Intellectual Property Law

US Patent 7407814 - Molecular detection nanoresonator array

Posted on August 06, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7407814.htmlThis patent from Caltech has relatively early priority and claims a nanoelectromechanical resonator system for detecting plural analytes in solution. Claim 1 reads: 1. A molecular detector capable of detecting an analyte in solution comprising:a solution reservoir;at least one first nanometer-scale mechanical resonator which is disposed within the reservoir, wherein the at least one first resonator is biofunctionalized with a first receptor or a first ligand;a substrate or a second mechanical resonator which is disposed within the reservoir, wherein the substrate or the second resonator is biofunctionalized with a second receptor or a second ligand, and wherein the first receptor or ligand and the second receptor or ligand are capable of binding to the analyte in solution such that the analyte binds to both the first receptor or ligand and to the second receptor or ligand at a same time; anda detector in signal communication with the at least one first resonator for measuring a mechanical displacement of the resonator for detection of the analyte.

US Patent 7407704 - Nanoparticle-based bond joint for ease of separation

Posted on August 06, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7407704.htmlThis patent from Henkel teaches the use of nanoparticles in a bonding adhesive that allows the bond to be more easily removed using electromagnetic fields. Claim 1 reads:1. A separable bonded joint comprising an electromagnetically activatable primer layer and an adhesive layer adjacent to the primer layer, wherein the primer layer contains nanoscale particles with ferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic, superparamagnetic or piezoelectric properties.

US Patent 7407640 - Defunctionalizing CNT composites with radiation

Posted on August 05, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7407640.htmlOften in order to effectively incorporate carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix the nanotubes need to be functionalized with another molecule for uniform distribution in the polymer and to avoid clumping of the nanotubes...

US Patent 7406859 - Piezoelectric cantilever rigidity control for AFM

Posted on August 05, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7406859.htmlAtomic force microscopes are tools which provide researchers the ability to manipulate and inspect individual atoms, molecules, and nanostructures. These tools usually employ cantilevers having a sharp tip combined with a piezoelectric feedback mechanism to regulate the distance between the tip and a sample...

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US Patent 7405605 - Equilibration device for CNT switch

Posted on August 04, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7405605.htmlNantero is a company working on a mechanical form of non-volatile memory based on carbon nanotubes. In order to avoid unwanted fluctuation of the states of the nanotube memory due to noise this patent teaches an "equilibration" device in the form of a circuit element for regulating the control voltages...

US Patent 7405434 - Quantum dot conjugates in a nanofluidic channel

Posted on August 04, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7405434.htmlQuantum dot nanocrystals have often been employed as fluorescent tags for biomolecules and nanofluidic channels have been used for chemical sorting. This patent from Cornell Research combines both these techniques in a molecular analysis system...

US Patent 7405420 - Chalcogenide nanowire memory

Posted on August 01, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7405420.htmlPhase change memory is a possible alternative to Flash memory in future applications and works based on the conversion of chalcogenide material between crystalline (low resistance) and amorphous (high resistance) states...

US Patent 7405156 - Nanoparticle ink patterning using reversed tapered photoresist

Posted on August 01, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7405156.htmlConventional fabrication processes for patterning used in semiconductor manufacturing often involves low pressure and/or high temperature systems which can add significant cost to the process. Printing processes such as roll-to roll processing and inkjet printing have been increasingly used in recent years to provide cheaper alternatives...

US Patent 7404831 - Fullerene abrasive composite

Posted on July 30, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7404831.htmlThis patent from Hon Hai Precision Industry teaches an abrasive polishing composite formed using carbon nanomaterials. Claim 1 reads:1. An abrasive composite comprising:a matrix; anda plurality of nano-particles distributed therein, the nano-particles being comprised of nano carbon spheres and fullerenes, the nano carbon spheres each being polyhedral carbon cluster constructed of a plurality of concentric graphitic sheets, each of the concentric graphitic sheets having a closed spherical structure.

US Patent 7404698 - Vacuum pump with CNT charge source for de-ionization

Posted on July 30, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7404698.htmlTurbomolecular pumps are used to create high vacuums but can be subject to charge accumulation that can deteriorate operation. This patent from Edwards Vacuum teaches using carbon nanotube as a charge particle source for charge neutralization...

US Patent 7404338 - Dual nanostructures for environmental compensation sensor

Posted on July 29, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7404338.htmlThis patent from ETH Zurich teaches using carbon nanotubes in a force sensor. Two carbon nanotubes are used to allow for common mode rejection to eliminate variations from environmental effects. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7404332 - Porous silicon gettering for micromechanical sensor

Posted on July 29, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7404332.htmlGetter materials are often used to absorb contaminates and trace gases. This patent from Robert Bosch GmbH teaches a porous silicon gettering material more convenient for semiconductor based micromechanical structures...

US Patent 7403322 - Micromirror alignment platform

Posted on July 27, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7403322.htmlMicromechanical mirrors have been developed over the past several decades in applications such as fiber optic switching, projection displays, 3D imaging, and adaptive optics. In many of these applications alignment between the light source and the micromirrors can be critical...

US Patent 7402909 - CNT anisotropic conductive film

Posted on July 27, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7402909.htmlAnisotropic conductive films are often used to provide electrical connections between wiring arrays of a device such as an LCD and a connection board. This patent from Intel teaches using carbon nanotubes to form an anisotropic film usable with wiring arrays having a smaller pitch...

US Patent 7402829 - Nanostructured silicon lithium battery

Posted on July 27, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7402829.htmlA variety of microelectromechanical applications would benefit from the integration of "on-chip" batteries to further miniaturization and facilitate implantable medical devices. This patent from a UK based company called Nexeon teaches a lithium battery formed from nanostructured silicon...

US Patent 7402736 - Scanning probe with nanotube tip grown from FET

Posted on July 24, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7402736.htmlScanning probe microscopes are important tools for molecular and nanoscale characterization. This patent from Postech Foundation of S.Korea teaches a method of fabricating the tip of a scanning probe microscope from a carbon nanotube grown on a field effect transistor for producing a sharper tip with increased measurement speed...

US Patent 7402573 - DNA administration to organs using nanopartilces

Posted on July 24, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7402573.htmlThis patent from NanoDel Technologies teaches a method of using polymeric nanoparticles to transport cancer treatment drugs or DNA across the blood-brain barrier. Claim 13 reads:13. A method for administering DNA to a target organ in a human or animal body, the method comprising contacting the target organ with a polyalkylcyanoacrylate nanoparticle loaded with DNA, whereby the DNA enters one or more cells of the target organ.

US Patent 7402531 - Fabrication of multiple length nanowire array

Posted on July 24, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7402531.htmlThis patent from Hewlett Packard teaches a method of forming an array of nanotubes differentiated by length useful for applications such as optical sensing. Claim 1 reads:1. A method for selectively controlling lengths of nanowires in a substantially non-uniform array of nanowires, the method comprising:establishing at least two different catalyzing nanoparticles on a substrate; andsubstantially simultaneously growing a nanowire from each of the at least two different catalyzing nanoparticles, wherein at least one of the nanowires has a length different from that of at least an other of the nanowires...

US Patent 7402505 - Single electron device formed by thermal annealing

Posted on July 22, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7402505.htmlSingle electron transistors and similar devices have been in the experimental stage for several decades now however, due to low temperature operation and difficulty in fabrication they have not seem much commercialization outside of research labs...

US Patent 7402445 - Nanotip fabrication using film melting and cooling

Posted on July 22, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7402445.htmlThis patent from Wayne State University teaches a novel method for forming a nanotip useful as an electron emitter by laser irradiation of semiconductor (e.g. Si, Ge, GaAs, etc.) thin films followed by cooling...

US Patent 7402194 - Air filtration using CNT ionization

Posted on July 22, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7402194.htmlThis patent from IBM teaches a small scale and low energy air purifying filter formed using carbon nanotube as an ionization source. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of electrostatically precipitating airborne particulates, said method comprising:positioning a first electrode and a second electrode in a housing unit at a distance from one another, said first and second electrodes comprising poles of an electrostatic field;growing at least one carbon nanotube on the second electrode, wherein said at least one carbon nanotube ionizes gas in said housing unit; andapplying an electrostatic field between said first and said second electrodes.

US Patent 7400395 - Metal coated nanoporous silicon

Posted on July 21, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7400395.htmlThis patent from Intel teaches a substrate useful for Raman spectroscopy based on metal coated nanoporous silicon useful for enhanced molecular detection. Claim 1 reads:1. A wafer comprising a layer of metal-coated nanocrystalline porous silicon, wherein the metal coating covers substantially the entire exposed surface area of the nanocrystalline porous silicon, and wherein the nanocrystalline porous silicon has a pore size of from 2 nm to 200 nm.

US Patent 7400159 - Nanotube/Nanorod probe card

Posted on July 21, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7400159.htmlIn order to test integrated circuits probe cards are often used. However, the resolution of such probe cards is often limited to the pitch of pins making up the probe. This patent teaches using nanotubes or nanorods as the pins for higher resolution addressing of circuitry under testing...

Unity Semiconductor's RRAM patents

Posted on July 20, 2008
Recently it has been speculated that Hewlett-Packard may have prototypes of their memristor based RRAM as early as 2009 as a possible alternative to flash memory with nanoscale resolution storage densities. The use of resistance-based RAM actually has a fairly long history going back to reseach in the 1960's and 1970's by Stan Ovshinsky using chalcogenide glasses and Alan MacDiarmid using conductive polymers...

US Patent 7399988 - Wide temperature range quantum dot photodetector

Posted on July 17, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7399988.htmlWith a rise in temperature quantum dot photodetectors can have a reduction in sensitivity. This patent from Fujitsu teaches a configuration which avoids this problem using a stacked quantum well/embedded quantum dot structure...

US Patent 7399794 - Ionization resistance using CNT polymer composite

Posted on July 17, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7399794.htmlThis patent from the University of South Florida teaches the use of carbon nanotube composites for space shielding. Claim 1 reads:1. A method for resisting ionizing radiation comprising:(a) providing a device that is subjected to ionizing radiation when in use, wherein the device comprises a transparent polymer and a plurality of carbon nanotubes at least on the device's surface, wherein the carbon nanotubes are incorporated into the matrix of the polymer; and(b) exposing the device to ionizing radiation, whereby the device exhibits improved resistance to ionizing radiation...

US Patent 7399691 - Aligning nanotubes for crossbar array

Posted on July 16, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7399691.htmlThis is a continuation patent originating from Harvard based on technology used to fabricate the NRAM technology developed by Nantero. Claim 1 reads:1. A method comprising:aligning a plurality of nanoscopic wires using a mechanically patterned surface to define a set of aligned nanoscopic wires on the surface, wherein the mechanically patterned surface comprises a plurality of elongated trenches in the mechanically patterned surface, the elongated trenches each having a first dimension on the surface that is substantially longer than a second dimension on the surface, the second dimension being substantially greater than the greatest depth of the trenches; andcontacting the plurality of aligned nanoscopic wires on the surface with a common electrode.

US Patent 7399429 - III-V nanocrystal with >25% quantum efficiency

Posted on July 16, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7399429.htmlThis patent from Evident Technologies teaches a metal coated nanocrystal composition with high quantum efficiencies. Although earlier quantum dot core-shell structures with similar efficiencies were earlier patented (see US 7,125,605) the metal coating in this configuration offers the advantage of increased chemical stability...

US Patent 7399400 - Polymer CNT biosensor

Posted on July 15, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7399400.htmlThere have been various proposals and designs for biosensors formed form aligned nanotube arrays but which be costly to fabricate. This patent from Nano-Proprietary teaches a biosensor using disordered nanotubes to lower production costs and enhance reproducibility...

US Patent 7399215 - Carbon fiber electron emitter formed in reactive media

Posted on July 15, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7399215.htmlThis patent from Canon teaches reducing the threshold voltage for electron emitting carbon fibers (e.g. carbon nanotubes) by applying a burn off voltage to the carbon fibers in a reactive atmosphere such as oxygen...

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