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Achieving the required control of dopant distribution and selectivity for nanostructured semiconducting building block is a key issue for a large variety of applications. A promising strategy is monolayer doping (MLD), which consists in the creation of a well-ordered monolayer of dopant-containing molecules bonded to the surface of the substrate. In this work, we synthesize a P δ−layer embedded in a SiO2 matrix by MLD. Using a multi-technique approach based on time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) analyses, we characterize the tuning of P dose as a function of the processing time and temperature. We found the proper conditions for a full grafting of the molecules, reaching a maximal dose of 8.3 × 1014 atoms/cm2. Moreover, using 1D rate equation model, we model P diffusion in SiO2 after annealing and we extract a P diffusivity in SiO2 of 1.5 × 1017 cm2 s−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a multilayer microfluidic system having a KrF excimer laser micro-patterned thermo-responsive poly-(N-isopropyl)-acrylamide (PNIPAAm) based hydrogel layer integrated as a freestanding component that operates as a temperature-triggered cell isolation actuator for single cell assays applications. When the system is assembled, the size of the laser machined micro-through-hole (entrance diameter is 150 μm, while exit hole diameter varies from 10 to 80 μm) can be reversibly modulated as a consequence of the polymer volumetric phase transition induced by heating the device above the critical temperature of 32 °C; as a result of the polymer water loss, the shrinkage of the layer caused the hole to homogeneously shrink, thus reducing its original size to about 40% in the polymer collapsed state. This actuation mechanism was exploited to trap a cellular sample in the shrunken exit hole on the top of the hydrogel layer by applying a negative pressure across the film when the system is brought to 37 °C. Subsequently, the funneling of the trapped cell took place through the orifice when the polymer’s natural relaxation at room temperature toward its initial state occurred; the functionality of the device was proved using optical microscopy to monitor MG63 cells as a model cell line during the funneling through the size-modulating structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]