Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Trisha L Andrew

Timothy Manning Swager

Vladimir Bulovic

Jeffrey Hastings Lang

Apoorva Murarka

Farnaz Niroui

Annie I-Jen Wang

Jeffrey C Grossman

Samuel W Thomas, Iii

Sarah Paydavosi

Jean Bouffard

Frank Yaul

Hae-Seung Harry Lee

Rajesh Menon

Ellen May Sletten

Francesco Stellacci

Fei Wang

Ggoch Ddeul Han

Jose M Lobez

Parag Deotare

Matthew Eric D'Asaro

Electromechanical devices described herein may employ tunneling phenomena to function as low-voltage switches. Opposing electrodes may be separated by an elastically deformable layer which, in some cases, may be made up of a non-electrically conductive material. In some embodiments, the elastically deformable layer is substantially free of electrically conductive material. When a sufficient actuation voltage and/or force is applied, the electrodes are brought toward one another and, accordingly, the elastically deformable layer is compressed. Though, the elastically deformable layer prevents the electrodes from making direct contact with one another. Rather, when the electrodes are close enough to one another, a tunneling current arises therebetween. The elastically deformable layer may exhibit spring-like behavior such that, upon release of the actuation voltage and/or force, the separation distance between electrodes is restored. Thus, the electromechanical device may be actuated between open and closed switch positions.

Electromechanical device

Embodiments described herein provide functionalized carbon nanostructures for use in various devices, including photovoltaic devices (e.g., solar cells). In some embodiments, carbon nanostructures substituted with at least one cyclobutyl and/or cyclobutenyl group are provided. Devices including such materials may exhibit increased efficiency, increased open circuit potential, high electron/hole mobility, and/or low electrical resistance.

Functionalized nanostructures and related devices

A method and apparatus for making analog and digital electronics which includes a composite including a squishable material doped with conductive particles. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device has a channel made from the composite, where the channel forms a primary conduction path for the device. Upon applied voltage, capacitive actuators squeeze the composite, causing it to become conductive. The squishable device includes a control electrode, and a composite electrically and mechanically connected to two terminal electrodes. By applying a voltage to the control electrode relative to a first terminal electrode, an electric field is developed between the control electrode and the first terminal electrode. This electric field results in an attractive force between the control electrode and the first terminal electrode, which compresses the composite and enables electric control of the electron conduction from the first terminal electrode through the channel to the second terminal electrode.

Electronically controlled squishable composite switch

An optical material system for nanopatterning is provided that includes one or more material systems having spectrally selective reversible and irreversible transitions by saturating one of the spectrally selective reversible transitions with an optical node retaining a single molecule in a configuration and exposing the single molecule to its spectrally irreversible transitions to form a pattern.

Patterning via optical-saturable transitions

Sensors and methods for determination of analytes are provided. Analytes including explosives (e.g., RDX or PETN) may be determined by monitoring, for example, a change in an optical signal of a material upon exposure to the analyte. In some embodiments, the analyte and the material may interact via a chemical reaction to form a new emissive species. Embodiments described herein may provide inexpensive sensors with high selectivity and sensitivity.

Detection of analytes including nitro-containing analytes

The present invention generally relates to compositions comprising at least one poly(thiophene) and an n-type material. The compositions can be used in a variety of applications, for example, in photovoltaic cells.

Compositions, methods, and systems comprising poly(thiophenes)

The present invention provides sensors and methods for determination of an analyte. The analytes may be determined by monitoring, for example, a change in an optical signal of an emissive material upon exposure to an analyte. In some embodiments, the analyte and the emissive material may interact via a chemical reaction, or other chemical, biochemical or biological interaction (e.g., recognition), to form a new emissive species. In some cases, the present invention may be used for the detection of analytes such as explosives (e.g., RDX, PETN). Methods of the present invention may be advantageous in that the high sensitivity of luminescence (e.g., fluorescence) spectroscopy can allow for the reliable detection of small changes in luminescence intensity.

Determination of explosives including RDX

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Trisha L Andrew