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This paper presents, for the first time, an absolute linear electromagnetic encoder consisting of a rubber belt with two chains of screen-printed metallic inclusions (rectangular patches). The position, velocity, and direction of the belt (the moving part) is determined by detecting the inclusions when they cross the stator (the static part). The stator is a microstrip line loaded with three complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs), resonant elements exhibiting a resonance frequency perturbed by the presence of inclusions on top of them (contactless). The line is fed by three harmonic signals tuned to the resonance frequencies of the CSRRs. Such signals are generated by a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) managed by a microcontroller. The sensed data are retrieved from the pulses contained in the envelope functions of the respective amplitude modulated (AM) signals (caused by the belt motion) generated at the output port of the line. One of the signals provides the absolute belt position, determined by one of the chains, the encoded one. The information relative to the velocity and motion direction is contained in the other AM signals generated by the motion of the other chain, periodic, and thereby, uncoded. The spatial resolution of the system, a figure of merit, is 4 mm. Special emphasis is devoted to the printing process of the belt inclusions.

Precarious manhood beliefs portray manhood, relative to womanhood, as a social status that is hard to earn, easy to lose, and proven via public action. Here, we present cross-cultural data on a brief measure of precarious manhood beliefs (the Precarious Manhood Beliefs scale [PMB]) that covaries meaningfully with other cross-culturally validated gender ideologies and with country-level indices of gender equality and human development. Using data from university samples in 62 countries across 13 world regions (N = 33,417), we demonstrate: (1) the psychometric isomorphism of the PMB (i.e., its comparability in meaning and statistical properties across the individual and country levels); (2) the PMB's distinctness from, and associations with, ambivalent sexism and ambivalence toward men; and (3) associations of the PMB with nation-level gender equality and human development. Findings are discussed in terms of their statistical and theoretical implications for understanding widely-held beliefs about the precariousness of the male gender role.

In the Human Penguin Project (N = 1755), 15 research groups from 12 countries collected body temperature, demographic variables, social network indices, seven widely-used psychological scales and two newly developed questionnaires (the Social Thermoregulation and Risk Avoidance Questionnaire (STRAQ-1) and the Kama Muta Frequency Scale (KAMF)). They were collected to investigate the relationship between environmental factors (e.g., geographical, climate etc.) and human behaviors, which is a long-standing inquiry in the scientific community. More specifically, the present project was designed to test principles surrounding the idea of social thermoregulation, which posits that social networks help people to regulate their core body temperature. The results showed that all scales in the current project have sufficient to good psychometrical properties. Unlike previous crowdsourced projects, this dataset includes not only the cleaned raw data but also all the validation of questionnaires in 9 different languages, thus providing a valuable resource for psychological scientists who are interested in cross-national, environment-human interaction studies.

Social thermoregulation theory posits that modern human relationships are pleisiomorphically organized around body temperature regulation. In two studies (N = 1755) designed to test the principles from this theory, we used supervised machine learning to identify social and non-social factors that relate to core body temperature. This data-driven analysis found that complex social integration (CSI), defined as the number of high-contact roles one engages in, is a critical predictor of core body temperature. We further used a cross-validation approach to show that colder climates relate to higher levels of CSI, which in turn relates to higher CBT (when climates get colder). These results suggest that despite modern affordances for regulating body temperature, people still rely on social warmth to buffer their bodies against the cold.

Hydrogel materials offer many advantages for chemical and biological sensoring due to their response to a small change in their environment with a related change in volume. Several designs have been outlined in the literature in the specific field of hydrogel-based optical sensors, reporting a large number of steps for their fabrication. In this work we present a three-dimensional, hydrogel-based sensor the structure of which is fabricated in a single step using thermal nanoimprint lithography. The sensor is based on a waveguide with a grating readout section. A specific hydrogel formulation, based on a combination of PEGDMA (Poly(Ethylene Glycol DiMethAcrylate)), NIPAAm (N-IsoPropylAcrylAmide), and AA (Acrylic Acid), was developed. This stimulus-responsive hydrogel is sensitive to pH and to water. Moreover, the hydrogel has been modified to be suitable for fabrication by thermal nanoimprint lithography. Once stimulated, the hydrogel-based sensor changes its topography, which is characterised physically by AFM and SEM, and optically using a specific optical set-up.

Template-directed formation of titanium structures on block copolymer templates has been recently reported [1]. Here, the incorporation of titanium in a thin film template is studied. We show that the surface free energy contrast in microphase-separated polystyrene-block-polyethylene oxide templates is not limited to the template film surface, but directs the assembly of titanium atoms in the template thin film. The details of the self-assembly of titanium particles on the block copolymer nanostructured surface and inside the 3D film structure are studied with selected amounts of titanium. Evaporated titanium preferentially wets the polystyrene block of the block copolymer film and diffuses inside the film, conserving the block copolymer nanostructure. Increasing deposition leads to the formation of a mesoporous titanium layer on the block copolymer film, which reproduces that of the underlying template, in this particular case with a thickness of 12 nm and a periodic pore-to-pore distance of 35 nm. The formation of a mesoporous titanium layer prevents from further titanium diffusion inside the block copolymer film. The combination of the X-ray scattering techniques presented here provides sufficient sensitivity to follow the titanium formation in the three dimensional network of the block copolymer films.

Defectivity and dimensional metrology are two main challenges in lithography due to the increasing miniaturisation of circuits. Particularly, bottom-up alternative lithographic masks from directed self-assembly systems have been extending the limits of critical dimensions in a cost-effective manner although great challenges in controlling defectivity remain open. To gain insights about the percentage of alignment, defectivity and order quantification, block copolymer fingerprints were investigated via an image analysis methodology. Here we present the analysis of hexagonal phase of polystyrene-b-polydimethylsiloxane (PS-b-PDMS) forming linear patterns in topological substrates. From our methodology, we have performed dimensional metrology estimating pitch size and error, and the linewidth of the lines was estimated. In parallel, the methodology allowed us identification and quantification of typical defects observable in self-assembly, such as turning points, disclination or branching points, break or lone points and end points. The methodology presented here represents a step forward in dimensional metrology and defect analysis of self- and directed assembly systems.

A novel and simple method for producing mesoporous titanium films and supported titanium nanoparticle hexagonal arrays is presented. During evaporation on block copolymer templates, titanium self-assembles as either a mesoporous film or as a hexagonal close-packed nanodot structure. The morphology of the titanium only depends on the molecular weight of the block copolymer, which results in a remarkable fabrication technique that saves time relative to conventional methods. Analyses using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray reflectometry, and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering correlate the morphology of the titanium with the buried polymer structure. The mesoporous titanium film exhibited a pore size of approximately 16 nm, with a pore-to-pore distance of 42 nm. The average size of the hexagonally packed nanodots was 60 nm, with a center-to-center distance of 88 nm commensurate with the template features. An analysis of the chemical composition showed that the structures were titanium dioxide, which indicated that oxidation occurred during the fabrication process.

Directed self-assembly of block copolymer polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide (PS-b-PEO) thin film was achieved by a one-pot methodology of solvent vapor assisted nanoimprint lithography (SAIL). Simultaneous solvent-anneal and imprinting of a PS-b-PEO thin film on silicon without surface pre-treatments yielded a 250 nm line grating decorated with 20 nm diameter nanodots array over a large surface area of up to 4' wafer scale. The grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering diffraction pattern showed the fidelity of the NIL stamp pattern replication and confirmed the periodicity of the BCP of 40 nm. The order of the hexagonally arranged nanodot lattice was quantified by SEM image analysis using the opposite partner method and compared to conventionally solvent-annealed block copolymer films. The imprint-based SAIL methodology thus demonstrated an improvement in ordering of the nanodot lattice of up to 50%, and allows significant time and cost reduction in the processing of these structures.

The line patterns obtained by the self-assembly of the block copolymer (BCP) polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide (PS-b-PEO) was investigated. The hexagonal PS-b-PEO 42k-11.5k in a thin film was solvent annealed in a chlorophorm saturated atmosphere for three different annealing times. The microphase segregation of this BCP returned 18nm cylinders of PEO through the PS matrix, with an approximately 40 n periodicity, as expected. Under chlorophorm vapours, the PEO cylinders oriented perpendicular to the silicon substrate while increasing the annealing time. These cylinders formed linear patterns with different alignment. To achieve insights about the percentage of alignment, defect type pareto and density, and order quantification to compare the three annealing recipes, the samples were analysed with innovative image analysis software specifically developed in our laboratory to identify elements and defects of line arrays from block copolymer self-assembly. From this technique, it was extracted dimensional metrology estimating pitch size and placement error, and the line-width of the lines was estimated. Secondly, the methodology allows identification and quantification of typical defects observable in BCP systems, such as turning points, disclination or branching points, break or lone points and end points. The defect density and the quantification of the alignment were estimated using our technique. The methodology presented here represents a step forward in dimensional metrology and defect analysis of BCP DSA systems and can be readily used to analyze other lithographic or non-lithographic patterns.

Different linear patterns obtained from the directed self-assembly of the block copolymer (BCP) polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide (PS-b-PEO) were analysed and compared. The hexagonal phase PS-b-PEO in a thin film exhibits linear pattern morphology, by conventional solvent annealing in an atmosphere saturated in chloroform. The surface energy of the silicon substrates was varied using surface functionalization of a self-assembly monolayer (SAM) and a polymer brush, chosen to investigate the influence of the surface energy on the self-assembly of the BCP. The linear patterns formed were analyzed with innovative image analysis software specifically developed in our laboratory to identify elements and defects of line arrays from block copolymer self-assembly. The technique starts by performing dimensional metrology to calculate the pitch size and estimate the linewidth of the lines. Secondly, the methodology allows identification and quantification of typical defects observable in BCP systems, such as turning points, disclination or branching points, break or lone points and end points. The defect density and the quantification of the alignment were estimated using our technique. The methodology presented here represents a step forward in dimensional metrology and defect analysis of BCP DSA systems and can be readily used to analyze other lithographic or non-lithographic patterns.

[EN] The switch comprises: a solid substrate having, anchored on the surface thereof, functionalized molecules of polychlorotriphenylmethyl (PTM) in a radical or anion oxidation state, such that said molecules fonu a hydrophobic surface, a hydrophilic surface or a surface with hydrophobic areas and hydrophilic areas; and means for reversibly changing the oxidation state from radical to anion or vice versa locally on the substrate. The invention also relates to the memory device containing said switch, as well as to a module for conditioning the signal and a module for processing same. The switch and the device containing the switch are particularly suitable for use in the field of microíluidics, as biomolecule dispensers or biosensors, in the production of tags or markers or in the field of self-cleaning surfaces., [ES] El interruptor comprende un sustrato sólido que lleva anclado en su superficie moléculas de policlorotrifenilmetilo (PTM) funcionalizadas y en un estado de oxidación radical o anión, tal que proporcionan una superficie hidrofóbica, una superficie hidrofilica o una superficie con zonas hidrofóbicas y zonas hidrofilicas, y medios para cambiar reversiblemente dicho estado de oxidación de radical a anión o viceversa y localmente en el sustrato. La invención también se refiere al dispositivo de memoria que contiene dicho interruptor asi como un módulo de acondicionamiento de la señal y un módulo de tratamiento de la misma. El interruptor y dispositivo que lo contiene tienen especial aplicación en el campo de la microfluidica, como dispensadores de biomoléculas o biosensores, en la fabricación de etiquetas o marcadores o en el campo de las superficies auto-limpiantes.

El interruptor comprende un sustrato sólido que lleva anclado en su superficie moléculas de policlorotrifenilmetilo (PTM) funcionalizadas y en un estado de oxidación radical o anión, tal que proporcionan una superficie hidrofóbica, una superficie hidrofílica o una superficie con zonas hidrofóbicas y zonas hidrofilicas, y medios para cambiar reversiblemente dicho estado de oxidación de radical a anión o viceversa y localmente en el sustrato. La invención también se refiere al dispositivo de memoria que contiene dicho interruptor así como un módulo de acondicionamiento de la señal y un módulo de tratamiento de la misma. El interruptor y dispositivo que lo contiene tienen especial aplicación en el campo de la microfluídica, como dispensadores de biomoléculas o biosensores, en la fabricación de etiquetas o marcadores o en el campo de las superficies autolimpiantes.