Intellectual Property Law

US Patent 7398035 - Nanotube array charging device for electrophotography

Posted on July 09, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7398035.htmlIn many printers a variety of charging devices are required to charge belts and drums to facilitate the transfer of toner or paper during printing processes. A variety of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes have been noted to have high efficiency election emission properties...

US Patent 7397558 - Partially coated nanoparticles for enhanced Raman scattering

Posted on July 09, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7397558.htmlRaman scattering is an important method for molecular analysis. There have been a variety of efforts to use nanoscale structures in enhancing the effects of Raman scattering and this patent from HP teaches one variation in which the outer shells of metallic nanoparticles are partially coated with organic ligands in order to space apart the nanoparticles and regulate the enhancement of the scattering...

US Patent 7396502 - Apparatus for making polymer coated Fe nanopowder

Posted on July 08, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7396502.htmlMagnetic nanopowder is useful to applications such as high density data storage and high sensitivity magnetic sensors. This patent from the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials teaches an apparatus for forming Fe nanopowder with a protective polymer coating that prevents oxidation...

US Patent 7394997 - Anti-counterfeiting tag formed from nanoparticles

Posted on July 07, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7394997.htmlThis is yet another patent claiming the use of nanoparticles/nanocrystal/quantum dots as barcode type indicia. Claim 1 reads:1. An article of manufacture with anti-counterfeit properties comprising:a consumable;a plurality of taggant nanoparticles dispersed within the consumable, each taggant nanoparticle having at least one known physical characteristic; wherein the plurality of taggant nanoparticles comprise a predetermined combination of nanoparticles providing at least two different taggant physical characteristics of at least two different categories as a taggant code encoding product identification for the consumable so as to permit identification of the consumable; andwherein a machine receiving the consumable is enabled upon the determination of the consumable as non-counterfeit as indicated by the taggant code...

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US Patent 7394192 - Uniform CNT distribution for field emission

Posted on July 07, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7394192.htmlWhen fabricating field emission devices (such as displays) using carbon nanotubes a problem of clumping can arise when low diameter nanotubes are formed resulting in an uneven distribution of tubes. Larger diameter nanotubes avoid this problem but require a higher threshold voltage for electron emission and are thus unsatisfactory...

US Patent 7394118 - High aspect ratio nanowire backgate chemfet

Posted on July 03, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7394118.htmlThis patent from the University of Southern California teaches improved response time chemical sensors formed from high aspect ratio metal oxide nanowires. Claim 11 reads:11. A method, comprising:exposing a nanowire of a semiconductor metal oxide material made from a laser ablation assisted chemical vapor deposition process to have a uniform diameter throughout a length of said nanowire with an aspect ratio of at least 100:1 to an unknown material; andelectrically characterizing the nanowire after said exposing to determine characteristics of the nanowire connected between two drains of a back gate field effect transistor to detect the unknown material.

US Patent 7394094 - Barbell shaped nanocrystal with electron/hole separation

Posted on July 03, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7394094.htmlThis patent from M.I.T. teaches a nanocrystal heterostructure in the shape of a barbell that allows for electron and hole separation for enhanced quantum efficiency electronic and photonic applications. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7393736 - ZrHfSnO2 nanolaminate dielectrics

Posted on July 02, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7393736.htmlAs the continuation of Moore's law becomes more difficult with conventional semiconductor materials a search is underway for better dielectrics. This patent from Micron Technology teaches one variety of high-k dielectrics formed using nanolaminated oxides...

US Patent 7393618 - Quantum dot color conversion

Posted on July 02, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7393618.htmlThis patent from Idemitsu Kosan teaches the use of quantum dot material to enhance color conversion for electroluminescent devices. Claim 1 reads:1. A color conversion member composition comprising(A) a color filter material,(B) a photoluminescent inorganic nanocrystal,(C) a medium, and(D) a solvent,the color filter material (A) and the photoluminescent inorganic nanocrystal (B) differing in affinity to the medium (C) and/or the solvent (D).

US Patent 7393391 - Nanoporous membrane with hydrophilic and hydrophobic sides

Posted on July 01, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7393391.htmlThis patent from the University of New Mexico teaches forming nanoporous films in which one side of the porous film is provided with a hydrophobic treatment and the other side is provided with a hydrophilic treatment in order to facilitate nanofiltration and nanofluidic transport...

US Patent 7393259 - Electron emitter alignment using polymer gel

Posted on July 01, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7393259.htmlThis patent from Samsung teaches an interesting method of placing and aligning carbon nanotubes (or other field emission material) on a substrate using a stimulated polymer film. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of forming emitters, the method comprising:forming a volume-changeable structure on an electrode, the volume-changeable structure including a polymer which reversibly swells and shrinks in response to an external stimulus;injecting an electron-emitting material into the volume-changeable structure;aligning the electron-emitting material; andremoving the polymer to form the emitters.

US Patent 7391235 - Memristor crossbar signal processor

Posted on June 27, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7391235.html There has been some interest recently in "memristors" which have been noted as representing a fourth fundamental circuit component after resistors, capacitors, and inductors. While the recent interest stems from the discovery by Hewlett-Packard researchers of bilayer oxides as a new type of memristor material for their nanoscale crossbar arrays a variety of other materials including chalcogenides, perovskites, and semiconducting polymers have been used over the past several decades having similar memory resistance properties and which form the basis of several proposals for RRAM being pursued by a variety of companies including Micron Technologies, Samsung, and Unity Semiconductor...

US Patent 7391144 - Field emission particles with embedded carbon nanomaterials

Posted on June 26, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7391144.htmlA variety of carbon based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and nanocrystalline diamond have been experimented with over the past few years as field emission material for applications such as flat-panel displays...

US Patent 7390568 - Exciton separation with core/shell nanocrystals

Posted on June 26, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7390568.htmlExcitons are formed from bound states of electrons and holes in insulating and semiconducting materials and are often involved in applications involving light sensing, light emission, and photovoltaics. This patent from M...

US Patent 7390477 - High purity nanotube compositions

Posted on June 25, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7390477.htmlThis patent originating from Richard Smalley's group at Rice University is a continuation patent based on earlier patents with priority going back to 1997. These earlier patents were mostly focused on single walled carbon nanotubes, however this patent seems to broaden the scope to include a wider variety of nanotube types (multiwalled carbon nanotubes and perhaps even fullerene-like nanotubes formed from non-carbon materials such as boron nitride)...

US Patent 7390343 - Nanoalumina fiber water filter

Posted on June 25, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7390343.htmlThis patent from Argonide Nanomaterials teaches a water filter that uses fibrous nanoalumina materials for higher efficiency contamination adsorption. Claim 1 reads:1. A filtration device, said filtration device comprising at least one cartridge, each said cartridge having a support member that supports at least one fibrous structure, each said fibrous structure comprising nano alumina fibers and second fibers mixed with said nano alumina fibers, wherein said second fibers are arranged to create asymmetric pores.

US Patent 7389679 - Micromechanical cantilever measurement cell with gas bubble absorption

Posted on June 24, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7389679.htmlThe change of resonance in micromechanical cantilevers is used to detect biological material in chemical cells however the presence of air bubbles sticking to the cantilever can disrupt this detection. This patent teaches providing a gas volume within the measurement cell to prevent such problems...

US Patent 7389671 - Ultrafast palladium nanocluster sensor

Posted on June 24, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7389671.htmlHydrogen sensor are an important component in many fuel cell and internal combustion engine designs but can suffer from slow response times ranging from seconds to minutes. This patent teaches the use of palladium nanoclustors formed on a low stiction interface material (siloxane) to form a more high speed reaction time for hydrogen sensing...

US Patent 7388200 - Nanobiosensor with residence time measurement

Posted on June 20, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7388200.htmlThis patent from Hewlett Packard teaches tailoring the absorption and desorption characteristics of a nanosensor in order to use the amount of time in which a chemical resides in the nanosensor to characterize the chemical...

US Patent 7388199 - Nanotube scanning probe tip with contamination film removal

Posted on June 17, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7388199.htmlIn order to inspect high aspect ratio structures on the nanometer scale with reliability carbon nanotubes have been used as the tips of atomic force microscopes. In order to increase the conductivity and bonding strength of the nanotubes to the AFMs this patent teaches a removal of a contamination film formed during the connection of the nanotube to the AFM...

US Patent 7387735 - Acidic solution for isolating semiconductor CNTs

Posted on June 17, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7387735.htmlThis patent from Samsung teaches a new method for isolating semiconducting single walled carbon nanotubes using a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of isolating semiconducting carbon nanotubes, comprising:mixing carbon nanotubes with a mixed acid solution of nitric acid and sulfuric acid to obtain a carbon nanotube dispersion; stirring the carbon nanotube dispersion at room temperature; andfiltering the carbon nanotube dispersion; wherein a volume ratio of nitric acid: sulfuric acid in the mixed acid solution is in the range of about 1:9 to about 2:8.

US Patent 7385267 - Microfluid nanowire sensor

Posted on June 11, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7385267.htmlThis patent from Harvard with relatively early priority (Dec. 11, 2000) may lay claim to the basic use of nanowires or nanotubes for chemical sensing of small fluid volumes. Claims 1 and 25 read:1. A method comprising: providing a nanowire and contacting the nanowire with a sample having a volume of less than about 10 microliters; and measuring a change in a property of the nanowire resultant from the contact...

US Patent 7385266 - Vertical CNT sensor

Posted on June 11, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7385266.htmlCareful alignment of carbon nanotubes between electrodes is often necessary to construct electronic devices with carbon nanotubes. However, the proper positioning of the nanotubes is a difficult problem for large scale production...

US Patent 7384815 - Attaching molecular wires to carbon nanotubes

Posted on June 10, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7384815.htmlThis patent from Rice University is fairly basic to the use of carbon nanotubes as components of molecular electronics devices. Claim 1 reads:1. A process comprising: (a) derivatizing a carbon nanotube with a diazonium specie; and (b) covalently attaching a molecular wire to the derivatized carbon nanotube.

US Patent 7384680 - Inorganic nanopowder film

Posted on June 10, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7384680.htmlThis patent from a company called Nanogram is fairly basic to inorganic nanopowder thin films which may be important to future printable electronics and optics applications. Claim 1 reads:1. A substrate comprising a powder coating comprising an inorganic composition, the powder coating comprising primary particles having an average particle size less than about 500 nm and effectively no primary particles having a diameter greater than about 4 times the average primary particle diameter wherein the powder coating has an approximately uniform thickness across at least a portion of a substrate surface and wherein the powder coating forms a porous network of fused inorganic particles wherein the powder coating has a thickness from about 50 nm to about 500 microns.

US Patent 7381950 - Semiconductor height profiling using SPM

Posted on June 09, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7381950.htmlThis patent from Texas instruments (priority 9/24/2004) includes some basic claims to use a scanning probe microscope to measure the height of semiconductor structures. Claim 1 reads:1. A method comprising characterizing the physical height of structures on a semiconductor device having dimensions less than approximately 100 nanometers (nm) using a probe of one of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and profilometry by determining the difference in height between the probe of one of a SPM and profilometer at a reference position to the probe at a second position...

US Patent 7381686 - Metal nanoparticle composite for inhibiting algae growth

Posted on June 09, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7381686.htmlThis patent is directed to composites for water purification and teaches a nanoparticulate silver composition to inhibit algae growth. Claim 1 reads:1. A composite for inhibiting algae growth in water comprising a polypore base carrier and a nano-metal mixture coated on the carrier, wherein the mixture comprising a nano-silver particle and a nano-zinc oxide for fixing the particle on the carrier, and tourmaline, wherein said composite is sufficient to inhibit said algae growth, and convert the water from green to colorless in appearance.

US Patent 7381461 - Zeolite nanocrystal antireflective film

Posted on June 09, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7381461.htmlIn order to prevent glare for displays and other optical devices anti-reflective films are often used. These anti-reflective films usually employ either multilayer films having thicknesses selected for destructive interference of any reflection or films having a graded index of refraction to achieve the same effect...

US Patent 7381983 - N-type carbon nanotube field effect transistor

Posted on June 06, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7381983.htmlIn order to create CMOS structures in electronics both p-type and n-type transistors are required. For carbon nanotube transistors n-type doping have been difficult to construct. This patent from Samsung teaches a carbon nanotube field effect transistor in which the carbon nanotube semiconductor junction is n-doped via the inclusion of an electron donor material such as bismuth titanium silicon oxide to contribute a type V material (e...

US Patent 7381465 - Etchable core nanoparticle surrounded by non-etchable shell

Posted on June 06, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7381465.htmlIn order to promote chemical reactions often porous materials such as zeolites are used in applications such as water purification and crude oil processing. To improve the reactivity of some reactions it has been proposed to arrange nanopores close to catalytic nanoparticles...

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