere per square centimeter (10 mA/cm ). Higher current density favors 1 nm particles, and lower the larger particles. Blue (1 nm) particles, if any appreciable quantity exist depending on the selected current density, may be removed by, for example, shaking or ultrasound. After the etch, the pulverized wafer is immersed in dilute HF for a short time, while the particles are still connected to the wafer to weaken the linkages between the larger particles. This may be followed by separation of nanoparticles from the surface of the silicon. Once separated, various methods may be employed to form plural nanoparticles into crystals, films and other desirable forms. The nanoparticles may also be coated or doped. The invention produces the family of a discrete set of sized particles and not a continuous size distribution. Particles may be isolated from the family, i.e., it is possible to produce any one of the sizes of particles from the family after the basic method steps have been executed to produce the family of particles.

A method for producing the silicon nanoparticle of the invention is a gradual advancing electrochemical etch of bulk silicon. Separation of nanoparticles from the surface of the silicon may also be conducted. Once separated, various methods may be employed to form nanoparticles into colloids, crystals, films and other desirable forms. The particles may also be coated or doped.

Method for producing silicon nanoparticles

An electronic fast switch for operation at room temperature utilizing uniform silicon nanoparticles (&tilde;1 nm with about 1 part per thousand exceeding 1 nm) between two conducting electrodes. The silicon nanoparticles, when on an n-type silicon substrate exhibit, at zero bias, a large differential conductance, approaching near full transparency. The conductance is observed after one of the electrode is first biased at a voltage in the range 3 to 5 eV (switching voltage), otherwise the device does not conduct (closed). A practical MOSFET switch of the invention includes the silicon nanoparticles in a body of the MOSFET, with the gate and substrate forming the two conducting electrodes. Electrodes may be realized by metal in other switches of the invention.

Silicon nanoparticle electronic switches

A method for testing a semiconductor device wherein an image produced from secondary electron emissions generated by exposing a cross section of the device to a beam of electrons with such device being in a first biased condition, preferably an unbiased condition, is digitally recorded in a memory of a digital computer. An image is produced from secondary electron emissions generated by exposing a cross section of the device to a scanning beam of electrons with such device being in a second biased condition is digitally recorded in the memory of the digital computer. The recorded images are digitally subtracted one from the other in the digital computer to produce a difference image. The digital computer digitally calculates a quantitative measure of voltage distribution across the exposed cross section from two regions in the difference image having different degrees of secondary electron emissions. The digital computer displays one of the digitally recorded images on a video display. The other one of the digitally recorded images is subsequently displayed on the video display and the identifiable regions of the two displayed images are identifiable on both displayed images.

Method for testing semiconductor devices which measures internal

An amusing puzzle made up of a plurality of cube-shaped pieces, which form a unitary cube when the puzzle is properly solved. Each puzzle piece contains at least one permanent two-pole magnet which, when the puzzle is properly solved, is attracted to the corresponding pole of the magnet contained within the adjoining puzzle piece, thereby holding the puzzle pieces together in order to form the unitary cube.

Magnetic game or puzzle and method for making same

An amusing puzzle made up of a plurality of cube-shaped pieces, which form a unitary cube when the puzzle is properly solved. Each puzzle piece contains at least one permanent two-pole magnet which, when the puzzle is properly solved, is attractedly engaged with the corresponding pole of the magnet contained within the adjoining puzzle piece, thereby holding the puzzle pieces together in order to form the unitary cube.

Growing community of inventors

Westford, MA, United States of America

Joel M Therrien