A thin film laminate comprises a metal layer consisting of a metal, and a thin film laminated on the surface of the metal layer, wherein a first direction is defined as one direction parallel to the surface of the metal layer, and a second direction is defined as one direction parallel to the surface of the metal layer and crossing the first direction; and the metal layer contains a plurality of first metal grains consisting of the metal and extending in the first direction on the surface of the metal layer, and a plurality of second metal grains consisting of the metal and extending in the second direction on the surface of the metal layer.

The disclosed methods and apparatus improve the fabrication of solid fibers and microstructures. In many embodiments, the fabrication is from gaseous, solid, semi-solid, liquid, critical, and supercritical mixtures using one or more low molar mass precursor(s), in combination with one or more high molar mass precursor(s). The methods and systems generally employ the thermal diffusion/Soret effect to concentrate the low molar mass precursor at a reaction zone, where the presence of the high molar mass precursor contributes to this concentration, and may also contribute to the reaction and insulate the reaction zone, thereby achieving higher fiber growth rates and/or reduced energy/heat expenditures together with reduced homogeneous nucleation. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the permanent or semi-permanent recording and/or reading of information on or within fabricated fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the fabrication of certain functionally-shaped fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention may also utilize laser beam profiling to enhance fiber and microstructure fabrication.

Beam-induced deposition decomposes a precursor at precise positions on a surface. The surface is processed to provide linker groups on the surface of the deposit, and the sample is processed to attach nano-objects to the linker groups. The nano-objects are used in a variety of application. When a charged particle beam is used to decompose the precursor, the charged particle beam can be used to form an image of the surface with the nano-objects attached.

The invention is directed to a composite polymer/nanoporous film system and methods of fabrication of tunable nanoporous coatings on flexible polymer substrates. The porosity of the nanoporous film can be tuned during fabrication to a desired value by adjusting the deposition conditions. Experiments show that SiO.sub.2 coatings with tunable porosity fabricated by oblique-angle electron beam deposition can be deposited on polymer substrates. These conformable coatings have many applications, including in the field of optics where the ability to fabricate tunable refractive index coatings on a variety of materials and shapes is of great importance.

Precursors are prepared and employed in electron beam induced decomposition (EBID). The EBID precursors are complexes of the formula: X-M-Y, where M is Au or Ag; X is F, Cl, Br, I, CN, OR.sup.1, O.sub.2CR.sup.2, or R.sup.3; Y is P(OR).sub.3, NR.sub.3, unsubstituted or substituted pyrrole, unsubstituted or substituted pyridine, unsubstituted or substituted pyrrolidine, or unsubstituted or substituted piperidine; and where R, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and substituents of the substituted pyrrole, pyridine, pyrrolidine, or piperidine are independently H, C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.6-C.sub.10 aryl, C.sub.1-C.sub.8 perfluoroalkyl, C.sub.1-C.sub.8 partially fluorinated alkyl, and SiR.sup.5R.sup.6R.sup.7 where R.sup.5, R.sup.6, and R.sup.7 are independently H, C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl, or C.sub.1-C.sub.8 fluorinated alkyl. The decomposition of the EBID precursor results in the formation of one or more gold, silver, or any combination thereof features on a substrate.

A method for preparing a sample for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) comprises providing a substrate having a patterned area on its surface that is defined by a particular topography. A conformal layer of contrasting material is deposited on the topography by depositing a layer of the contrasting material on a local target area of the substrate, spaced apart from the patterned area via Electron Beam Induced Deposition (EBID). The deposition parameters, the thickness of the layer deposited in the target area, and the distance of the target area to the patterned area are selected so that a conformal layer of the contrasting material is formed on the topography of the patterned area. A protective layer is subsequently deposited. The protective layer does not damage the topography in the patterned area because the patterned area is protected by the conformal layer.

A method includes placing a first charged metal dot on a first position of a surface of a semiconductor substrate. A first charged region is formed on a second position of the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A precursor gas is flowed along a first direction from the first position toward the second position on the semiconductor substrate, thereby forming a first carbon nanotube (CNT) on the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer is deposited to cover the first CNT and the semiconductor substrate. A second charged metal dot is placed on a third position of a surface of the dielectric layer. A second charged region is formed on a fourth position of the surface of the dielectric layer. The precursor gas is flowed along a second direction from the third position toward the fourth position on the semiconductor substrate, thereby forming a second CNT on the first CNT.

A forming method of a component used in a plasma processing apparatus includes irradiating an energy beam to a source material of the component while supplying the source material based on a surface state of the component.

A method for preparing a sample for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) comprises providing a substrate having a patterned area on its surface that is defined by a particular topography. A conformal layer of contrasting material is deposited on the topography by depositing a layer of the contrasting material on a local target area of the substrate, spaced apart from the patterned area via Electron Beam Induced Deposition (EBID). The deposition parameters, the thickness of the layer deposited in the target area, and the distance of the target area to the patterned area are selected so that a conformal layer of the contrasting material is formed on the topography of the patterned area. A protective layer is subsequently deposited. The protective layer does not damage the topography in the patterned area because the patterned area is protected by the conformal layer.

Methods and systems for direct lithographic pattern definition based upon electron beam induced alteration of the surface chemistry of a substrate are described. The methods involve an initial chemical treatment for global definition of a specified surface chemistry (SC). Electron beam induced surface reactions between a gaseous precursor and the surface are then used to locally alter the SC. High resolution patterning of stable, specified surface chemistries upon a substrate can thus be achieved. The defined patterns can then be utilized for selective material deposition via methods which exploit the specificity of certain SC combinations or by differences in surface energy. It is possible to perform all steps in-situ without breaking vacuum.