This disclosure enables high-productivity controlled fabrication of uniform porous semiconductor layers (made of single layer or multi-layer porous semiconductors such as porous silicon, comprising single porosity or multi-porosity layers). Some applications include fabrication of MEMS separation and sacrificial layers for die detachment and MEMS device fabrication, membrane formation and shallow trench isolation (STI) porous silicon (using porous silicon formation with an optimal porosity and its subsequent oxidation). Further, this disclosure is applicable to the general fields of photovoltaics, MEMS, including sensors and actuators, stand-alone, or integrated with integrated semiconductor microelectronics, semiconductor microelectronics chips and optoelectronics.

A solid electrolyte is formed by blending a coating chemical with metal ions and fatty acid. Filling molds and drying the material in the molds forms the solid electrolyte. The solid electrolyte is mounted on an electrode and attached to a handle. The solid electrolyte is moved over a surface of a substrate with the handle. DC current is passed between the electrode and substrate and ions are transferred to the wetted substrate from the solid electrolyte.

The present invention relates to a method for structuring layers of oxidisable materials. At least one layer, disposed on a substrate, of an oxidisable material is hereby subjected to local oxidation with at least one oxidation step. In the case of the latter, at least one selected region of the layer of oxidisable material is oxidised so that the layer, after oxidation, is sub-divided into regions, which are electrically insulated from each other, by at least one oxidised region extending over the entire layer thickness.

Described herein are systems and methods for performing a surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) to the surface of a variety of materials including thin films, nanomaterials, and other delicate and brittle materials. In an aspect, a surface of a material is modified to a modified surface and from an original state to a modified state, wherein the modified state comprises a physical modification, a chemical modification, or a biological modification. In another aspect, a surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) is applied to the modified surface of the material for a defined duration of time, wherein a condition associated with the SMAT is adjusted based on a structural composition of the material. In yet another aspect, a defined strain is imposed on the structural composition of the material based on the SMAT.

This disclosure enables high-productivity fabrication of semiconductor-based separation layers (made of single layer or multi-layer porous semiconductors such as porous silicon, comprising single porosity or multi-porosity layers), optical reflectors (made of multi-layer/multi-porosity porous semiconductors such as porous silicon), formation of porous semiconductor (such as porous silicon) for anti-reflection coatings, passivation layers, and multi-junction, multi-band-gap solar cells (for instance, by forming a variable band gap porous silicon emitter on a crystalline silicon thin film or wafer-based solar cell). Other applications include fabrication of MEMS separation and sacrificial layers for die detachment and MEMS device fabrication, membrane formation and shallow trench isolation (STI) porous silicon (using porous silicon formation with an optimal porosity and its subsequent oxidation). Further the disclosure is applicable to the general fields of Photovoltaics, MEMS, including sensors and actuators, stand-alone, or integrated with integrated semiconductor microelectronics, semiconductor microelectronics chips and optoelectronics.

A head unit for electrochemical treatment of a surface including a handle having an output tube and a vacuum tube. The output tube and the vacuum tube configured to couple the handle to a portable cart. The head unit including a body coupled to the handle and an electrode disposed within the body and coupled to the output tube and the vacuum tube. The electrode including a plurality of output channels for outputting an electrochemical solution and a plurality of vacuum channels for vacuuming the electrochemical solution outputted from the plurality of output channels. Each of the plurality of output channels is disposed proximate to at least one of the plurality of vacuum channels and the electrode is fluidly coupled to the output tube to receive the electrochemical solution from the output tube.

This disclosure enables high-productivity fabrication of porous semiconductor layers (made of single layer or multi-layer porous semiconductors such as porous silicon, comprising single porosity or multi-porosity layers). Some applications include fabrication of MEMS separation and sacrificial layers for die detachment and MEMS device fabrication, membrane formation and shallow trench isolation (STI) porous silicon (using porous silicon formation with an optimal porosity and its subsequent oxidation). Further, this disclosure is applicable to the general fields of photovoltaics, MEMS, including sensors and actuators, stand-alone, or integrated with integrated semiconductor microelectronics, semiconductor microelectronics chips and optoelectronics.

A method of moving interface processing of materials, the method comprising: providing a working material; providing an energy source adjacent to the working material; providing for relative controlled movement between the working material and the energy source; activating the energy source such that the energy processes the working material; moving the energy source and/or the working material relative to the other to control the amount of processing of the working material achieved by the energy. An apparatus for the moving interface processing of materials, the apparatus comprising: working material; an energy source adjacent to the working material; a means for providing for relative controlled movement between the working material and the energy source such that the amount of processing of the working material achieved by the energy from the energy source is controlled. An apparatus for the moving interface processing of materials, the apparatus comprising: an anodizing bath; a cathode located in the anodizing bath; a power supply in communication with the cathode, and the power supply configured to be in communication with a working material at an anode connection such that a portion of the working material acts as an anode; a motor configured to accurately and methodically move the a working material into the anodizing bath such that anodization of the working material begins at the edge of the working material furthest from the anode connection and just below the anodization bath, and the motor is further configured to immerse the working material into the bath such that the anodization is moved up the working material towards the edge nearest the anode connection, resulting in generally complete conversion to oxide, except for a vanishingly small or insignificant metal or conductive edge adjacent or at the anode connection.

A method of forming a non-metallic coating on a metallic substrate involves the steps of positioning the metallic substrate in an electrolysis chamber and applying a sequence of voltage pulses of alternating polarity to electrically bias the substrate with respect to an electrode. Positive voltage pulses anodically bias the substrate with respect to the electrode and negative voltage pulses cathodically bias the substrate with respect to the electrode. The amplitude of the positive voltage pulses is potentiostatically controlled, whereas the amplitude of the negative voltage pulses is galvanostatically controlled.

An electrochemical treatment electrode configured to contact an internal surface of metallic article with an electrochemical treatment fluid, the electrode comprising: a flexible conducting body; and a plurality of flexible elements connected to and extending generally outwardly of the flexible conducting body which are configured to locate an electrochemical treatment fluid around the flexible conducting body, wherein the plurality of flexible elements includes a plurality of conductive fibres or non-conductive fibres extending generally outwardly of the flexible conducting body, the plurality of conductive fibres or non-conductive fibres configured to contact the internal surface of the metallic article when the electrode is in use.