A sensing structure and a method of fabricating a sensing structure for a compressive-type pressure sensor. The method comprises the steps of providing an elastic micropatterned substrate defining a plurality of 3-dimensional microstructures, each microstructure comprising a tip portion pointing away from the substrate in a first direction; forming a conductive film on the elastic micropatterned substrate such that the 3-dimensional microstructures are substantially covered by the conductive film; and forming cracks in the conductive film in areas on 3-dimensional microstructures.

A probe device for nanoscale thermal measurements including an insulating lever, a tip protruding from the insulating lever, a microstructured layer of Niobium Nitride (NbN) extending over only a part of the tip and covering an apex of the tip and/or covering at least one area adjoining the apex of the tip and/or covering, only partly, the insulating lever and at least two conductive leads extending from the insulating lever to the microstructured NbN layer.

A product includes an elongated carbon-containing pillar having a bottom and a tip opposite the bottom. The width of the pillar measured 1 nm below the tip is less than 700 nm. A method includes masking a carbon-containing single crystal for defining masked regions and unmasked regions on the single crystal. The method also includes performing a plasma etch for removing portions of the unmasked regions of the single crystal, thereby defining a pillar in each unmasked region, and performing a chemical etch on the pillars at a temperature between 1200 C. and 1600 C. for selectively reducing a width of each pillar.

A sensor is described. The sensor includes a nano-patterned semiconductor layer on a frontside of a substrate. The sensor also includes a frontside conductive layer on the nano-patterned semiconductor layer on the frontside of the substrate. The sensor further includes a backside conductive layer on a backside of the substrate, distal from the frontside conductive layer.

A carbon nanomaterial functionalized needle tip is modified with a low work function material. The needle tip is formed by combining a carbon nanomaterial with a material of a needle tip through a covalent bond. The interior or outer surface of the carbon nanomaterial is modified with a low work function material. The material of the needle tip is a metal which can be any of tungsten, iron, cobalt, nickel, and titanium. The carbon nanomaterial can be carbon nanocone or carbon nanotube. The tip of the carbon nanomaterial has the same orientation as the metal needle tip. The low work function material can be selected from metals, metal carbides, metal oxides, borides, nitrides, and endohedral metallofullerene. The carbon nanomaterial functionalized needle tip has a lower electron emission barrier, and can effectively reduce the electric field intensity required for electron emission, and improve the emission current and emission efficiency.

A method includes masking a carbon-containing single crystal for defining masked regions and unmasked regions on the single crystal. The method also includes performing a plasma etch for removing portions of the unmasked regions of the single crystal, thereby defining a pillar in each unmasked region, and performing a chemical etch on the pillars at a temperature between 1200 C. and 1600 C. for selectively reducing a width of each pillar.

The problems of high costs and lack of flexibility in microelectrode arrays (MEAs) is addressed by the inexpensive flexible MEA systems and methods for manufacturing them presented herein. The MEA systems described herein are generally formed from a flexible substrate such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The flexible substrate generally comprises a series of wells and channels patterned therein. The wells and channels are filled with a conductive flexible material such as a mixture of PDMS and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form sets of microelectrodes, microelectrode leads, and contact pads therein. The resulting MEA systems may be substantially more flexible and less expensive than prior MEA systems. The MEA systems presented herein may be manufactured using a variety of soft lithography techniques described herein.

Disclosed herein are novel 3D microelectrode arrays (3D MEA) that include a substrate body (e.g. chip), microneedles, traces, and a well, wherein the 3D MEA provides for transfer of electrical signals on one side of the substrate body to the other side of the substrate body. Methods for using 3D MEAs to grow electrogenic cells and obtain electrophysiological signals are disclosed as well. Fabrication techniques for producing the 3D MEAs are also disclosed.