Intellectual Property Law

US Patent 7320842 - Fuel cell electrode catalyst with carbon nano-onion structure

Posted on January 22, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7320842.htmlThis patent from Sanyo proposes a cheaper substitute for platinum in fuel cell electrode catalysts by using carbon layers formed around metal particles (metallofullerenes). Claim 1 reads:1. A fuel cell, comprising: a cathode and an anode; and a layer comprising an electrode catalyst on the cathode or the anode...

US Patent 7320283 - Capillary nanoimprinting method

Posted on January 22, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7320283.htmlThis patent from the National Research Council of Italy employs capillary patterns within a nanoimprint stamp to facilitate the transfer of nanoscale patterns to a substrate. Claim 1 reads:1. A printing process for obtaining patterns of nanometer and micrometer dimensions on a substrate, comprising the steps of sequentially: forming a solution or suspension of a volatile liquid and a printing material, applying a layer of the solution or suspension to said substrate, positioning, without applying pressure, of a stamp provided with relief patterns at a distance of 0 nm to 500 ?m from the substrate with the relief patterns in contact with the layer of the solution or suspension, evaporating only the volatile liquid from said solution or suspension from between the substrate and the stamp without evaporating the printing material so as to draw the suspension or solution by capillarity to the relief patterns and deposit the printing material on the substrate in accordance with the relief patterns of the stamp, and thereafter separating the stamp from the substrate and leaving the printing material on the substrate.

US Patent 7319416 - Tunnel resistor addressing of nanowire crossbars

Posted on January 19, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7319416.htmlThis patent from Hewlett Packard teasches using tunneling resistance junctions as an addressing interface between microscale and nanoscale wires. Claim 10 reads:10. A method for addressing signal lines in a mixed microscale/nanoscale demultiplexer, the method comprising: determining a number of signal lines that need to be addressed; determining a signal margin needed between a signal output to a selected, addressed signal line and any signal output to a non-selected, addressed signal; and implementing a tunneling-resistor-junction-based encoder-demultiplexer to address the number of signal lines.

US Patent 7319288 - Flat carbon nanotube array

Posted on January 17, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7319288.htmlThis patent from Hon Hai Precision includes some basic claims to carbon nanotube arrays in field emitters having a flatness of less than 1 micron for improved uniformity of emission.1. A carbon nanotube-based field emission device comprising: a cathode electrode; and a carbon nanotube array of nanotube members, the carbon nanotube array of the nanotube members extending from a root end to a growth end, the carbon nanotube array being aligned perpendicular to the cathode electrode with each given growth, end embedded in the cathode electrode and the corresponding root end being outwardly directed and exposed; wherein the growth end of die carbon nanotube array is in electrical contact with the cathode electrode, and the root end thereof defines a planar surface with a flatness of less than one micron across the carbon nanotube array...

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US Patent 7319235 - Nanoporous dielectric for resistance switching memory

Posted on January 17, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7319235.htmlChalcogenide and conductive polymer materials are attracting increased interest for non-volatile memory. This patent from Infineon teaches nanoporous materials as an alternative material that can achieve a better stability under temperature change...

US Patent 7318957 - Semiconductor nanoparticles coated with electron releasing material

Posted on January 16, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7318957.htmlThis patent from Hitachi discloses coating methods for nanocrystals that provide a multiple organic coating that provides improvements in the solubility and fluorescent properties of the nanocrystals. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7318908 - Multi-chemical carbon nanotube sensor

Posted on January 16, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7318908.htmlThis patent from Stanford has priority going back to 2001 and includes basic claims to carbon nanotube chemical sensors that are functionalized to detect more than one chemical. Claim 1 reads:1. A molecular sensor comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes including: a first carbon nanotube having a first composition and adapted for detecting a first molecular species; and a second carbon nanotube having a second composition and adapted for detecting a second molecular species, the first composition being different from the second composition.

US Patent 7318763 - Fabrication of metallized nanotube array

Posted on January 15, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7318763.htmlThis patent from General Electric teaches a CVD method of forming field emission devices by metallizing carbon nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of making a metallized carbon nanostructure, comprising the steps of: a...

US Patent 7318651 - Multicolor quantum dot flash module

Posted on January 15, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7318651.htmlDepending on the type of light source used for the flash from various cameras a different color tint may appear in the captured image. This patent from Avago Technologies teaches the use of quantum dots to produce red, green, and blue LEDs for a flash module to control the color temperature of the flash...

US Patent 7317257 - Inhibiting underfill flow using nanoparticles

Posted on January 11, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7317257.htmlAdhesive material is used to fill cracks in IC during manufacture by capillary action but if too much adhesive is provided it may flow to undesirable areas. This patent from Intel teaches the use of nanoparticles in a barrier to prevent flow of the adhesive outside of a desirable area...

US Patent 7317047 - Nanoparticle doped conductive polymer for OLEDs

Posted on January 11, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7317047.htmlThis patent from du Pont teaches the use of nanoparticles to reduce the conductivity of buffer layers used in electroluminescent devices to help prevent electrical crosstalk. Claim 1 reads:1. A composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of an electrically conductive organic polymer doped with a polymeric acid and a plurality of nanoparticles wherein said electrically conductive organic polymer is selected from combinations of any two or more of polyanilines, polythiophenes and polypyrroles.

US Patent 7316982 - CNT motion control using optical trapping

Posted on January 09, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7316982.htmlThis is another patent to Intel with broad claims to using optical trapping to control the motion of carbon nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:1. A method comprising: focusing a laser beam to a carbon nanotube (CNT) in a fluid, the CNT being responsive to a trapping frequency; and manipulating the carbon nanotube (CNT) by controlling the focused laser beam.

US Patent 7316967 - Flow method for nanocrystal fabrication

Posted on January 09, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7316967.htmlThis patent from M.I.T. discloses a liquid/gas fabrication method for creating nanocrystals in a microfluidic reactor. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of manufacturing a population of nanocrystals, comprising: transporting alternating gas and liquid volumes through a flow path, the liquid volume including a nanocrystal precursor; heating the alternating gas and liquid volumes to a temperature for a time sufficient to grow a nanocrystal; and cooling the alternating gas and liquid volumes to form the population of nanocrystals.

US Patent 7316789 - Liquid crystal polymer matrix for carbon nanotube alignment

Posted on January 08, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7316789.htmlThis patent from IBM teaches using an interesting technique of using a liquid crystal polymer matrix to align carbon nanotubes to achieve improved thermal conductivity. Claim 1 reads:1. A structure comprising a conducting liquid crystal polymer matrix comprising carbon nanotubes aligned in the matrix located between opposed surfaces wherein the conducting liquid crystal polymer matrix contains crosslinked liquid crystal polymers...

US Patent 7316061 - CNT heat sink grown in porous layer

Posted on January 08, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7316061.htmlThis patent from Intel presents some basic claims for the use of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) method of carbon nanotube growth for the purpose of forming a heat sink for an IC. Claim 1 reads:1. A method for forming an electronic assembly, comprising: forming a porous layer on a microelectronic die having an integrated circuit formed therein, the porous layer having a plurality of pores; and growing a plurality of carbon nanotubes in the plurality of pores...

US Patent 7315374 - Optical trap for CNT analysis

Posted on January 03, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7315374.htmlThis patent from Intel teaches a method of investigating individual carbon nanotubes using optical tweezers to properly position the nanotube. Claim 1 reads:1. A method comprising: manipulating a carbon nanotube (CNT) in a fluid by a laser beam; aligning an illuminating light from a light source along axis of the CNT to produce an optical response from the CNT; and monitoring the CNT using an optical sensor to control the laser beam according to the optical response.

US Patent 7315106 - Gel laminate actuator formed from carbon nanotubes

Posted on January 02, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7315106.htmlThis patent from Japan Science and Technology Agency teaches a new type of polymer actuator which can be used in air at low voltages and can be used in micromachines. Claim 1 reads:1. An actuator element, comprising: a first electrode layer comprising a first gel film comprising carbon nanotubes, an ionic liquid and a polymer; an ion-conductive layer comprising a second gel film comprising the ionic liquid and the polymer, formed on the first electrode; and a second electrode layer comprising a third gel film comprising carbon nanotubes, the ionic liquid and the polymer, formed on the ion-conductive layer, the second electrode layer being insulated from the first electrode layer; the actuator element being capable of being flexed or deformed by creating a potential difference between the electrode layers.

US Patent 7314764 - Semiconductor nanocrystal with affinity molecule

Posted on January 02, 2008
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7314764.htmlThis patent is based on a series of continuations from the University of California with priority going back to 1997 and presents basic claims to quantum dots in biolabels. Claim 1 reads:1. An organo-luminescent semiconductor nanocrystal probe structure, comprising: (a) a semiconductor nanocrystal which emits light when excited; and an affinity molecule linked to the semiconductor nanocrystal.

Top Ten U.S. Nanotechnology Patents for 2007

Posted on December 31, 2007
Several hundred nanotech patents have issued over the past year. This is my list of the top ten based on the potential for near-term commercialization/value and claim breadth in light of the potential market.10) US Patent 7,195,754 (Eikos Inc.)http://www...

US Patent 7312915 - Low inertia MEMS

Posted on December 28, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7312915.htmlTexas Instruments is one of the first innovators in micromirror technologies. This latest patent teaches using low inertia materials to form the movable member which can enhance the responsiveness of the device to driving signals and reduce problems related to stiction...

US Patent 7312155 - Transistor manufucture by etching nanowire electrodes

Posted on December 28, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7312155.htmlThere are quite a few proposed designs for using nanowires and nanotubes to form transistors. Companies such as Infineon and Samsung have focused on vertical transitor designs using nanowires or nanotubes, Hewlett Packard is forming crossbar architectures with doped nanowires, and Nanosys is using arrays of aligned nanowires to form FETs...

US Patent 7312096 - Nanotube wheatstone bridge sensor

Posted on December 27, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7312096.htmlThis patent from Kulite Semiconductor Products teaches a method of forming a pressure sensor using nanotubes in a Wheatstone bridge configuration. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of forming a pressure transducer comprising: providing a substrate; disposing a plurality of nanotube structures on a surface of said substrate, said plurality of nanotube structures having varying resistance values such that each of said plurality of nanotube structures corresponds to one of a conductive nanotube structure having a relatively low resistivity, and a semiconductive nanotube structure having a relatively high resistivity, and wherein at least one electrical property of said semiconductive nanotube structures changes with an applied force; selectively connecting at least some of said relatively high resistivity semiconductive nanotube structures to one another using at least some of said relatively low resistivity conductive nanotube structures to form a bridge circuit having a plurality of force sensitive bridge elements; wherein application of a force to said substrate causes a change in current through said bridge circuit according to the applied force.

US Patent 7311889 - Laminated trench for CNT growth

Posted on December 27, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7311889.htmlOne of the difficulty in carbon nanotube production is that there are many flavors of nanotubes based on the chirality, orientation, and diameter and it is difficult to mass produce nanotubes of a specific type without producing other types that need to be sorted from the desired type...

US Patent 7311776 - Nanostructure synthesis using resistive nanostructure

Posted on December 26, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7311776.htmlHigh temperatures are often necessary in many of the techniques used to manufacture nanostructures. This patent teaches a room temperature approach resulting from the use of localized thermal effects from a resistive microstructure...

US Patent 7311774 - Branched nanocrystals

Posted on December 26, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7311774.htmlPolymeric nanoparticles such as dendrimers have the benefit of a very large surface-to-volume ratio due to a multibranched structure which allows for larger reactivity and greater functialization for applications in sensors or bioprobes...

US Patent 7310004 - Nanoscale crossbar PLA with restoring inverting arrangement

Posted on December 21, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7310004.htmlBoth Nantero and Hewlett Packard have experimented with nanoscale crossbar arrays for logic devices in which different blocks or tiles of crossbars are configured to perform different logic functions. However one problem is signal loss and lack of inverting functions between the crossbar tiles...

US Patent 7309902 - Anti-stiction bump for MEMS

Posted on December 20, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7309902.htmlStiction is a significant problem for micromechanical devices which can hinder operation rendering a microsensor or microactuator inoperable. Two common solutions are the use of an anti-stiction coating and the use of spacer elements to prevent contact between the movable member and a susbstrate...

US Patent 7309866 - MEMS cosmic ray detector

Posted on December 20, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7309866.htmlCosmic rays can cause problems in electronics especially as the feature sizes continue to decrease. This patent from Intel teaches a cosmic ray microsensor to provide a warning for cosmic rays in proximity to circuitry...

US Patent 7309650 - Nanocrystal charge storage layer

Posted on December 19, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7309650.htmlThis patent teaches a method of preventing oxidation of nanocrystals in a nanocrystal memory device by using a porous dielectric layer in which the material forming the nanoparticles is diffused. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7309517 - Silica/Zirconia nanoparticles for durable optical film

Posted on December 19, 2007
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7309517.htmlIn order to improve the scratch resistance of brightness enhancing films this patent from 3M teaches the use of silica or zirconia nanoparticles in the film. Claim 1 reads:1. A durable optical film comprising: a polymerized optical film structure having a microstructured surface and a plurality of substantially fully condensed surface modified colloidal nanoparticles of silica, zirconia, or mixtures thereof.

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