Nanostructured silicon thin film solar cells are promising, due to the strongly enhanced light trapping, high carrier collection efficiency, and potential low cost. Ordered nanostructure arrays, with large-area controllable spacing, orientation, and size, are critical for reliable light-trapping and high-efficiency solar cells. Available top-down lithography approaches to fabricate large-area ordered nanostructure arrays are challenging due to the requirement of both high lithography resolution and high throughput. Here, a novel ordered silicon nano-conical-frustum array structure, exhibiting an impressive absorbance of 99% (upper bound) over wavelengths 400-1100 nm by a thickness of only 5 μm, is realized by our recently reported technique self-powered parallel electron lithography that has high-throughput and sub-35-nm high resolution. Moreover, high-efficiency (up to 10.8%) solar cells are demonstrated, using these ordered ultrathin silicon nano-conical-frustum arrays. These related fabrication techniques can also be transferred to low-cost substrate solar energy harvesting device applications.

We report on radio-controlled insect biobots by directing the flight of Manduca sexta through neuromuscular activation. Early metamorphosis insertion technology was used to implant metal wire probes into the insect brain and thorax tissue. Inserted probes were adopted by the developing tissue as a result of the metamorphic growth. A mechanically and electrically reliable interface with the insect tissue was realized with respect to the insect's behavioral and anatomical adoption. Helium balloons were used to increase the payload capacity and flight duration of the insect biobots enabling a large number of applications. A super-regenerative receiver with a weight of 650 mg and 750 muW of power consumption was built to control the insect flight path through remotely transmitted electrical stimulation pulses. Initiation and cessation of flight, as well as yaw actuation, were obtained on freely flying balloon-assisted moths through joystick manipulation on a conventional model airplane remote controller.

A betavoltaic cell in 4H SiC is demonstrated. A p-n diode structure was used to collect the charge from a 1mCi Ni-63 source. An open circuit voltage of 0.72V and a short circuit current density of 16.8nA∕cm2 were measured in a single p-n junction. A 6% lower bound on the power conversion efficiency was obtained. A simple photovoltaic-type model was used to explain the results. Fill factor and backscattering effects were included in the efficiency calculation. The performance of the device was limited by edge recombination.

A reciprocating cantilever utilizing emitted charges from a millicurie radioisotope thin film is presented. The actuator realizes a direct collected-charge-to-motion conversion. The reciprocation is obtained by self-timed contact between the cantilever and the radioisotope source. A static model balancing the electrostatic and mechanical forces from an equivalent circuit leads to an analytical solution useful for device characterization. Measured reciprocating periods agree with predicted values from the analytical model. A scaling analysis shows that microscale arrays of such cantilevers provide an integrated sensor and actuator platform.