Not exactly related..but a nice read

Last week, we created a series of wafers that were RTPed at four different temperatures between 900 C and 1000 C.  Below is a comparison of the 900 C (left) vs. 1000 C RTP (right) wafer. We see that a difference of 100 C shifts the cutoff ~10 nm.  The pores are also the roundest…

Over the past few days Josh and I installed windows 7, windows office suite, Malvern’s Zetasizer software (available online), Tecan’s I-control software (available in the 3-ring binder in the glass cabinet above the machines), and chrome onto the new(er) laptop in the basement. I copied the files on the old computer that seemed relevant –…

I am trying to understand the development of endothelial barrier properties as the cells remodel under the influence of physiological shear stresses. I culture HUVECs inside my device on 100 micron thin type I collagen gel. I coat the gel with fibronectin on top to provide adhesion for the cells. It helps them to stay…

Parallel with my efforts in the Osteomyelitis project to coat our membranes with polyurethane acrylate, I began working with the Gill lab on improving the performance of our uSiM platform as a propagation assay for Staphylococcus aureus. In the past we have gotten a lot of good data using this assay, but its performance has…

Last week, I calculated the Young’s modulus and residual stress of several different membranes using the pressure-displacement technique. The measurements were performed on at least three different geometries (square and rectangle) and the results were averaged. Wafer Thick. (nm) Por. (%) Anneal Res. Stress (MPa) Young’s modulus (GPa) 532 15 2.59 1000 sus 4.17 31.67…

The other (see below) just-to-be-sure experiment I performed this week was to compare staining between 2 different live cell dyes.  I typically use calcein AM to stain live cells green.  This is a membrane-permeant dye which, once inside cells, is hydrolyzed by intracellular esterases to make it fluoresce green.  Another very common live cell stain…