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Reliable fabrication of micro/nanostructures with sub-10 nm features is of great significance for advancing nanoscience and nanotechnology. While the capability of current complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip manufacturing can produce structures on the sub-10 nm scale, many emerging applications, such as nano-optics, biosensing, and quantum devices, also require ultrasmall features down to single digital nanometers. In these emerging applications, CMOS-based manufacturing methods are currently not feasible or appropriate due to the considerations of usage cost, material compatibility, and exotic features. Therefore, several specific methods have been developed in the past decades for different applications. In this review, we attempt to give a systematic summary on sub-10 nm fabrication methods and their related applications. In the first and second parts, we give a brief introduction of the background of this research topic and explain why sub-10 nm fabrication is interesting from both scientific and technological perspectives. In the third part, we comprehensively summarize the fabrication methods and classify them into three main approaches, including lithographic, mechanics-enabled, and post-trimming processes. The fourth part discusses the applications of these processes in quantum devices, nano-optics, and high-performance sensing. Finally, a perspective is given to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with this research topic.

Establishing a standard Raman spectral database for minerals and related inorganic crystals is a very important basis for further increasing the applications of Raman spectroscopy in the geosciences. However, the Raman spectral pattern of a crystal is a function not only of its composition and structure but also of the scattering geometry during the measurement. Therefore, the standard Raman spectrum of a crystal must be measured under well-defined standard conditions. It would be of great interest to establish a standard measuring configuration with which the characteristic Raman spectra of all mineral crystals could be obtained. Factor-group analysis of the main types of minerals indicates that almost all of them possess a Raman-active totally symmetric (TS) vibrational mode. Therefore, we propose a scheme to measure standard Raman spectra under a scattering geometry set up on the basis of these TS modes. Using this scheme, we were able to establish a database for standard Raman spectra of minerals and related inorganic crystals.

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogenic bacterium capable of developing biofilms, leading to nosocomial infection and cross-contamination of foods. The current study was focused on the detection of adhesin genes, staphylococcal nuclease and hemolytic activities, and biofilm formation among the isolates of S. aureus from different sources. Fifteen adhesin genes (bap, bbp, clfA, clfB, cna, ebpS, fib, fnbA, fnbB, eno, icaAD, icaBC, sasG, sasC, pls) involved in S. aureus cell aggregation and biofilm accumulation were detected by polymerase chain reaction using specific primer. The activities of staphylococcal nuclease and hemolysis were analyzed by using toluidine blue-DNA agar and sheep blood agar for each strain. The ability of biofilm formation among different S. aureus strains was tested by using the glass tube method and microtiter-plate method. Our results showed the diversity of biofilm formation from different sources. Some isolates were strong biofilm producers; some were weak biofilm producers; and some were nonbiofilm producers. Staphylococcal nuclease and hemolysis seem to play a certain inhibitory role in biofilm formation. The adhesin genes varied among different S. aureus strains. The bap gene was not present in any strains. The bbp gene was only detected in one strain. The detection rates of other adhesin genes were as follows: clfB and sasG (100%); cna, eno, fib, and ebpS (93.75%); fnbA, icaAD, and icaBC (87.50%); fnbB (68.75%); sasC (31.25%); clfA (25%); and pls (12.50%), respectively. The variation between phenotypic and genotypic characterization may be due to the heterogeneity in the genetic origins. There was no direct correlation in distribution of adhesin genes and biofilm formation, which indicates that a single gene or subset of genes cannot be utilized as a biofilm indicator for morphology. Our results also indicated that biofilm formation might be affected by many factors, which brings new challenges to the prevention of this serious pathogen due to biofilm-related infection and contamination.

A nano-patterning process is reported in this paper, which can achieve surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices with an extremely high frequency and a super-high mass sensitivity. An integrated lift-off process with ion beam milling is used to minimize short-circuiting problem and improve quality of nanoscale interdigital transducers (IDTs). A specifically designed PEC algorithm is applied to mitigate proximity effects occurring in the conventional electron-beam lithography process. The IDTs with a period of 160 nm and a finger width of 35 nm are achieved, enabling a frequency of 30 GHz on