Arrays Of Islands Research Articles

3D height-alternant island arrays for stretchable OLEDs with high active area ratio and maximum strain

Stretchable optoelectronic devices are typically realized through a 2D integration of rigid components and elastic interconnectors to maintain device performance under stretching deformation. However, such configurations inevitably sacrifice the area ratio of active components to enhance the maximum interconnector strain. We herein propose a 3D buckled height-alternant architecture for stretchable OLEDs that enables the high active-area ratio and the enhanced maximum strain simultaneously. Along with the optimal dual serpentine structure leading to a low critical buckling strain, a pop-up assisting adhesion blocking layer is proposed based on an array of micro concave structures for spatially selective adhesion control, enabling a reliable transition to a 3D buckled state with OLED-compatible processes. Consequently, we demonstrate stretchable OLEDs with both the high initial active-area ratio of 85% and the system strain of up to 40%, which would require a lateral interconnector strain of up to 512% if it were attained with conventional 2D rigid-island approaches. These OLEDs are shown to exhibit reliable performance under 2,000 biaxial cycles of 40% system strain. 7 × 7 passive-matrix OLED displays with the similar level of the initial active-area ratio and maximum system strain are also demonstrated.

Stretchable OLEDs based on a hidden active area for high fill factor and resolution compensation

Stretchable organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have emerged as promising optoelectronic devices with exceptional degree of freedom in form factors. However, stretching OLEDs often results in a reduction in the geometrical fill factor (FF), that is the ratio of an active area to the total area, thereby limiting their potential for a broad range of applications. To overcome these challenges, we propose a three-dimensional (3D) architecture adopting a hidden active area that serves a dual role as both an emitting area and an interconnector. For this purpose, an ultrathin OLED is first attached to a 3D rigid island array structure through quadaxial stretching for precise, deformation-free alignment. A portion of the ultrathin OLED is concealed by letting it ‘fold in’ between the adjacent islands in the initial, non-stretched condition and gradually surfaces to the top upon stretching. This design enables the proposed stretchable OLEDs to exhibit a relatively high FF not only in the initial state but also after substantial deformation corresponding to a 30% biaxial system strain. Moreover, passive-matrix OLED displays that utilize this architecture are shown to be configurable for compensation of post-stretch resolution loss, demonstrating the efficacy of the proposed approach in realizing the full potential of stretchable OLEDs.

Pathogenicity islands in bacteria of upper respiratory tract infection

Children's upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs)—infections of the upper respiratory tract without symptoms of pneumonia—represent a significant socioeconomic and epidemiological issue. The study of microbial pathogenicity, which is a complex multifactorial process complicated by the coordinated activity of genetic regions linked to virulence and resistance determinants, has accelerated due to increased awareness of infectious diseases in humans caused by microbial pathogens. Pathogenicity islands and resistance islands are essential to the evolution of pathogens and seem to work in tandem during the bacterial infection process. While pathogenicity islands encourage the development of illness, Additionally, pathogenicity islands are part of a vast array of genomic islands that play a vital role in the transmission of bacterial genes. They encode essential characteristics such as virulence, antibiotic resistance, and other supplementary functions.

Analysis of deformation of thin polyimide film by pre-strained silicone elastomer

In this study, we analyze the deformation of the thin polyimide (PI) film on the pre-strained elastomer. When pre-strained elastomer bonded with pressure-sensitive adhesive (50 µm) and the thin PI film (under 1 μm thickness) containing rigid islands array and released mildly, the elastomer film is restored to its near initial state by the amount of pre-strain. At this time, if the compressive stiffness of the PI film is relatively small compared to the elastomeric film, the deformation occurs as much as the elastomer. In such a case, the PI film generates a wrinkle phenomenon, a special form of the compression behavior of the thin PI film. To prevent pixel area deformation, the PI panel uses rigid material placed in the vicinity of the light-emitting pixels and a metal bus-line matrix placed in the rigid pixel and soft area. However, in this case, when the deformation of the wrinkle-producing area is excessive, it can develop into folds and creases. Hence, PSA and elastomer films are placed on both sides of the thin PI panel containing rigid islands array bridged with a metal bus-line matrix for buckling analysis with the protection of the pixel area.

Biaxially Stretchable Active‐Matrix Micro‐LED Display with Liquid Metal Interconnects

AbstractA stretchable active‐matrix (AM) display is a next‐generation display that breaks away from displaying limited information on flat and curved screens. However, the implementation of stretchable displays requires much more complex fabrication processes and meticulous efforts compared to traditional flat/curved displays. Here, the biaxially stretchable AM micro‐light emitting diode (LED) display on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with liquid metal (LM) interconnects is reported. The pixel islands consisting of oxide TFTs and micro‐LEDs, which are fabricated on the polyimide (PI) substrate, are formed through green laser cutting and transfer to the PDMS substrate. LM interconnects integrate on the pixel island and PDMS by a lift‐off process. The oxide TFTs and micro‐LEDs comprising the 2T1C (2 TFT + 1 capacitor) pixel circuit on the PI island, along with LM interconnects, demonstrate stable electrical characteristics even under a relaxed state as well as when biaxially stretched up to 24%. For 24% stretching of display pixels with the same ratio of PI island and LM interconnects, the LM interconnects operate at 48% stretching. The combination of pixel island array and LM interconnects successfully demonstrates the implementation of a two‐axis stretchable display capable of displaying characters of “A”, “D”, “R”, and “C” through AM driving.

Thermal treatment of stainless steel substrates along with a thin silicon layer for high temperature solar thermal applications

Solar energy harvesting in solar thermal systems using different solar absorber coatings on collectors has been widely studied. Here, we incorporate a single layer Si (∼250 nm) onto one of the most common and cost-effective collector materials, i.e., stainless steel (SS304) to improve its optical performance by thermal treatment. During the heating cycle, the samples were heated at 900 °C for short durations and suddenly quenched to room temperature in air. A high solar absorptance of 0.92 along with an emittance of 0.37 were obtained after heat-treatment. The reflectance studies showed reduced uniform reflectance (<10%) over the entire UV–Vis-NIR region and high reflectance in the far IR region. The morphology, composition, and crystal structures were studied in detail. The Si layer and the quenching process aided in the formation of a highly irregular microstructure consisting islands of Cr-Fe-Mn-Si oxides and silicides (with trace amount of Ni) which in turn increases surface roughness. This irregular array of islands of varying sizes and varying gaps between them helps in increasing absorptance due to multiple reflections, scattering and diffraction effects. Similar studies carried out on SS202 substrates resulted in different surface morphology and hence different absorptance (0.84), suggesting that the surface morphology and absorptance are highly dependent on the substrate composition. The initial thermal stability data on heat-treated Si/SS304 suggests stability up to 700 °C in air for 1000 hrs. Our studies indicate that thermal treatment of Si/SS304 for a short duration is a plausible solution to develop cost effective high temperature solar thermal collectors.

Seismic site response analysis of liquefiable soil deposits focusing on the ground surface response spectrum

A numerical algorithm is developed for conducting one-dimensional non-linear ground response analysis of layered sites, capable of reproducing liquefaction phenomena and accounting for the simultaneous dissipation of excess pore water pressure through soil grains. Τhe shear wave propagation algorithm is based on the plasticity constitutive model for sand Ta-Ger, expressed in a one dimensional p-q space form. This model demonstrates remarkable versatility in representing complex patterns of the cyclic behavior of sand, such as stiffness decay and strength reduction due to pore-water pressure buildup. The calibration of the model is based on shear modulus reduction and damping curves for drained loading conditions, as well as liquefaction resistance curves for undrained conditions. A detailed presentation of the numerical model formulation is provided, outlining the numerical approach for solving the wave propagation and consolidation differential equations. To validate model predictions, the recorded seismic ground response of the Port Island array during the 1995 Kobe earthquake is utilized. Furthermore, the model is applied to estimate the elastic response spectra at the surface of soil profiles with liquefiable layers (ground type S2) as per EC8:2004. The investigation involves the ground response analysis of various soil p3rofiles, all including a liquefiable zone, excited by a suite of earthquake motions at their base. The acceleration time histories are extracted from the PEER Ground Motion Database, having characteristics compatible with the NGA-estimated response spectrum at the bedrock as well as key seismological parameters such as the earthquake magnitude Mw and the horizontal distance from the fault RJB. Two different methods are employed for selecting the base excitations: amplitude-scaled records to match a target response spectrum and spectral-matched records. From the results, an idealized response spectrum is derived in terms of the design spectrum parameters S, η, ΤΒ and TC. The findings demonstrate that the idealized ground surface response spectrum is minimally sensitive to the method used for base excitation selection.

Study and Modeling of the Kinetics of the Photocatalytic Destruction of Stearic Acid Islands on TiO2 Films.

The kinetics of the removal of stearic acid (SA) islands by photocatalytic coatings is controversial, with some reporting that the islands fade as their thickness, h, decreases with the irradiation time, t, but maintain a constant area, a, -da/dt = 0, and others reporting that -dh/dt = 0 and -da/dt = -constant, i.e., the islands shrink, rather than fade. This study attempts to understand the possible cause for these two very different observations through a study of the destruction of a cylindrical SA island and an array of such islands, on two different photocatalytic films, namely, Activ self-cleaning glass, and a P25 TiO2 coating on glass, which have established uniform and heterogeneous surface activities, respectively. In both cases, using optical microscopy and profilometry, it is shown that, irrespective of whether there is as a single cylindrical island or an array of islands, h decreases uniformly with t, -dh/dt = constant, and -da/dt = 0, so that the SA islands just fade. However, in a study of the photocatalyzed removal of SA islands with a volcano-shaped profile, rather than that of a cylinder, it is found that the islands shrink and fade. A simple 2D kinetic model is used to rationalize the results reported in this work. Possible reasons for the two very different kinetic behaviors are discussed. The relevance of this work to self-cleaning photocatalytic films is discussed briefly.

Templated growth strategy for highly ordered topological ferroelectric quad-domain textures

Topological quad-domain textures in ferroelectric nanoislands have been considered as enablers for nanoelectric devices. However, the fabrication of ordered arrays of ferroelectric islands exhibiting this domain structure is a challenge. By using substrate patterning to create nucleation sites, highly ordered quad-domain ferroelectric polarization configurations were achieved in BiFeO3 nanoisland arrays. Reversible switching of the quad-domain between the center divergent state with highly conductive domain walls and the center convergent state with insulating domain walls can be realized, resulting in a resistance change with a large on/off ratio. This templated growth strategy enables the controllable fabrication of exotic topological domains and sheds light on their applications for configurable electronic devices.

In English

We report the synthesis of β-SiC/por-Si/mono-Si heterostructure by a hybrid method, consisting of the electrochemical etching of the single-crystal silicon surface with a subsequent carbidization by a thermal annealing in a methane atmosphere. This method has a number of advantages over the known ones, because it is cheap enough and allows one to form the silicon carbide layers of high- quality. The formed structure was studied by means of SEM, EDX and XRD methods. As a result, the dense β-SiC layer, consisting of an array of the spherical islands with diameters of 2–6 μm, coated with the small pores, was formed on the por-Si/mono-Si surface. The geometric dimensions of the islands were studied by calibrating the sample image in the ImageJ software package. The maximum value of the linear size (diameter) of the island dmax = 5.95 μm and the minimum value dmin = 2.11 μm were found in the studied area. In general, the average diameter of the islands is d = 3.72 μm. The distribution has the left-sided asymmetry, that is, the smaller islets predominate. Roundness (the ratio of the area to the square of the larger axis) R = 0.86. According to the results of EDX analysis, it was found that the synthesized structure surface consists exclusively of the carbon and silicon atoms, indicating the high quality of the formed structures. It was found that the SiC film crystallizes in the cubic phase. The formation of the islands is explained by means of the layer-plus-island growth model according to Stranski-Krastanow mechanism, which is characterized by the formation of the dense wetting layer with the massive island complex on the surface. It should be also noted that the porous SiC layers of island type can, in turn, show the perspective as the buffers with the heteroepitaxy of the silicon substrate materials.

Characterization of liquid film distribution and sub-flow regimes of annular flow in helically coiled tubes using ring island array sensor

The distribution of liquid film thickness in helically coiled tubes (HCTs) directly affects the heat transfer performance of the annular flow region. However, due to the limitation of measurement technology, accurate measurement data of liquid film thickness in HCTs is very rare. In this paper, a non-invasive contact liquid film thickness sensor (ring island array sensor) is successfully developed to obtain the refined three-dimensional spatial-temporal distribution data of liquid film thickness in HCTs. According to the results, four typical liquid film flow regimes are defined based on the circumferential position of the thicker liquid film appearing in the tube wall, i.e., the bottom distribution (BD) dominated by liquid phase gravity force, the outside distribution (OD) dominated by liquid phase centrifugal force, the inside distribution (ID) dominated by gas centrifugal force and the inside-outside distribution (IOD) dominated by the secondary flow. These circumferential distributions of liquid film thickness are mainly affected by the HCT structure (e.g., coil diameter and coil pitch) and superficial gas-liquid velocities. Based on the modified Dean number De* and the modified Lockhart-Martinelli parameter X*, which consider the influence of HCT structures, fluid properties and operating parameters, a general sub-flow regime map of annular flow is proposed. The prediction models of transition boundaries of different liquid film flow regimes are also established and verified with present and available data in the literature.

Trophic interactions of an invasive gecko in an endemic-rich oceanic island: Insights using DNA metabarcoding

Understanding the trophic interactions of introduced predators is key for evidence-based management of biological invasions. This is particularly important in oceanic islands, where predator-prey networks often include numerous endemic and range-restricted species. Geckos are successful island colonizers and in recent years numerous species have established populations in a wide array of oceanic islands. One such species is the Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica), which has colonized multiple islands across the Mediterranean basin, Caribbean and Macaronesia. The species was first reported in Madeira Island in 1993 and over the last 30 years has colonized most of the islands' southern coast and expanded to the nearby island of Porto Santo. Here, we used DNA metabarcoding to provide the first insights into the diet of this successful colonizer in its introduced range. The species' diet was mainly composed of ground-dwelling arthropods belonging to the families Porcellionidae (Isopoda), Julidae (Diplopoda) and Formicidae (Hymenoptera). The diet richness and composition were not affected by neither sex nor size of adult geckos, instead they both change across populations. However, trophic niche-width differed among size classes, with smaller geckos feeding on a wider range of prey. We identified over 160 different Operational Taxonomic Units in the diet of T. mauritanica, with 21.6% of them belonging to introduced invertebrates and 13.6% to native species. Native prey taxa included the endemic Madeira wall lizard (Teira dugesii), the sole native reptile to Madeira. We also detected several agricultural pests and disease vectors in the diet of this exotic predator, and 19 taxa identified as prey had not yet been recorded to Madeira. Of these, several are serious agricultural pests, highlighting how this introduced gecko can be used as a natural sampler, in particular for the early detection of invasive arthropod pests. This study emphasizes the importance of trophic studies for monitoring the impacts of introduced predators in fragile insular systems.

Omnidirectional flat bands in chiral magnonic crystals

The magnonic band structure of two-dimensional chiral magnonic crystals is theoretically investigated. The proposed metamaterial involves a three-dimensional architecture, where a thin ferromagnetic layer is in contact with a two-dimensional periodic array of heavy-metal square islands. When these two materials are in contact, an anti-symmetric exchange coupling known as the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) arises, which generates nonreciprocal spin waves and chiral magnetic order. The Landau–Lifshitz equation and the plane-wave method are employed to study the dynamic magnetic behavior. A systematic variation of geometric parameters, the DMI constant, and the filling fraction allows the examination of spin-wave propagation features, such as the spatial profiles of the dynamic magnetization, the isofrequency contours, and group velocities. In this study, it is found that omnidirectional flat magnonic bands are induced by a sufficiently strong Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction underneath the heavy-metal islands, where the spin excitations are active. The theoretical results were substantiated by micromagnetic simulations. These findings are relevant for envisioning applications associated with spin-wave-based logic devices, where the nonreciprocity and channeling of the spin waves are of fundamental and practical scientific interest.

Local imaging of diamagnetism in proximity-coupled niobium nanoisland arrays on gold thin films

In this work we study the effect of engineered disorder on the local magnetic response of proximity coupled superconducting island arrays by comparing scanning Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) susceptibility measurements to a model in which we treat the system as a network of one-dimensional (1D) superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (SNS) Josephson junctions, each with a Josephson coupling energy $E_J$ determined by the junction length or distance between islands. We find that the disordered arrays exhibit a spatially inhomogeneous diamagnetic response which, for low local applied magnetic fields, is well described by this junction network model, and we discuss these results as they relate to inhomogeneous two-dimensional (2D) superconductors. Our model of the static magnetic response of the arrays does not fully capture the onset of nonlinearity and dissipation with increasing applied field, as these effects are associated with vortex motion due to the dynamic nature of the scanning SQUID susceptometry measurement. This work demonstrates a model 2D superconducting system with engineered disorder and highlights the impact of dissipation on the local magnetic properties of 2D superconductors and Josephson junction arrays.

Demonstration of enhanced resistance switching performance of HfO2/WOx-based bilayer devices embedded with Ti nano island array by applying a rapid thermal annealing process

In this work, a novel set of methods is prοposed for tuning the oxygen vacancy distribution through the combination of several effects. More specifically, the incorporation of a Ti nano-island (NI), as well as the insertion of a thin layer of HfO 2 with 10 nm thickness and the subsequent enforcement of an annealing step at 400 ℃ are employed to improve the performance of the resistive switching memory devices. The acquired results indicate that the embedded Ti NI array can significantly reduce the switching voltage and the statistical dispersion of the switching characteristics, whereas the increase of both the high resistance state (HRS) and low resistance state (LRS) resistance levels and the reduction of the operating current values are attributed to the existence of the HfO 2 layer. Subsequently, the annealing process under air conditions can effectively reduce the oxygen vacancy content within the device and further improve the R HRS and on/off ratio. The reduction of the oxygen vacancy concentration is caused by the diffusion of oxygen ions in the air to the dielectric layer during annealing. Hence, it is concluded that the simultaneous incorporation of a Ti NI, a functional layer and a rapid thermal annealing step are regarded as a novel promising and practical technology for significantly improving the whole performance of the memristive elements. • Ti NI can significantly improve the whole performance of the memristive elements. • A rapid thermal annealing can improve the performance of the memristive elements. • The annealing can effectively reduce the oxygen vacancy concentration within the device.

Study Molecular Biology Clinically and Biologically Relevant in the Tumorigenesis and Progression of Cancer

The paper aims to develop a new concept for stratifying cancer patients using their biomarker profiles. The study leading to HCC only assessed the diagnostic aspect of recurrent cancer. However, the next clinical evaluations will be geared towards predicting recurrence. Thus, the finalized platform should make it possible to determine marker profiles in a clinical context and to develop a set of rules for predicting the progression of the pathology, more particularly of recurrence. Such a predictive tool would be beneficial for the management of patients with bladder cancer. Indeed, the latter has a high rate of recurrence and improving the determination of the risk of recurrence would allow optimal and personalized care for each patient (Ahram M, 2008). Finally, this concept of personalized medicine thanks to the information obtained by the analysis of several parameters on our platform can be applied to other cancers or pathologies.Individual markers could play a role important diagnostic or predictive, and this clinical utility in the laboratories clinical automated manner. The arrays of CpG methylation islands have allowed the identification of new individual epigenetic profiles and candidates that are clinically and biologically relevant in the tumorigenesis and progression of cancer, with utility for the early detection of the disease (Burger M, 2013). The characterization of BDNF in tissue samples, urine and cell lines in an integrated way has allowed the identification of a new gene that is epigenetically silenced by methylation and that has clinical utility for the diagnosis and tumor stratification of patients with cancer. It is necessary to characterize other candidates identified both at the methylation and miRNA levels and to carry out complementary and independent validations to define markers that also allow early non-invasive detection (J.S. Ross, 2014).

Geometrically engineered rigid island array for stretchable electronics capable of withstanding various deformation modes.

Integration of rigid components in soft polymer matrix is considered as the most feasible architecture to enable stretchable electronics. However, a method of suppressing cracks at the interface between soft and rigid materials due to excessive and repetitive deformations of various types remains a formidable challenge. Here, we geometrically engineered Ferris wheel–shaped islands (FWIs) capable of effectively suppressing crack propagation at the interface under various deformation modes (stretching, twisting, poking, and crumpling). The optimized FWIs have notable increased strain at failure and fatigue life compared with conventional circle- and square-shaped islands. Stretchable electronics composed of various rigid components (LED and coin cell) were demonstrated using intrinsically stretchable printed electrodes. Furthermore, electronic skin capable of differentiating various tactile stimuli without interference was demonstrated. Our method enables stretchable electronics that can be used under various geometrical forms with notable enhanced durability, enabling stretchable electronics to withstand potentially harsh conditions of everyday usage.

Site characterization at Treasure Island and Delaney Park downhole arrays by heterogeneous data assimilation

This article extends a recently proposed heterogeneous data assimilation technique for site characterization to estimate compression and shear wave velocity ( Vp and Vs, respectively) and damping at Treasure Island and Delaney Park downhole arrays. The adopted method is based on the joint inversion of earthquake acceleration time series and experimental surface wave dispersion data and includes physical constraints to improve the inverse problem’s well-posedness. We first use synthetic data at these two sites to refine the proposed approach and then apply the refined algorithm to real datasets available at the Treasure Island and Delaney Park downhole arrays. The joint inversion results show that the estimated Vs and Vp profiles are in very good agreement with measured profiles at these two sites. Our synthetic and real data experiment results suggest that Vp estimation from inversion at downhole arrays can be improved by integrating the water table depth information or the higher modes of the Rayleigh wave dispersion data. In the last part of this article, we compare the performance of the inverted profiles to other methods used to incorporate spatial variability and wave scattering effects in one-dimensional (1D) ground response analysis (GRA). The comparisons show that the joint inversion-based Vs and Vp profiles and damping ratios estimated in this article can better integrate the effects of spatial variability and wave scattering into 1D GRAs, especially at the Delaney Park downhole array, which is classified as a poorly modeled site using traditional 1D GRA.

Finasteride induces Epigenetic Modulation of LSP1: A Gene implicated in Neutrophil Actin Dysfunction disease

Lymphocyte Specific Protein 1 (LSP1) gene translates F‐actin protein expressed in leucocytes such as neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, and endothelium. It controls neutrophil motility, adhesion to fibrinogen matrix proteins, and transendothelial migration. Overexpression or increased level of Lymphocyte Specific Protein 1 (LSP1) is implicated in a rare immunologic disorder Neutrophil Actin Dysfunction characterized by spontaneous onset of recurrent infections and inflammation of oral cavity, skin, and respiratory tract. In this experiment aimed at studying the methylation profile and genes expression following finasteride treatment, we cultured human Leydig cells in the presence of 0.5 μM finasteride for 14 days and performed whole‐genome DNA methylation analysis using the NimbleGen Human DNA Methylation 3×720K Promoter Plus CpG Island Array and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Results identified several genes that were differentially methylated following finasteride treatment. Lymphocyte Specific Protein 1 (LSP1) gene was downregulated through methylation. We therefore deduced that finasteride could be a gateway to the treatment of Neutrophil Actin Dysfunction disease through epigenetic modification and decreased expression of LSP1 gene.

Manipulation of Subwavelength Periodic Structures Formation on 4H-SiC Surface with Three Temporally Delayed Femtosecond Laser Irradiations.

Controlling laser-induced periodic surface structures on semiconductor materials is of significant importance for micro/nanophotonics. We here demonstrate a new approach to form the unusual structures on 4H-SiC crystal surface under irradiation of three collinear temporally delayed femtosecond laser beams (800 nm wavelength, 50 fs duration, 1 kHz repetition), with orthogonal linear polarizations. Different types of surface structures, two-dimensional arrays of square islands (670 nm periodicity) and one-dimensional ripple structures (678 nm periodicity) are found to uniformly distribute over the laser-exposed areas, both of which are remarkably featured by the low spatial frequency. By altering the time delay among three laser beams, we can flexibly control the transition between the two surface structures. The experimental results are well explained by a physical model of the thermally correlated actions among three laser-material interaction processes. This investigation provides a simple, flexible, and controllable processing approach for the large-scale assembly of complex functional nanostructures on bulk semiconductor materials.