Intellectual Property Law

US Patent 7578997 - Metal ion modified nanoparticles for odor removal

Posted on August 25, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7578997.htmlThis patent from Kimberly-Clark Worldwide teaches a variety of nanoparticle compositions useful for odor removal. Claim 1 reads:1. A composition for neutralizing odor, comprising:a nanoparticle comprising a diameter of less than 500 nanometers, a surface area of at least about 500 square meters/gram, and a first Zeta Potential of about ?1 to ?50 millivolts, the nanoparticle comprising silica, titanium dioxide, gold, zinc oxide, polystyrene, or combinations thereof; andat least one metal ion adsorbed onto the nanoparticle, the at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of a copper ion, a silver ion, a gold ion, and combinations thereof;wherein at least one of the nanoparticle and the adsorbed metal ion is capable of binding at least one odorous compound.

US Patent 7578909 - CNT sputtering apparatus

Posted on August 25, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7578909.htmlSputtering is a common technique used in the semiconductor industry in forming metal or metal oxide thin film structures. This patent from Hitachi Cable teaches a way to integrate carbon nanotubes into the sputtering apparatus...

US Patent 7578176 - Accounting for tip variation in scanning probe microscopes

Posted on August 25, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7578176.htmlAtomic force microscopes (AFMs) detect matter on the nanoscale based upon the interaction of an ultrasharp tip and a substrate under investigation. However, under repeated usage the tips of AFMs undergo wear which requires recalibration of the microscope and which slows down the speed of material characterization...

US Patent 7576565 - Memristor crossbar driver circuit

Posted on August 20, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7576565.htmlThe memristor has been proposed as a new nanoscale circuit element useful to non-volatile memory called resistive RAM and neuromorphic circuitry. One of the key advantages of memristors is their ability to provide reconfigurable resistance states enabling more adaptive electronic systems to be developed which merge hardware with software...

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US Patent 7576444 - Microturbine wind energy

Posted on August 20, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7576444.htmlConventional wind power requires large tracts of land and an expensive set-up. This patent from a company called Genedics teaches an alternative based on microsized wind energy conversion devices set up along active roadways...

US Patent 7576410 - Nanotube power transistor

Posted on August 20, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7576410.htmlThis patent from Infineon Technologies teaches the formation of a power transistor including nanotubes in the channel allowing for voltages of up to 600V with less complex gate construction. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7576353 - Ballistic deflection transistor

Posted on August 19, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7576353.htmlThis patent from researchers at the University of Rochester teaches a new type of transistor based on ballistic transport enabling ultra-high speed (THz) and low power logic circuit designs. An article from the University of Rochester explains that:"Since there are no conventional junctions, the operating voltage is very low, making it suitable for low power applications...

US Patent 7576027 - Manufacture of carbide and oxycarbide catalysts from carbon nanotubes

Posted on August 19, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7576027.htmlThis patent from Hyperion Catalysis International teaches using carbon nanotubes in the formation of catalysts required for petroleum refining. The catalysts are taught to offer higher surface area, porosity, pore size distribution, and resistance to attrition in comparison to conventional catalysts...

US Patent 7575933 - Chemical sensor including nanostructure adapted selectivity

Posted on August 19, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7575933.htmlThis patent from Nanomix teaches a manufacturing method for a nanomaterial-based chemical sensor providing enhanced sensitivity and the ability to detect different chemical signatures in parallel. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7573926 - Multi-wavelength quantum dot laser

Posted on August 12, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7573926.htmlQuantum dot lasers offer improvements in laser efficiency but have been limited in multi-wavelength modes important to optical communications. this patent from Industrial Technology Research Institute teaches the manufacture of a quantum dot laser capable of overcoming this limitation...

US Patent 7573186 - CNT electrochemical sensor

Posted on August 12, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7573186.htmlThis patent from Fuji Xerox teaches a variation of a carbon nanotube chemical sensor which purportedly produces higher sensitivity. Claim 1 reads:1. An electrode for electrochemical measurement comprising:a plurality of carbon nanotubes,a catalyst causing a specific chemical reaction, andan insulator in which the carbon nanotubes and the catalyst are embedded,wherein the carbon nanotubes are electrically connected with each other by chemical bonding to thereby form a network structure, a part of the catalyst is exposed at a surface of the insulator, and a part of the plurality of the carbon nanotubes are exposed at the surface of the insulator to form an electroconductive portion, and the carbon nanotubes are cross-linked with a cross-linking agent having non-self polymerizability.

US Patent 7572662 - Fullerene phase change RAM

Posted on August 12, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7572662.htmlThis patent from Samsung teaches using fullerene to improve the electrical characteristics of electrode contacts in phase change memory. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of fabricating a phase change RAM (PRAM) comprising:forming a bottom electrode, forming an interlayer dielectric film covering the bottom electrode, and forming a bottom electrode contact hole exposing a portion of the bottom electrode in the interlayer dielectric film;forming a bottom electrode contact plug by filling the bottom electrode contact hole with a plug material;forming a fullerene layer on a region including at least an upper surface of the bottom electrode contact plug; andsequentially stacking a phase change layer and an upper electrode on the fullerene layer, wherein the fullerene layer contacts the bottom electrode contact plug.

US Patent 7572300 - Nanowire AFM tip

Posted on August 11, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7572300.htmlAtomic Force Microscopes are a variety of scanning probes for inspecting the shapes and characteristics of nanostructures via Van der Waals forces. This patent from IBM (who originally developed AFMs in the 1980s) teaches a method of forming ultrasharp tips of nanowires on the apex of the AFM while removing unwanted nanowires...

US Patent 7571638 - Integrated scanning probe cantilever and tip

Posted on August 11, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7571638.htmlScanning probe microscopes may be considered a bridge between the microscale processing found in MEMS and the nanoscale processing found in molecular materials research. This patent teaches a supposedly "new" way to make a scanning probe microscope in which the elements forming the probe are integrated in a common material and formed in a plane which may make it easier to fabricate a larger variety of tip and cantilever shapes...

US Patent 7570355 - NERS-active nanowire heterostructure

Posted on August 10, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7570355.htmlThis patent from Hewlett Packard focuses on a variation of Raman spectroscopy using nanowire heterostructures to increase the sensitivity of molecular detection. Claim 1 reads: 1. A NERS-active structure comprising: at least one heterostructure nanowire having at least two active regions and at least one inactive region between the at least two active regions, wherein the at least one heterostructure nanowire comprises at least one radial core-shell heterostructure nanowire.

US Patent 7569905 - 3-contact vertical nanorod sensor

Posted on August 07, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569905.htmlThis patent from the Palo Alto Research Center teaches an electronic environmental sensor fabricated from zinc oxide nanorods. Claim 1 reads:1. A vertically fabricated three-electrode device comprising:a detector having a substrate having a major surface; anda nanorod formed on the substrate, the nanorod being substantially perpendicular to the major surface of the substrate, wherein the nanorod comprises:a middle portion;a first end portion, the first end portion being metallized; anda second end portion, the second end portion being metallized,a part of the middle portion of the nanorod being metallized and electrically connected to a third electrode.

US Patent 7569880 - Nanotube switch FET

Posted on August 07, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569880.htmlThis appears to be yet another basic patent to carbon nanotube electronics issued to the innovative company Nantero. This patent covers a field effect transistor using a mechanical nanotube switch as a control element which may form the basis of a higher stability, lower leakage non-volatile memory cell...

US Patent 7569847 - Uniform diameter core-shell nanowire heterostructures

Posted on August 06, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569847.htmlThis patent from the University of California system has priority going back to 2001 and teaches the fabrication of uniform arrays of nanowires. However, one bizarre thing about some of the claims (such as claim 1 below) is that they claim a single nanowire making the limitation regarding the diameter uniformity of a population of nanowires seemingly meaningless...

US Patent 7569846 - Nanowire phase change RAM

Posted on August 06, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569846.htmlPhase change RAM has been under experimental study for decades but appears to be getting ready as a strong contender for the non-volatile memory market with companies including Samsung, Intel, STMicroelectronics, and Hynix preparing for mass-production...

US Patent 7569510 - Nanoparticle catalysts for CO reduction in cigarettes

Posted on August 06, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569510.htmlThis patent from Philip Morris teaches a way to convert carbon monoxide in cigarettes to carbon dioxide using metal oxide nanoparticles in a porous support. Claim 1 reads:1. A catalyst comprising noble metal nanoparticles on non-noble metal oxides incorporated in a porous support of mesoporous silica wherein the catalyst is catalytically active for oxidation of carbon monoxide and wherein the noble metal nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of gold, palladium, platinum and mixtures thereof and the non-noble metal oxides are selected from the group consisting of titania, alumina, ceria, zirconia, iron oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, and mixtures thereof.

US Patent 7569503 - Laser annealing of nanowire thin films

Posted on August 06, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569503.htmlVarious nanowire materials have been shown to have electron mobilities several times that of silicon offering the possibility of increasing the speed of electronic devices. However, techniques need to be developed to integrate nanowire semiconductors with traditional semiconductor substrates...

US Patent 7569470 - Fabrication of nanowire arrays on vicinal surface

Posted on August 05, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569470.htmlThis patent teaches a new method to manufacture nanowires based on deviations of the crystallographic orientation of a substrate on which the nanowires are grown. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of preparing an array of conducting or semi-conducting nanowires comprising:forming a vicinal surface of stepped atomic terraces on a substrate; anddepositing a fractional layer of dopant material to form nanostripes having a width less than the width of the atomic terraces;wherein diffusion of the atoms of the dopant nanostripes into the substrate forms the nanowires.

US Patent 7569425 - Manufacture of aligned CNT thermal interface film

Posted on August 05, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569425.htmlThe excellent thermal transport properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted the interest of companies such as Intel looking for solutions in the growing problem of heat accumulation in microprocessors...

US Patent 7569410 - Integrated MEMS packaging

Posted on August 05, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569410.htmlAs microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) move into the mainstream one issue important to cost-savings is effective packaging and integration of MEMS devices with CMOS electronics. This patent from Sharp teaches a way to fabricate MEMS on glass substrates making it easier to integrate MEMS devices in cell phones to achieve image and motion capture functions...

US Patent 7569340 - Nanoarrays of single virus particles

Posted on August 04, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569340.htmlThis patent covers an application of Nanoink's dip pen nanolithography to form arrays of binding sites for a virus which may represent the most precise and reliable way to control the positioning of a virus for study...

US Patent 7569252 - Dip pen nanolithography

Posted on August 04, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569252.htmlThe atomic force microscope was originally developed in the 1980's to scan on the nanometer and atomic level but was soon found to be useful to manipulated as well as to detect on the nanoscale. This is a basic patent to Northwestern University with priority going back to 1999 on the process of dip pen nanolithography, a type of coating process using an ultrasharp tip to transfer nanoscale patterns on a substrate which is being commercialized by Nanoink...

US Patent 7569205 - Dispersion of nanodiamonds

Posted on August 04, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7569205.htmlNanodiamonds have potential as additives to improve lubricants and for polishing. However, nanodiamonds can suffer from the same clumping problems of other nanomaterials. This patent teaches a processing method in which dimethyl sulfoxide is used to deaggregate the nanodiamonds...

US Patent 7567414 - Nanotube electrostatic discharge protection circuit

Posted on July 30, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7567414.htmlOne key advantage of carbon nanotubes to electronics is their ability to withstand current densities greater than 100 times that of copper. This patent from Nantero takes advantage of this property in forming an electrostatic discharge protection circuit...

US Patent 7566657 - Nanoparticle based growth of interconnect vias

Posted on July 30, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7566657.htmlThe development of 3D stacked semiconductor circuit architectures is of interest to continue Moore's Law. One issue in this area is the development of high aspect ratio vertical interconnects to connect the different layers...

US Patent 7566478 - Patterned carbon nanotube fabric

Posted on July 29, 2009
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7566478.htmlThe two main ways of integrating carbon nanotubes with electronics is 1) to prefabricate the carbon nanotubes which are introduced into a paste of ink and deposited on a substrate used to form the electronic device or 2) to directly grow carbon nanotubes onto the substrate...

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