Intellectual Property Law

US Patent 7872250 - Nanoporous phase change RAM

Posted on January 18, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7872250.htmlThis patent from Samsung teaches a way to reduce the reset current of phase change memory by forming nano air pores within a GeSeTe phase change material. Claim 1 reads:1. A PRAM (phase-change random access memory) comprising: a switching element; and a data storage connected to the switching element, the data storage including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a porous PCM (phase-change material) interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

US Patent 7871851 - Nanotube/CMOS integration

Posted on January 18, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7871851.htmlNantero has been working on nanotube electronics for the past decade and in the last few years have been focusing on integrating carbon nanotubes with CMOS processes. This patent from RF Nano may offer some useful methods to achieve such integration...

US Patent 7869686 - Optical fiber amplifier using quantum dots

Posted on January 12, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7869686.htmlDoped fibers are used in optical communications to amplify signals without requiring optoelectric conversion. This patent from Alcatel-Lucent teaches a doped optical fiber including quantum dots having a size chosen to select a wavelength for optical pumping and improve the effectiveness of amplification...

US Patent 7868333 - Demetallization of CNTs

Posted on January 12, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7868333.htmlThe fabrication processes for carbon nanotubes usually results in metallic residue that needs to be removed prior to use of the nanotubes. This patent from E.I. du Pont teaches a purification technique which removes the metallic residue without damaging or oxidizing the nanotubes...

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US Patent 7868243 - Nanowire thermoelectric converter

Posted on January 12, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7868243.htmlThermoelectric devices can be implemented with solid-state materials to provide electrically controlled cooling without moving parts. This patent teaches a way to implement thermoelectric cooling on the nanoscale using p-doped and n-doped nanowires...

US Patent 7867984 - Obesity treatment using nanoparticles

Posted on January 11, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7867984.htmlPolymeric nanoparticles have been investigated to facilitate drug delivery for many years. This latest patent from GP Medical teaches using nanoparticle delivery for appetite-suppressing hormones. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7867620 - Thermal plate with CNT bundles

Posted on January 11, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7867620.htmlThe thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes has been experimentally shown to 50% greater than diamond with a theoretical limit 3x as great as diamond. Intel and Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) have been developing and patenting a variety of nanotube heat sinks and this patent from Rockwell Collins teaches another variation using CNT bundles for cooling of silicon chips...

US Patent 7867616 - SWCNT electrodes for electrochromic glass

Posted on January 11, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7867616.htmlThis patent from Honda Motor teaches a variation of smart glass using single walled carbon nanotubes to form transparent electrodes. Claim 1 reads:1. An electrochromic device, the device comprising: a first transparent electrode, a second transparent electrode, and an electrolyte positioned between the first and second transparent electrodes, wherein the first and second transparent electrodes each comprise substantially the same composition of carbon single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) deposited on a substrate to provide the electrode wherein the electrode is transparent and electrically conductive; and wherein the device has a visible light transmittance of greater than 70%...

US Patent 7864560 - Nano-optical memory array

Posted on January 09, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7864560.htmlThis patent suggests a type of programmable analog array using optical molecules as memory storage elements. Claim 1 reads:   1. A nano device, comprising: an army of cells disposed in rows and columns and constructed over a substrate, and an optical circuit disposed over the substrate, wherein the optical circuit is formed by nano elements in a self-assembled process, wherein the nano elements include optical storage molecules.

US Patent 7863798 - Nanocrystal powered nanomotor

Posted on January 09, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7863798.htmlAttempts to shrink micromechanical motors to the nanoscale are usually confronted with the problems of stiction and reliability. A few approaches have used biomaterials such as DNA and carbon nanotubes to construct actuators which avoid these problems...

US Patent 7863625 - Nanocrystal coated nanowire

Posted on January 09, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7863625.htmlThis patent from HP teaches doping semiconductor nanowires to manufacture LEDs and light sensors. Claim 1 reads:1. A nanowire (100) comprising: a semiconductor core (102) including one of p-type conductivity and n-type conductivity; an intermediate semiconductor region (104) surrounding the core including one of an intrinsic semiconductor material and a lightly doped semiconductor material; a semiconductor outer region (106) including the other of n-type conductivity and p-type conductivity at least partially surrounding the intermediate semiconductor region; and nanocrystals (108,110) disposed on the surface of the outer region, wherein the core, intrinsic region, and outer region are concentric and coaxial, and the nanocrystals provide electron-conduction paths along the length of the nanowire and spaces between the nanocrystals allow light to penetrate into and to be emitted from the semiconductor regions.

US Patent 7863258 - Nanoparticle cancer treatment

Posted on January 05, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7863258.htmlThis patent teaches using nanoparticles for anti-cancer drug delivery in which chitosan enhances absorption. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of treating a cancer in an animal subject comprising administering nanoparticles consisting of an antineoplastic drug or anti-cancer therapeutic agent in effective amount to treat said cancer, positively charged chitosan, and a negatively charged substrate, wherein a surface of said nanoparticles is dominated by the positively charged chitosan.

US Patent 7862766 - Electron beam functionalization of nanoscale fibers

Posted on January 05, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7862766.htmlFunctionalization of nanotube films is used to strengthen the films but can be time consuming using conventional techniques. This patent from Florida State University Research Foundation teaches a more rapid approach using electron beam irradiation...

US Patent 7862765 - Injection molding CNTs

Posted on January 05, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7862765.htmlInjection molding is a common technique used in forming plastic parts for a variety of industries. This patent from Semes Co. teaches a method of injection molding using carbon nanotubes to form plastic devices which can block electromagnetic waves and disperse static electricity...

US Patent 7862624 - Nanoparticles on fabric or textile

Posted on January 05, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7862624.htmlThe addition of metal nanoparticles to clothing can add features of odor resistance, reduced discoloration, and improved fabric strength. This patent also teaches using such metal nanoparticles in fabric to form materials of electronic or photovoltaic devices...

Top Ten Nanotechnology Patents of 2010

Posted on January 02, 2011
Here is a list of the U.S. nanotechnology patents issued over the past year that appear to me to be the most valuable or interesting:#10 - US Patent 7657447 - Nanomaterial insurance (Hartford Fire Insurance Company)This is one of the few (perhaps only) business method patents specifically directed to nanotechnology...

US Patent 7859104 - CNT thermal interface with transition structure

Posted on December 31, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7859104.htmlIn order to continue the transistor scaling rates predicted by Moore's Law there is an increased interest in fabricating 3D circuit architectures by stacking multiple semiconductor layers. Due to the increased density of these designs more efficient cooling solutions will need to be developed to deal with the increased heat generation...

US Patent 7859036 - Memristive memory with conical nanowire electrode

Posted on December 31, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7859036.htmlThis patent from Micron Technology teaches another variation of memristive memory using conically shaped nanowires to reduce the energy required to write and erase memory states. Claim 1 reads:1. A memory device comprising at least one memory cell having an anode, a cathode, and a volume of variable resistance material disposed between the anode and the cathode, at least one of the anode and the cathode comprising a single nanowire having one end thereof in electrical contact with the variable resistance material, wherein the at least one of the anode and the cathode comprising the single nanowire further comprises a generally conical-shaped conductive catalytic structure comprising a catalyst material with the single nanowire formed on a tip thereof...

US Patent 7859035 - Fullerene MIM memory

Posted on December 31, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7859035.htmlCertain metal-insulator-metal structures have shown to exhibit memristive (i.e. memory resistive) effects which have been suggested as a new form of non-volatile memory called ReRAM and which has been projected to be a future replacement for Flash memory...

US Patent 7858990 - Trench graphene FET

Posted on December 30, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7858990.htmlGraphene has attracted attention due to its high electron mobility (about 100x silicon) and since its band gap can be tuned based on the control of fabricated dimensions. This patent from AMD proposes a fabrication method to simplify manufacture of graphene based electronics...

US Patent 7858968 - Organic CNTFET

Posted on December 30, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7858968.htmlThis patent from Panasonic teaches a thin film organic transistor using nanotubes in the channel for applications such as flexible LCDs. Claim 1 reads:1. A field effect transistor comprising: a semiconductor layer through which carriers injected from a source region travel toward a drain region, the semiconductor layer being formed from a composite material comprising an organic semiconductor material and nanotubes, wherein plural ones of the nanotubes are chemically joined with each other in the semiconductor layer.

US Patent 7858965 - Ge/Si nanowires

Posted on December 30, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7858965.htmlOne problem with semiconductor nanowires in electronics is the formation of Schottky barriers which inhibit conduction at the interface between metal contacts and the nanowires. This patent is based on research from Charles Lieber's group at Harvard and teaches using nanowire heterostructure with a germanium core and silicon shell to help eliminate Schottky barriers...

US Patent 7858876 - Graphene photovoltaics

Posted on December 30, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7858876.htmlGraphene has been popularized in the last few years as a way to achieve higher speed electronics in the 21st century. This patent also teaches usefulness of graphene toward the production of solar cells. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7858186 - Fluorinated nanodiamond

Posted on December 30, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7858186.htmlChemical vapor deposition (CVD) has commonly been used to form diamond thin films and coatings but requires high temperature and cost. This patent from Rice University teaches an alternative technique using nanodiamonds to form coated surfaces...

US Patent 7858185 - High purity nanotube fabric

Posted on December 30, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7858185.htmlThis latest patent from Nantero includes basic claims to purified carbon nanotube films capable of being integrated into CMOS semiconductor processes. Claim 1 reads:1. A nanotube film comprising: a solution-deposited network of connected and purified nanotubes on a substrate, wherein the nanotubes form a film of substantially uniform porosity, the film is free of amorphous carbon, the film is free of polymer and surfactants, the film comprises less than about 1×1018 atoms/cm2 of metallic impurities, and the film is free of particle impurities having a diameter of greater than about 500 nm.

US Patent 7858181 - Si nanowires grown from Au nanocrystals

Posted on December 28, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7858181.htmlMuch of the early work and basic patents in fabricating nanowires over the past decade has been credited to Charles Lieber's group at Harvard but this patent from Brian Korgel of the University of Texas at Austin includes some claims which may be equally fundamental with a priority date of July 8, 2003...

US Patent 7857993 - Nanocomposite scintillator

Posted on December 28, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7857993.htmlScintillators are materials that emit light upon absorbing ionized particles and are a primary component for radiation detectors. However, neutron detection can be difficult with scintillators due to their lack of ionization...

US Patent 7857956 - Nanotube controlled dielectrophoresis

Posted on December 28, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7857956.htmlDielectrophoresis is a method commonly used in microfluidics which uses AC electric fields to manipulate biomaterials. This patent from the Regents of the University of California takes this to the nanoscale by using carbon nanotubes as the electrodes generating the AC fields...

US Patent 7855496 - Boron nitride nanotube paste

Posted on December 22, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7855496.htmlCarbon nanotubes have been shown to exhibit superior electron emission properties but may have a short lifespan if they are in an oxygen environment. This patent from Samsung teaches an alternative electron emitting nanomaterials based on a boron nitride nanotube paste...

US Patent 7854997 - Cobalt-nickel nanoparticles for adhesive

Posted on December 22, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7854997.htmlThis patent from Boeing takes advantage of the high surface area of nanoparticle materials to improve the effectiveness of adhesives used in metal bonding. Claim 1 reads:1. A metallic substrate comprising a precipitate-coated surface, the precipitate-coated surface comprising: a precipitate, the precipitate comprising nanoparticulates, a first portion of the nanoparticulates adheres to a surface of the metallic substrate and a second portion of the nanoparticulates is in contact with the first portion of nanoparticulates; wherein the metallic substrate comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and wherein the precipitate comprises clusters of cobalt-nickel nanoparticulates, the cobalt-nickel nano particulates in a size range from about 50 nm to about 1000 nm...

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