Provided is an inexpensive microneedle array with little dimensional error that can control, with high precision, the amount of a predetermined component to be introduced to the inner part of the skin, and a production method for this microneedle array. A foundation that is insoluble or sparingly soluble in inner part of the skin is overlaid on a mold. A plurality of frustum-shaped protrusions, which are insoluble or sparingly soluble in the raw material liquid, provided on a first main surface of the foundation are fit into a plurality of cone-shaped recesses. The raw material liquid in the plurality of cone-shaped recesses dries and, as a result, a plurality of microneedles, which are dissolvable in the inner part of the skin, are fixed to tip surfaces of the plurality of frustum-shaped protrusions.

The present disclosure provides microstructured hydrophobic surfaces and devices for gripping wet deformable surfaces. The surfaces and devices disclosed herein utilize a split contact Wenzel-Cassie mechanism to develop multi-level Wenzel-Cassie structures. The Wenzel-Cassie structures are separated with a spatial period corresponding to at least one wrinkle eigenmode of a wet deformable surface to which the microstructure or device is designed to contact, allowing grip of the deformable surface without slippage. Microstructures of the present invention are specifically designed to prevent the formation of Shallamach waves when a shear force is applied to a deformable surface. The multi-level Wenzel-Cassie states of the present disclosure develop temporally, and accordingly are characterized by hierarchical fluid pinning, both in the instance of slippage, and more importantly in the instance of localization. This temporal aspect to the multi-level Wenzel-Cassie state delays or prevents the transition from a wrinkled eigenmode state in a deformable surface to a buckled state in a deformable surface.

Microdevices containing a chamber bound on one side by a nanoporous membrane are provided. The nanoporous membrane may contain hollow nanotubes that extend through the nanoporous membrane, from one surface to the other, and extend beyond the surface of the nanoporous membrane opposite the surface interfacing with the chamber. The nanotubes may provide a fluidic conduit between an environment external to the microdevice and the chamber, which is otherwise substantially fluid-tight. Also provided are methods of making a microdevice and methods of using the microdevices.

The present invention relates to an easy, scalable method, relying on conventional and unconventional techniques, to incorporate tilt in the fabrication of synthetic polymer-based dry adhesives mimicking the gecko adhesive system. These dry, reversible adhesives demonstrate anisotropic adhesion properties, providing strong adhesion and friction forces when actuated in the gripping direction and an initial repulsive normal force and negligible friction when actuated in the releasing direction.

Nanopillar-based THz metamaterials, such as split ring resonator (SRR) MMs, utilizing displacement current in the dielectric medium between nanopillars that significantly increases energy storage in the MMs, leading to enhanced Q-factor. A metallic nanopillar array is designed in the form of a single gap (C-shape) SRR. Vacuum or dielectric materials of different permittivities are filled between the nanopillars to form nanoscale dielectric gaps. In other embodiments, formation of patterned nanowires using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates with porous structures of different heights resulting from an initial step difference made by etching the aluminum (Al) thin film with a photoresist developer prior to the anodization process are disclosed.

A method of forming a micro-structure involves forming a multi-layered structure including i) an oxidizable material layer on a substrate and ii) another oxidizable material layer on the oxidizable material layer. The oxidizable material layer is formed of an oxidizable material having an expansion coefficient, during oxidation, that is more than 1. The method further involves forming a template, including a plurality of pores, from the other oxidizable material layer, and growing a nano-pillar inside each pore. The nano-pillar has a predefined length that terminates at an end. A portion of the template is selectively removed to form a substantially even plane that is oriented in a position opposed to the substrate. A material is deposited on at least a portion of the plane to form a film layer thereon, and the remaining portion of the template is selectively removed to expose the nano-pillars.

A material with nanopillar structures extending from a substrate. The nanopillars are engageable by organisms to cause an interaction, such as cellular destruction.

A material with nanopillar structures extending from a substrate. The nanopillars are engageable by organisms to cause an interaction, such as cellular destruction.

The application describes a MEMS transducer comprising a membrane which comprises an active membrane region and a substrate having a cavity. An upper surface of the substrate comprises an overlap region which underlies the membrane. A first portion of the overlap region is provided with at least one recess. The at least one recess does not intersect an edge of the cavity.

A method for providing a microstructured surface comprising selecting a material having a desired hardness; selecting a microstructure pattern having an arrangement of microfeatures providing a touch aesthetic to be applied to said material, wherein the width and aspect ratio of the microstructures are configured to provide said touch aesthetic for the hardness of the material selected; selecting said microstructure pattern to further include a physical property independent of said touch aesthetic to be applied to said material, wherein at least one of a pitch and spacing of said microfeatures is configures to provide said physical property; determining the dimensions of said microstructure pattern to be applied to the surface of said material to achieve the desired properties; and, applying the microstructure pattern to said material.