A method for manufacturing a thin metal layer assembly includes forming a thin metal layer including nanopatterns on a preliminary substrate. The method includes forming a metal reducing layer by chemically reducing the thin metal layer. The method includes separating the metal reducing layer from the preliminary substrate. The method includes bonding the metal reducing layer to a target substrate.

Phononic metamaterials and methods for reducing the group velocities and the thermal conductivity in at least partially crystalline base material are provided, such as for thermoelectric energy conversion. In one implementation, a method for reducing thermal conductivity through an at least partially crystalline base material is provided. In another implementation, a phononic metamaterial structure is provided. The phononic metamaterial structure in this implementation includes: an at least partially crystalline base material configured to allow a plurality of phonons to move to provide thermal conduction through the base material; and at least one material coupled (e.g., as an inclusion, extending substructure, outer matrix, a coating to heavy inner inclusion, etc.) to the at least partially crystalline base material via at least one relatively compliant or soft material (e.g., graphite, rubber or polymer). The inclusion, extending substructure matrix or coating material is configured to generate at least one vibration mode by the oscillation of at least one atom within the resonating material to interact with the plurality of phonons moving within the base material and slow group velocities of at least a portion of the interacting phonons and reduce thermal conductivity through the base material.

The radiation detector (10) comprises a scintillator (15) having a first refractive index (n.sub.s) for converting incident radiation (RR) received at a first side (S1) of the radiation detector (10) into converted radiation (CR), a photosensor (20) for receiving the converted radiation (CR) from the scintillator (15), and an optical coating layer (25) arranged between the scintillator (15) and the photosensor (20). The scintillator (15) has regions (RR) arranged for being imaged, when impinged by the incident radiation (RR), onto corresponding regions of the photosensor (20). The optical coating layer (25) has a second refractive index (n.sub.o) lower than the first refractive index (n.sub.s) for reflecting the converted radiation (CR) resulting from the incident radiation (RR) impinged on a particular region (A1) of the scintillator (15) and received by a region (A3) of the optical coating layer (25) corresponding to a photosensor region different from the imaged one (A2).

The physical and chemical properties of surfaces can be controlled by bonding nanoparticles, microspheres, or nanotextures to the surface via inorganic precursors. Surfaces can acquire a variety of desirable properties such as antireflection, antifogging, antifrosting, UV blocking, and IR absorption, while maintaining transparency to visible light. Micro or nanomaterials can also be used as etching masks to texture a surface and control its physical and chemical properties via its micro or nanotexture.

A NEMS device structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The NEMS device structure includes a substrate and an interconnect structure formed over the substrate. The NEMS device structure includes a dielectric layer formed over the interconnect structure and a beam structure formed in and over the dielectric layer, wherein the beam structure includes a plurality of strip structures. The NEMS device structure includes a cap structure formed over the dielectric layer and the beam structure and a cavity formed between the beam structure and the cap structure.

Phononic metamaterials and methods for reducing the group velocities and the thermal conductivity in at least partially crystalline base material are provided, such as for thermoelectric energy conversion. In one implementation, a method for reducing thermal conductivity through an at least partially crystalline base material is provided. In another implementation, a phononic metamaterial structure is provided. The phononic metamaterial structure in this implementation includes: an at least partially crystalline base material configured to allow a plurality of phonons to move to provide thermal conduction through the base material; and at least one material coupled (e.g., as an inclusion, extending substructure, outer matrix, a coating to heavy inner inclusion, etc.) to the at least partially crystalline base material via at least one relatively compliant or soft material (e.g., graphite, rubber or polymer). The inclusion, extending substructure matrix or coating material is configured to generate at least one vibration mode by the oscillation of at least one atom within the resonating material to interact with the plurality of phonons moving within the base material and slow group velocities of at least a portion of the interacting phonons and reduce thermal conductivity through the base material.

Provided is a fibrous carbon nanostructure dispersion liquid having excellent fibrous carbon nanostructure dispersibility. The fibrous carbon nanostructure dispersion liquid contains a solvent and one or more fibrous carbon nanostructures having a percentage mass loss of 3.0 mass % or less upon heating from 23? C. to 200? C. at a heating rate of 20? C./min in a nitrogen atmosphere as measured by thermogravimetric analysis.

A nanostructured article includes a substrate; a plurality of first nanostructures disposed on, and extending away from, the substrate; and a covalently crosslinked fluorinated polymeric layer disposed on the plurality of first nanostructures. The plurality of first nanostructures includes polyurethane. The polymeric layer at least partially fills spaces between the first nanostructures to an average minimum height above the substrate of at least 30 nm such that the polymeric layer has a nanostructured surface defined by, and facing away from, the plurality of first nanostructures.

A dielectric material includes a layered metal oxide including a first layer having a positive charge and a second layer having a negative charge, wherein the first layer and the second layer are alternately disposed; a monolayered nanosheet; a nanosheet laminate of the monolayered nanosheets; or a combination thereof, wherein the dielectric material includes a two-dimensional layered material having a two-dimensional crystal structure, wherein the two-dimensional layered material is represented by Chemical Formula 1

X.sub.2[A.sub.(n1)M.sub.nO.sub.(3n+1)]Chemical Formula 1

wherein, in Chemical Formula 1, X is H, an alkali metal, a cationic polymer, or a combination thereof, A is Ca, Sr, La, Ta, or a combination thereof, M is La, Ta, Ti, or a combination thereof, and n1.

Provided is a method for the fabrication of a nanoporous metal-based film. The method includes providing a ceramic aerogel substrate having a nanoporous structure. The substrate may include a bulk portion and a surface portion and the surface portion may be chemically or physically modified. The method may further include depositing a metal or a metal oxide from a deposition source on the ceramic aerogel substrate by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process. The deposition may be performed at a power of less than about 90 W or at a current ranging from about 0.5 mA to about 100 mA. Further provided is a nanoporous metal-based film supported on a ceramic aerogel substrate having a nanoporous structure. The nanoporous structure of the aerogel defines the nanoporous structure of the metal-based film.