A method of fabricating three-dimensional (3D) structures comprises forming a patterned area in a handle wafer, and bonding a mold wafer over the patterned area to produce one or more sealed cavities having a first pressure in the handle wafer. The mold wafer is heated past its softening point at a second pressure different from the first pressure to create a differential pressure across the mold wafer over the sealed cavities. The mold wafer is then cooled to harden the mold wafer into one or more 3D shapes over the sealed cavities. One or more materials are deposited on an outer surface of the mold wafer over the 3D shapes to form a structure layer having 3D structures that conform to the hardened 3D shapes of the mold wafer. The 3D structures are then bonded to a device wafer, and the handle wafer is removed to expose the 3D structures.

The method comprises contacting a silicon substrate with a silver salt and an acid for a time effective to produce spikes having a first end disposed on the silicon substrate and a second end extending away from the silicon substrate. The spikes have a second end diameter of about 10 nm to about 200 nm, a height of about 100 nm to 10 micrometers, and a density of about 10 to 100 per square microns. The nanostructures provide antimicrobial properties and can be transferred to the surface of various materials such as polymers.

A method of nanoscale patterning is disclosed. The method comprises: mixing predetermined amounts of a first solvent and a second solvent to generate a solvent, the first solvent and the second solvent being immiscible with each other; dissolving a solute material in the solvent to generate a coating material, the solute material having solubility that is higher in the first solvent than in the second solvent; and applying the coating material onto a substrate to form a plurality of pinholes in the coating material. The formation of the plurality of pinholes is associated with suspension drops mostly comprised of the second solvent, separated from the solute material dissolved in the first solvent, in the coating material. A method of making a stamp with a nanoscale pattern is also disclosed based on the above method.

A forming apparatus forming a composition on a substrate by using a mold, includes a supplier configured to supply a composition on the substrate, a plurality of processors including a first processor and a second processor, each of the plurality of processors being configured to bring the mold into contact with the composition supplied onto the substrate by the supplier, and a substrate conveyer configured to convey the substrate onto which the composition is supplied by the supplier to the first processor and then convey other substrate onto which the composition is supplied following the substrate to the second processor.

The invention relates to a nozzle for use in a device for administering a liquid medical formulation, to a method for producing the nozzle in the form of a microfluidic component and to a tool for producing microstructures of the microfluidic component. The nozzle is formed by a plastics plate with groove-like microstructures which are covered by a plastics cover on the longitudinal side in a fixed manner. The production method includes a moulding process in which a moulding tool is used, which moulding tool has complementary metal microstructures which have been produced from a semiconductor material in an electrodeposition process by means of a master component.

Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, an electrostatic acoustic transducer comprises a substrate comprising a first material to function as a first electrode, a dielectric layer coupled with the first material, wherein the dielectric layer has one or more cavities formed therein, and a membrane coupled with the dielectric layer to cover one or more of the one or more cavities and to function as a second electrode. The electrostatic acoustic transducer generates an acoustic wave in response to an electrical signal applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the applied electrical signal comprises a direct-current (dc) bias voltage and one or more time-varying electrical signals.

A reversible bonded microfluidic structure comprises an overhanging cap or gasket structure atop a continuous microfluidic channel wall. An overhanging gasket structure may reduce stress concentrations at the edge of the channel wall and can permit improved reversible adhesion of the channel wall and adjacent dry adhesive fibers. In one example, reversible adhesion of the overhanging channel wall gasket and adjacent dry adhesive fibers may approach 1 MPa in axial loading. An overhanging gasket structure of the microfluidic channel wall may comprise a single fiber that is continuous around the perimeter of the desired microfluidic channel shape, and may define a self-sealing gasket which will contain fluid. The overhanging gasket structure may be surrounded by further overhanging or undercut dry adhesive fibers to enhance the adhesion and help make the rest of the surface more tolerant to defects and surface roughness.

Provided is a sheet-shaped mold possessing a high strength and having a low breakage rate in demolding even in a case where the mold is thin and has a large-area. The sheet-shaped mold is prepared by combining a cured silicone rubber containing a polyorganosiloxane and a fiber for reinforcing the cured silicone rubber. The fiber may comprise a cellulose nanofiber. The sheet-shaped mold may have an uneven pattern on at least one surface (or side) thereof. The fiber may be surface-treated with a hydrophobizing agent. The fiber may forma nonwoven fabric, and the nonwoven fabric may be impregnated with the cured silicone rubber. The cured silicone rubber may comprise a two-component curable silicone rubber having a polydimethylsiloxane unit. The sheet-shaped mold may be a mold for nanoimprint lithography using a photo-curable resin.

An injection mold insert with hierarchical structures and a method for method of making such injection mold inserts are provided. The method includes imprinting a primary imprint structure on an article and imprinting a secondary imprint structure on the primary imprint structure on the article. The secondary imprint structure includes a plurality of shapes, each of the plurality of shapes being substantially smaller than shapes of the primary imprint structure. The method further includes bonding the article to a substrate, sputter-coating the article with a metal film as an electroforming seed layer, and electroforming the injection mold insert over the article. Finally, the method includes dissolving the article to define the injection mold insert having a negative replica of the primary and secondary imprint structures.

Methods for fabricating stamps and systems for patterning a substrate, and devices resulting from those methods are provided.