Borealis Technical Limited

Zaza Taliashvili

Avto Tavkhelidze

Rodney Thomas Cox

Leri Tsakadze

Isaiah Watas Cox

Amiran Bibilashvili

Rochel Geller

Larissa Jangidze

Lasha Vardosanidze

The use of liquid metal contacts for devices based on thermotunneling has been investigated. Electric and thermal characteristics of low wetting contact Hg/Si, and high wetting contacts Hg/Cu were determined and compared. Tunneling I-V characteristics for Hg/Si were obtained, while for Hg/Cu, I-V characteristics were ohmic. The tunneling I-V characteristic is explained by the presence of a nanogap between the contact materials. Heat conductance of high wetting and low wetting contacts were compared, using calorimeter measurements. Heat conductance of high wetting contact was 3-4 times more than of low wetting contact. Both electric and thermal characteristics of liquid metal contact indicated that it could be used for thermotunneling devices. To reduce the work function and make liquid metal more suitable for room temperature cooling, Cs was dissolved in liquid Hg. Work function as low as 2.6 eV was obtained.

Liquid metal contact as possible element for thermotunneling

A selective light absorbing semiconductor surface is disclosed. Said semiconductor surface is characterized by the presence of indentations or protrusions comprising a grating of dimensions such as to enhance the absorption of selected frequencies of radiation. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said grating is formed on the surface of a doped semiconductor for the purposes of optical frequency down conversion. The semiconductor is doped so as to create energy levels within the forbidden zone between the conduction and valence bands. Incident radiation excites electrons from the valence to conduction band from where they decay to the meta-stable newly created energy level in the forbidden zone. From there, electrons return to the valence band, accompanied by the emission of radiation of lower frequency than that of the incident radiation. Optical frequency down-conversion is thus efficiently and rapidly accomplished. In a further embodiment of the present invention said grating is formed on the entrance and exit surfaces of one or more layers of a single or multi-junction solar cell. In this embodiment said grating is characterized by indents of depth &#x3bb;/4 and width &#x3e;&#x3bb;, where &#x3bb; is the wavelength of solar radiation incident on the layer under consideration.

Selective light absorbing semiconductor surface

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a Gap Diode is disclosed in which a tubular actuating element serves as both a housing for a pair of electrodes and as a means for controlling the separation between the electrode pair. In a preferred embodiment, the tubular actuating element is a quartz piezo-electric tube. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a Gap Diode is disclosed which is fabricated by micromachining techniques in which the separation of the electrodes is controlled by piezo-electric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive actuators. Preferred embodiments of Gap Diodes include Cool Chips, Power Chips, and photoelectric converters.

Thermionic vacuum diode device with adjustable electrodes

In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for fabricating two layers separated by a gap comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first material; (b) treating the first material to reduce the number of available bonding centers; (c) placing a second material over the first material and allowing bonds to form between the two materials to form a composite; and (d) separating the composite so formed along the boundary of the two materials. In a further aspect, subsequent layers of material may be introduced to the composite by repeating steps (b) and (c) under conditions where adhesion between the subsequent layers is greater, smaller or substantially the same as the adhesion between the first and second material.

Fabrication of close-spaced MEMS devices by method of precise adhesion regulation

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a Gap Diode is disclosed in which a tubular actuating element serves as both a housing for a pair of electrodes () and as a means for controlling the separation between the electrode pair. In a preferred embodiment, the tubular actuating element () is a quartz piezo-electric tube. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a Gap Diode is disclosed which is fabricated by micromachining techniques in which the separation of the electrodes () is controlled by piezo-electric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive actuators. Preferred embodiments of Gap Diodes include Cool Chips, Power Chips, and photoelectric converters.

Materials bonded together are separated using electrical current, thermal stresses, mechanical force, any combination of the above methods, or any other application or removal of energy until the bonds disappear and the materials are separated. In one embodiment the original bonding was composed of two layers of material. In another embodiment, the sandwich was composed of three layers. In a further embodiment, the parts of the sandwich are firmly maintained in their respective positions during the application of current so as to be able to subsequently align the materials relative to one another.

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Tbilisi, Georgia

Zaza Taliashvili