Methods and apparatus to control grayscale lithography are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus for adjusting a grayscale lithography process includes an optical measurement device to optically measure portions of a patterned wafer, and a processor to calculate a profile based on the measured portions, and to determine an adjustment of the grayscale lithography process based on the calculated profile. The disclosed apparatus also includes an adjuster to control the grayscale lithography process based on the adjustment.

Methods and apparatus for subtractively fabricating three-dimensional structures relative to a surface of a substrate and for additively depositing metal and dopant atoms onto the surface and for diffusing them into the bulk. A chemical solution is applied to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a spatial pattern of electron-hole pairs is generated by projecting a spatial pattern of illumination characterized by a specified intensity, wavelength and duration at each pixel of a plurality of pixels on the surface. An electrical potential is applied across the interface of the semiconductor and the solution with a specified temporal profile relative to the temporal profile of the spatial pattern of illumination. Such methods are applied to the fabrication of a photodetector integral with a parabolic reflector, cell size sorting chips, a three-dimensional photonic bandgap chip, a photonic integrated circuit, and an integrated photonic microfluidic circuit.

Methods and apparatus for subtractively fabricating three-dimensional structures relative to a surface of a substrate and for additively depositing metal and dopant atoms onto the surface and for diffusing them into the bulk. A chemical solution is applied to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a spatial pattern of electron-hole pairs is generated by projecting a spatial pattern of illumination characterized by a specified intensity, wavelength and duration at each pixel of a plurality of pixels on the surface. Charge carriers are driven away from the surface of the semiconductor on a timescale short compared to the carrier recombination lifetime. Such methods are applied to creating a spatially varying doping profile in the semiconductor substrate, a photonic integrated circuit and an integrated photonic microfluidic circuit.

In described examples, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) includes a first element and a second element. The first element is mounted on a substrate and has a first contact surface. The second element is mounted on the substrate and has a second contact surface that protrudes from the second element to form an acute contact surface. The first element and/or the second element is/are operable to move in: a first direction, such that the first contact surface comes in contact with the second contact surface; and a second direction, such that the second contact surface separates from the first contact surface.

A fluidic chip includes at least one nanochannel array, the nanochannel array including a surface having a nanofluidic area formed in the material of the surface; a microfluidic area on said surface; a gradient interface area having a gradual elevation of height linking the microfluidic area and the nanofluidic area; and a sample reservoir capable of receiving a fluid in fluid communication with the microfluidic area. In another embodiment, a fluidic chip includes at least one nanochannel array, the nanochannel array includes a surface having a nanofluidic area formed in the material of the surface; a microfluidic area on said surface; and a gradient interface area linking the microfluidic area and the nanofluidic area, where the gradient interface area comprises a plurality of gradient structures, and the lateral spacing distance between said gradient structures decreases towards said nanofluidic area; and a sample reservoir capable of receiving a fluid in fluid communication with the microfluidic area.

A MEMS component. The MEMOS component includes a micromechanical membrane spring including first and second membrane spring elements with an at least regional two-dimensional curvature. The first membrane spring element is mechanically coupled to the second membrane spring element such that a resulting spring force of the membrane spring is imparted by the first and second membrane spring elements. The membrane spring is integrated into a layer structure of the MEMS component such that the resulting spring force of the membrane spring acts substantially in the layer sequence direction of the layer structure. A device for preloading the membrane spring is configured to set an operating point of the membrane spring with respect to the spring characteristic curve using permanent elastic deflection of the membrane spring, such that the operating point is in an approximately linear spring characteristic curve range of the membrane spring with a slight gradient.

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.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to driving a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) with a pulse train of unipolar pulses. The CMUT may be electrically excited with a pulse train of unipolar pulses such that the CMUT operates in a continuous wave mode. In some embodiments, the CMUT may have a contoured electrode.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to driving a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) with a pulse train of unipolar pulses. The CMUT may be electrically excited with a pulse train of unipolar pulses such that the CMUT operates in a continuous wave mode. In some embodiments, the CMUT may have a contoured electrode.