Intellectual Property Law

US Patent 7816709 - Single walled CNT-ceramic composites

Posted on October 24, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816709.htmlThis patent out of the University of Oklahoma is based on the finding that using a ceramic (e.g. silica) support can increase the quality of single walled carbon nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:1. A nanotube-polymer composite comprising: a polymer; and a carbon nanotube-ceramic composite, including: a metallic catalytic particle, having: at least Co, Mo, and a support material, combined to have a particulate form; and a carbon product deposited on the metallic catalytic particle, at least 80% of the carbon product comprising single-walled carbon nanotubes...

US Patent 7816701 - Qdot LED

Posted on October 24, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816701.htmlThis patent from LG Innotek teaches using semiconductor quantum dots to improve the surface roughness and light emitting efficiency of III-Nitride LEDs. Claim 1 reads:1. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a first conductive semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer; a first quantum dot layer on the active layer; and a second conductive semiconductor layer on the first quantum dot layer...

US Patent 7816700 - Nanorod array LED

Posted on October 24, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816700.htmlThere have been a variety of proposals for using semiconductor nanowire arrays to improve the efficiency of LEDs. In some of these proposals the nanowires are embedded in a polymer matrix which acts to absorb light and reduce the emission efficiency...

US Patent 7816669 - Electroluminescent material with controlled nanocrystal distribution

Posted on October 21, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816669.htmlHybrid light emitting systems have been proposed combining both semiconductor nanocrystals and organic polymers. One problem with such systems is uneven distribution of the nanocrystals which lead to diminishing or inconsistent efficiency over time...

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US Patent 7816151 - Nanoporous membrane for enhanced reaction kinetics

Posted on October 21, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816151.htmlThe identification of new medicine often requires carrying out numerous chemical reactions which can be time consuming. In order to reduce reaction times this patent from Syngenta Participations AG teaches using a polymer treated nanoporous membrane to speed up such reactions...

US Patent 7816149 - Quantum dot cell therapy

Posted on October 21, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816149.htmlSeveral human diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntingtons, Lou Gehrig's, Jakob-Kreutzfeld and Mad Cow disease are associated with protein misfolding. This patent from Applied Photonics Worldwide teaches using quantum dot nanocrystals to correct misfolded protein structures via localized heating...

US Patent 7816031 - Si nanowire battery

Posted on October 20, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816031.htmlThis patent from Stanford University teaches growing silicon nanowires in a lithium ion battery to increase the energy capacity per weight to over 2000 mAh/g. Claim 1 reads:1. A battery, comprising: an ion transporter to transport ions; a first current collector on one side of the ion transporter; and a second current collector, located on another side of the ion transporter, including a substrate and a plurality of solid nanowires including silicon or a silicon alloy that are growth-rooted from the substrate and that interact with the ions, wherein the growth-rooted solid nanowires have a stable energy capacity greater than about 2000 mAh/g...

US Patent 7816010 - Black matrix for color filter including CNTs

Posted on October 20, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816010.htmlThis patent from Samsung teaches using a carbon nanotube film as an ink-phobic layer used in the formation of a color filter for flat panel displays. Claim 1 reads:1. A black matrix of a color filter, the black matrix comprising: a light shade layer of an ink-philic black material arranged on a substrate of the color filter; and a carbon nanotube layer arranged on an upper surface of the light shade layer...

US Patent 7815973 - Condensed phase conversion and growth of nanorods

Posted on October 20, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7815973.htmlThis patent from UT-Battelle has priority going back to 1999 and includes some basic claims to condensed phase conversion used to fabricate nanotubes or nanowires. Claim 1 reads:1. A method, comprising: depositing a condensed phase matrix material comprising a plurality of particles; activating said condensed phase matrix material after the depositing, the condensed phase matrix material not being vaporized during the activating thereof; and forming a plurality of nanorods by condensed phase conversion and growth from the condensed phase matrix material instead of from vapor.

US Patent 7815855 - Test element with nanofibers

Posted on October 19, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7815855.htmlDiagnostic test strips are typically formed from fabrics which retain large volumes of fluid in the interstitial spaces of the fibers. This can be problematic when only small sample volumes are desired. This patent from Roche Diagnostics Operations teaches a polymeric nanofiber test element more compatible with small fluid volumes...

US Patent 7815806 - Purification of fluids with CNTs

Posted on October 19, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7815806.htmlThis patent teaches methods of fabrication filtration media based on carbon nanotubes useful for water sterilization or desalination. Claim 1 reads:1. An article for reducing or removing at least one contaminant from a fluid, said article comprising: (a) a filtration media comprising: carbon nanotubes having at least one functional group attached thereto, and a support medium for said carbon nanotubes, wherein a plurality of said carbon nanotubes are fused or bonded to said support medium, to another carbon nanotube, or to a combination thereof, and (b) an assembly containing said filtration media...

US Patent 7814776 - CNT-Quartz resonator

Posted on October 19, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7814776.htmlThis patent teaches a way to measure mass with a resolution of femtograms (1 femtogram = 1 millionth of a nanogram) using a nanotube coated micromachined quartz crystal. Claim 1 reads:1. A method for increasing the quality factor of at least one sensor comprising: adding a layer of nanotubes to the at least one sensor to thereby increase the quality factor of the at least one sensor and form a nanotube-coated device; placing the nanotube-coated device in a vacuum chamber for a period of time sufficient to further increase the quality factor of the at least one sensor...

US Patent 7814565 - Nanostructure on a probe tip

Posted on October 18, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7814565.htmlThe use of carbon nanotube tips in atomic force microscopes has been shown to increase the resolution and inspection capability of high aspect ratio structures. This patent discloses a manufacturing technique which may improve the adhesion strength of nanotube tips on AFMs...

US Patent 7812450 - Electrode with coated nanostructures

Posted on October 18, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7812450.htmlIt is useful to increase the surface areas of electrodes used in batteries and capacitors in order to enhance the energy storage density. There have been a variety of patents discussing the use of nanostructures to achieve such enhanced surface area and this latest patent from Hon Hai Precision uses nanoimprinting to form nanostructured surfaces which are further coated with nanomaterials...

US Patent 7812342 - Thin film transistor having nano semiconductor sheet

Posted on October 18, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7812342.htmlThis patent from Samsung teaches a new type of thin film transistor based on aligned semiconductor nanowire having application in the development of flexible electronic displays. Claim 1 reads:1. An electronic device comprising: a substrate; and a thin film transistor formed over the substrate, the thin film transistor comprising: an active layer including a channel region, a source region and a drain region, wherein the channel region comprises a plurality of microfibers extending generally in a direction, the microfibers comprising nanoparticles and a polymer, and the source and drain regions comprise a plurality of microfibers extending generally in a direction, the microfibers containing nanoparticles therein; a gate electrode; an insulating layer interposed between at least the channel region and the gate electrode; a source electrode in contact with the nanoparticles of the source region; and a drain electrode in contact with the nanoparticles of the drain region...

US Patent 7811883 - Fabrication of nanocrystal floating gate memory using nanowires

Posted on October 17, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7811883.htmlOver the past several years nanocrystals have been found to improve the operation of floating gate memory transistors since (1) They are less susceptible to defects in the program oxide since the charge is stored on isolated nanocrystal sites, (2) They can store two bits per cell by reversing the role of the source and drain since the charge is localized at the injection point, and (3) They have potentially lower voltage operation and higher retention...

US Patent 7811830 - Coated nanoparticle photosensitizer

Posted on October 17, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7811830.htmlThis patent from New Mexico Technical Research Foundation teaches forming a nanoparticle photosensitizer surface modified with an antibody to make the photosensitizer specific to the biological target that is to be treated...

US Patent 7811667 - CNT transparent electrode with optimized conductivity and permeability

Posted on October 17, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7811667.htmlCarbon nanotubes have been proposed by a variety of different groups as future transparent electrodes for flat panel and flexible displays. This patent from Samsung teaches a configuration to optimize both the electrical conductivity and the transparency to CNT electrode films...

US Patent 7811641 - Forming microdefects for CNT growth

Posted on October 14, 2010
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7811641.htmlThis patent teaches a way to improve control of the density of carbon nanotube arrays used in forming field emission flat panel displays. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of forming carbon nanotubes, the method comprising: forming a catalytic metal layer on a substrate; forming an insulation layer on the catalytic metal layer; and forming carbon nanotubes on the insulation layer by forming micro defects in the insulation layer by annealing.

US Patent 7811635 - Nanoink with inorganic precursor

Posted on October 14, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7811635This latest patent from the founders of NanoInk (priority 2001) broadly covers the deposition of reactive sol-gel "inks" used in their Dip Pen Nanolithography(R) process. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of fabricating inorganic/organic nanostructures comprising depositing an ink on a substrate by direct write nanolithography with a tip to form a deposit, wherein the ink comprises an inorganic precursor and at least one organic polymer.

US Patent 7811632 - Molecular jet growth of CNTs

Posted on October 14, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7811632Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods are currently seen to be the only practical way to mass produce large arrays of carbon nanotubes. However, CVD produces undesirable byproducts affecting the purity and quality of the nanotube arrays...

US Patent 7811542 - Multiwall carbon nanotube rope

Posted on October 13, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7811542This latest patent from Unidym includes some basic claims to using aggregates of multiwall carbon nanotubes to form high strength, electrically conductive "ropes". Claim 1 reads:1. A carbon nanotube rope comprising a carbon nanotube with at least three walls, wherein the rope has a cross-sectional dimension of less than about 10 nm.

US Patent 7811479 - Polymer nanocrystal quantum dot composites

Posted on October 13, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7811479Typically the quantum efficiency of photodiodes and solar cells is less than 1 using conventional semiconductor materials. This patent from the University of Pennsylvania teaches a nanocrystal composite capable of producing a quantum efficiency>1 by introducing a gain through carrier multiplication...

US Patent 7810314 - Vehicle emission control with carbon nanosensor

Posted on October 13, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7810314Soot sensors are include in automotive emission control systems to determine the regeneration of filters. Aluminum oxide ceramics have commonly been employed as the material for these sensors but this patent from Ford Global teaches that carbon nanomaterials can provide improved sensitivity and response time...

US Patent 7808156 - Ultrasonic matching layer with nanoparticles

Posted on October 06, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7808156This patent from VisualSonics Inc. teaches how nanoparticles can be used to reduce signal attenuation in ultrasonic imaging equipment. Claim 1 reads:1. A matching layer capable of use in a high frequency ultrasonic transducer stack having a plurality of layers, the matching layer comprising a cured matrix material loaded with a plurality of micron-sized and nano-sized particles, wherein the nano-sized particles prevent settling of the micron-sized particles in the matrix prior to curing, and the micron-sized and nano-sized particles contribute significantly to the acoustic impedance of the matching layer.

US Patent 7807265 - Partially passivated qdots

Posted on October 06, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7807265Passivation of quantum dot nanocrystals via a core/shell structure provides an increase in the qdot visible brightness. However, complete passivation can reduce the optical sensitivity of quantum dots to analytes. This patent from the University of Central Florida Research Foundation teaches a partial passivation quantum dot structure optimizing the brightness and the sensitivity for qdot biosensors...

US Patent 7807127 - Nitrogen-based functionalization of CNTs

Posted on October 06, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7807127This patent is based on research supported by the U.S. Navy and includes claims to nitrogen functional groups of carbon nanotubes having application to energy storage and high strength materials. Claim 1 reads:1. A carbon nanotube, comprising a structure of CNT-Zn, wherein said CNT is directly attached to said Z via a covalent bond; said n is from 1 to 1,000; said CNT is a carbon nanotube with at least two ends and at least one side wall; and said Z is a nitrogen based functional group, and wherein an amount of acidic sites on said CNT is in a range of approximately 9...

US Patent 7805031 - Defect-tolerant quantum computer

Posted on September 30, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7805031In quantum computing "color centers" refer to atomic vacancies embedded in diamond which may be used as quantum bits. This patent from HP proposes a way to fabricate a photonic type of quantum computer based on such color centers which is tolerant to defects...

US Patent 7803859 - Silver nanoparticle infused container

Posted on September 30, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7803859Silver has long been known as an anti-bacterial agent. This patent from Zinus Inc. teaches providing nanoparticulate silver into plastic containers to provide ease of sanitation. Claim 1 reads:1. A nano-silver infused container arrangement comprising: a nano-silver infused container body defining at least one opening; and a nano-silver infused container lid configured to close off the at least one opening, wherein the container body and the container lid are made of a polymeric compound, and wherein the polymeric compound is rendered nonporous by infusing the polymeric compound with a concentration of 6 to 30 ppm of nano-silver particles...

US Patent 7803707 - Fabrication of metal silicide nanowires

Posted on September 30, 2010
http://ip.com/patent/US7803707Metal silicides are silicon compounds used in the formation of low resistivity ohmic contacts in microelectronics. This patent from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation teaches a fabrication process for growing metal silicide nanowires on ultrathin silicon oxide films which could provide extremely small gate lines for nano-MOSFETs...

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