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Ferromagnetic Single Electron Transistors (F-SETs) comprise ferromagnetic electrodes connected to a ferromagnetic- or non-magnetic central island via tunnel barriers. These devices are important for studies of spin-transport physics in confined structures. Here we describe the development of a novel type of AFMassembled nano-scale F-SETs suitable for spin-transport investigations at temperatures above 4.2 K. The ingenious fabrication technique means that their electrical characteristics can be tuned in real-time during the fabrication sequence by re-positioning the central island with Ångström precision. © 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Here we detail high performance, enzymatic electrodes for oxygen bio-electroreduction, which can be easily and reproducibly fabricated with industry-scale throughput. Planar and nanostructured electrodes were built on biocompatible, flexible polymer sheets, while nanoimprint lithography was used for electrode nanostructuring. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first reports concerning the usage of nanoimprint lithography for amperometric bioelectronic devices. The enzyme (Myrothecium verrucaria bilirubin oxidase) was immobilised on planar (control) and artificially nanostructured, gold electrodes by direct physical adsorption. The detailed electrochemical investigation of bioelectrodes was performed and the following parameters were obtained: open circuit voltage of approximately 0.75 V, and maximum bio-electrocatalytic current densities of 18 µA/cm2 and 58 µA/cm2 in air- saturated buffers versus 48 µA/cm2 and 186 µA/cm2 in oxygen-saturated buffers for planar and nanostructured electrodes, respect- ively. The half-deactivation times of planar and nanostructured biocathodes were measured to be 2 h and 14 h, respectively. The comparison of standard heterogeneous and bio-electrocatalytic rate constants showed that the improved bio-electrocatalytic performance of the nanostructured biocathodes compared to planar biodevices is due to the increased surface area of the nanostructured electrodes, whereas their improved operational stability is attributed to stabilisation of the enzyme inside nanocavities.

Here we detail transparent, flexible, nanostructured, membrane-less and mediator-free glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cells, which can be reproducibly fabricated with industrial scale throughput. The electrodes were built on a biocompatible flexible polymer, while nanoimprint lithography was used for their nanostructuring. The electrodes were covered with gold, their surfaces were visualised using scanning electron and atomic force microscopies, and they were also studied spectrophotometrically and electrochemically. The enzymatic fuel cells were fabricated following our previous reports on membrane-less and mediator-free biodevices in which cellobiose dehydrogenase and bilirubin oxidase were used as anodic and cathodic biocatalysts, respectively. The following average characteristics of transparent and flexible biodevices operating in glucose and chloride containing neutral buffers were registered: 0.63 V open-circuit voltage, and 0.6 mW cm-2 maximal power density at a cell voltage of 0.35 V. A transparent and flexible enzymatic fuel cell could still deliver at least 0.5 mW cm-2 after 12 h of continuous operation. Thus, such biodevices can potentially be used as self-powered biosensors or electric power sources for smart electronic contact lenses.

Minute electronic (bio)devices will likely play an increasingly important role in everyday life and beyond, as overall device size often limits device functionality and applicability, a factor especially critical for brain implants. Recent progress in micro- and nanoelectronics has enabled the production of nanoscale electronic components; however, overall device size is often defined by technical and technological limitations, in particular, the ability to combine heterogeneous components made using incompatible processes on different substrates. Here, the authors suggest and evaluate a concept and approach aimed at the direct three-dimensional assembly of individual nanoscale-based components into complex devices for brain implants. They demonstrate this assembly possibility via the transfer of free-standing GaP nanowires, as well as test devices made of gold film which exhibit good quality electrical contacts. The key features essential for such a functional assembly process are discussed. The authors expect this approach to be generic and to enable the development of complex minute electronic (bio)devices based on nanoscale components. The proposed type of assembly may be especially beneficial for devices with strict size constraints, such as implantable neural interfaces.

Here we detail transparent, flexible, nanostructured, membrane-less and mediator-free glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cells, which can be reproducibly fabricated with industrial scale throughput. The electrodes were built on a biocompatible flexible polymer, while nanoimprint lithography was used for their nanostructuring. The electrodes were covered with gold, their surfaces were visualised using scanning electron and atomic force microscopies, and they were also studied spectrophotometrically and electrochemically. The enzymatic fuel cells were fabricated following our previous reports on membrane-less and mediator-free biodevices in which cellobiose dehydrogenase and bilirubin oxidase were used as anodic and cathodic biocatalysts, respectively. The following average characteristics of transparent and flexible biodevices operating in glucose and chloride containing neutral buffers were registered: 0.63 V open-circuit voltage, and 0.6 mu W cm(-2) maximal power density at a cell voltage of 0.35 V. A transparent and flexible enzymatic fuel cell could still deliver at least 0.5 mu W cm(-2) after 12 h of continuous operation. Thus, such biodevices can potentially be used as self-powered biosensors or electric power sources for smart electronic contact lenses. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface-patterning technologies have enabled the improvement of currently existing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and can be used to overcome the issue of low quantum efficiency of green GaN-based LEDs. We have applied nanosphere lithography to fabricate nanopillars on InGaN/GaN quantum-well LEDs. By etching through the active region, it is possible to improve both the light extraction efficiency and, in addition, the internal quantum efficiency through the effects of lattice strain relaxation. Nanopillars of different sizes are fabricated and analyzed using Raman spectroscopy. We have shown that nanopillar LEDs can be significantly improved by applying a combination of ion-damage curing techniques, including thermal and acidic treatment, and have analyzed their effects using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. (C) 2015 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

In nearly all papers concerning enzyme–nanoparticle based bioelectronic devices, it is stated that the presence of nanoparticles on electrode surfaces per se enhances bioelectrocatalysis, although the reasons for that enhancement are often unclear. Here, we report detailed experimental evidence that neither an overpotential of bioelectrocatalysis, nor direct electron transfer and bioelectrocatalytic reaction rates for an adsorbed enzyme depend on the size of nanoparticles within the range of 20–80 nm, i.e. for nanoparticles that are considerably larger than the enzyme molecules.

Nanoscale contacts between metals and semiconductors are critical for further downscaling of electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, realizing nanocontacts poses significant challenges since conventional approaches to achieve ohmic contacts through Schottky barrier suppression are often inadequate. Here we report the realization and characterization of low n-type Schottky barriers (∼0.35 eV) formed at epitaxial contacts between Au-In alloy catalytic particles and GaAs-nanowires. In comparison to previous studies, our detailed characterization, employing selective electrical contacts defined by high-precision electron beam lithography, reveals the barrier to occur directly and solely at the abrupt interface between the catalyst and nanowire. We attribute this lowest-to-date-reported Schottky barrier to a reduced density of pinning states (∼10 17 m-2) and the formation of an electric dipole layer at the epitaxial contacts. The insight into the physical mechanisms behind the observed low-energy Schottky barrier may guide future efforts to engineer abrupt nanoscale electrical contacts with tailored electrical properties. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Miniature, self-contained biodevices powered by biofuel cells may enable a new generation of implantable, wireless, minimally invasive neural interfaces for neurophysiological in vivo studies and for clinical applications. Here we report on the fabrication of a direct electron transfer based glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cell (EFC) from genuinely three-dimensional (3D) nanostructured microscale gold electrodes, modified with suitable biocatalysts. We show that the process underlying the simple fabrication method of 3D nanostructured electrodes is based on an electrochemically driven transformation of physically deposited gold nanoparticles. We experimentally demonstrate that mediator-, cofactor-, and membrane-less EFCs do operate in cerebrospinal fluid and in the brain of a rat, producing amounts of electrical power sufficient to drive a self-contained biodevice, viz. 7 μW cm(-2) in vitro and 2 μW cm(-2) in vivo at an operating voltage of 0.4 V. Last but not least, we also demonstrate an inductive coupling between 3D nanobioelectrodes and living neurons.

We present an electrode, based on structurally controlled nanowires, as a first step towards developing a useful nanostructured device for neurophysiological measurements in vivo. The sensing part of the electrode is made of a metal film deposited on top of an array of epitaxially grown gallium phosphide nanowires. We achieved the first functional testing of the nanowire-based electrode by performing acute in vivo recordings in the rat cerebral cortex and withstanding multiple brain implantations. Due to the controllable geometry of the nanowires, this type of electrode can be used as a model system for further analysis of the functional properties of nanostructured neuronal interfaces in vivo.

Properties of nanostructures realized by bottom-up techniques are often different from their bulk counterparts. Here we present a study of a nano-Schottky contact formed at the interface between a gold catalytic particle and an epitaxially grown GaxIn1-xAs/InAs nanowire. Selective electrical connections formed to the catalytic particle on one side and to the InAs segment on the other side allowed electrical and optical characterization of the formed junction. We demonstrate that the heterostructure region adjacent to the catalytic particle may act as an ultra-small volume unipolar photodetector with potentially ultra-fast response.

Here we present a comprehensive study of a rectifying nano-Schottky contact formed at the interface between a gold catalytic particle and an epitaxially grown GaInAs/InAs nanowire. Selective electrical connections formed by electron beam lithography to the catalytic particle on one side, and to the InAs segment on the other side allowed electrical and optical characterization of the formed Schottky junction. From IV measurements taken at different temperatures we have deduced the Schottky barrier height and the height of the barrier formed in the graded GaInAs nanowire segment. The IV characteristics measured under laser stimulation showed that the device can be used as a unipolar photodetector with extremely small detection volume and potentially ultra fast response., Abstract ID: BAPS.2010.MAR.L14.12Abstract: L14.00012

Ferromagnetic Single Electron Transistors (F-SETs) comprise ferromagnetic electrodes connected to a ferromagnetic- or non-magnetic central island via tunnel barriers. These devices are important for studies of spin-transport physics in confined structures. Here we describe the development of a novel type of AFMassembled nano-scale F-SETs suitable for spin-transport investigations at temperatures above 4.2 K. The ingenious fabrication technique means that their electrical characteristics can be tuned in real-time during the fabrication sequence by re-positioning the central island with Ångström precision. © 2008 by Pan Stanford Publishing Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved.