Wink-controlled polarization-switched telescopic contact lenses.

We describe a wink-controlled hands-free switching system for eye-borne telescopic vision, based on a previously tested fixed-magnification telescope embedded within scleral contact lenses. Here we integrate orthogonal polarizers into the contact lens covering the F/9.1 refractive 1× and F/9.

Counting leukocytes from whole blood using a lab-on-a-chip Coulter counter.

A microfluidic lab-on-a-chip Coulter counter was demonstrated to count micro particles and leukocytes from whole blood. Instead of electroplated or deposited metal electrodes, off-the-shelf gold pins were used as electrodes to simplify fabrication process, reduce cost, enhance device durability, and above all, achieve superior uniformity in E-field distribution for improved signal quality. A custom-designed, low-cost demodulation circuit was developed to detect the AC impedance signals of the particles and cells passing the detection area defined by the microfluidic channels.

Ultrahigh responsivity visible and infrared detection using silicon nanowire phototransistors.

Nanowire photodetectors can perform exceptionally well due to their unique properties arising from the nanowire geometry. Here we report on the phenomenal responsivity and extended spectral range of scalable, vertically etched, silicon nanowire photodetector arrays defined by nanoimprint lithography. The high internal gain in these devices allows for detection at below room temperatures of subfemtowatt per micrometer visible illumination and picowatt infrared illumination resulting from band to surface state generation.

Nanowire photodetectors.

The use of nanowires and nanowire structures as photodetectors is an emerging research topic. Despite the large amount of reports on nanowire photoresponse that appeared in the literature over the last decade, the mechanism leading to high photosensitivity and photoconductive gain in high aspect ratio nanostructures has been elucidated only recently. Novel device architectures integrated in single nanowire devices are also being actively studied and developed.