Intellectual Property Law

US Patent 7886813 - Thermal interface with CNTs and particles

Posted on February 15, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7886813.htmlIntel continues to focus their carbon nanotube patents on new type of thermal cooling materials. This latest patent combines carbon nanotubes with metallic particles to create a composite material used to dissipate heat in high performance ICs...

US Patent 7886623 - Nanoparticle safety detection

Posted on February 15, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7886623.htmlThis patent teaches a device used to determine the effects of nanoparticles in the atmosphere on biological organisms which is important for evaluating safety of various nanoparticle applications in industry...

US Patent 7884530 - Reversible actuation in arrays of nanostructures

Posted on February 13, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7884530.htmlThe feet of a gekko have been identified to have nanostructured properties which provide an adhesiveness allowing them to stick to walls. This patent from Alcatel-Lucent teaches a way to fabricate nanostructured films which may provide similar properties...

US Patent 7884525 - Nanotube compliant MEMS

Posted on February 13, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7884525.htmlNanoscale mechanical grippers have long been proposed in science fiction as a way to enable the molecular nanotechnology envisioned by Eric Drexler. This patent teaches a way to use nanotubes to construct the compliant portions of such gripping devices...

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US Patent 7884450 - Superconducting boron nanotube

Posted on February 13, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7884450.htmlThis patent from Yale University is based on research indicating superconductivity in boron nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:1. A one-dimensional superconducting device comprising a boron nanostructure having a diameter of less than 50 nm and impregnated with an electron donor element, the boron nanostructure having a superconducting transition temperature greater than 36 degrees K, wherein the boron nanostructure comprises a nanotube.

US Patent 7884446 - Nanospikes

Posted on February 10, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7884446.htmlThis patent from Harvard teaches a method of laser processing a silicon substrate to create a nanospiked surface. Claim 1 reads:1. A semiconductor substrate, comprising a surface layer having at least a portion exhibiting an undulating topography characterized by a plurality of submicron-sized features having an average height less than about 1 micrometer and an average width in a range of about 100 nm to about 500 nm.

US Patent 7883995 - Forming stable functionalized nanoparticles

Posted on February 10, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7883995.htmlThe presence of oxygen can reduce the luminous efficiency of silicon nanocrystals used as quantum dots. This patent discloses a method of forming passivated quantum dots for applications such as optical switching devices, photovoltaic cells, light emitting diodes, lasers, and optical frequency doublers, and as biological markers...

US Patent 7883927 - Sorting nanotubes in plasma

Posted on February 10, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7883927.htmlThis patent from Micron Technology teaches a new method of sorting carbon nanotubes by length to enable integration with semiconductor fabrication. Claim 1 reads:1. A method, comprising: providing a bundle of nanotubes; suspending the nanotubes in a plasma to provide plasma-suspended nanotubes; and sorting the plasma-suspended nanotubes according to size and separating the plasma-suspended nanotubes from remnant material using a motive force...

US Patent 7880876 - Detection of E. Coli bacterium with nanorod array

Posted on February 03, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7880876.htmlThis patent from the University of Georgia Research Foundation teaches improving data obtained from SERS by using an array of nanorods. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of detecting at least one bacterium in a sample, comprising: exposing a substrate having an array of nanorods on the substrate to the sample, wherein a tilt angle (?) between an individual nanorod and the substrate surface is about 0° to about 90°, and wherein the sample includes at least one of a first strain of Escherichia coli and a second strain of Escherichia coli; and measuring a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) spectrum, wherein a SERS spectrum of the array of nanorods and the first strain of Escherichia coli is detectably different than a SERS spectrum of the array of nanorods and the second strain of Escherichia coli...

US Patent 7880318 - Passivated nanowire sensor

Posted on February 03, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7880318.htmlThis patent from HP focuses on improving the stability of nanosensors by using a passivation layer. Claim 1 reads:1. A sensing system, comprising: a nanowire; a passivation layer established on at least a portion of the nanowire; a barrier layer established on the passivation layer; a functionalized nanoparticle attached to an end of the nanowire; and a functionalized coating established on the barrier layer.

US Patent 7880163 - Surrounding gate nanowire JFET

Posted on February 03, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7880163.htmlMOSFETs are the most common type of transistor used for digital electronics and include different doping types for the channel and the source/drain regions (n-type vs. p-type). However, when the channel is formed with a nanowire the surface roughness of the nanowire can be detrimental to the mobility of the MOSFET...

US Patent 7879819 - Nanoparticle drug delivery for diabetes treatment

Posted on February 02, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7879819.htmlGP Medical has built a considerable patent portfolio for methods of using nanoparticles for drug delivery such as US Patent 7879313 which also issued this week. This patent includes more specific claims toward using nanoparticles to deliver anti-diabetic drugs...

US Patent 7879350 - Reducing odor with silica nanoparticles

Posted on February 02, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7879350.htmlThis patent is from Kimberly-Clark Worldwide and teaches using porous substrates with silica nanoparticles as odor reducing agents for articles such as clothing, diapers and bandages. Claim 1 reads:1. A substrate for reducing odor, said substrate being porous and comprising a nonwoven, woven, or paper web, said substrate containing colloidal silica nanoparticles configured to adsorb one or more odorous compounds, said silica nanoparticles having an average size of from about 1 to about 50 nanometers and a surface area of from about 50 to about 1000 square meters per gram, wherein the silica nanoparticles are relatively nonporous and thus have a pore volume of less than about 0...

US Patent 7879309 - Preparation of metal containing fullerenes

Posted on February 02, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7879309.htmlThis patent from the Japan Science and Technology Agency teaches methods of peeling excess layers of carbon nanotubes to promote higher industrial yield of single walled nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7879166 - SWCNTs with hydrazoic acid

Posted on February 01, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7879166.htmlThis patent from the U.S. Naval Research Labs teaches a way to modify single wall carbon nanotubes used in the preparation of explosives in which the nanotubes protect from accidental initiation. Claim 1 reads:1...

US Patent 7878988 - Measurement of bone healing using nanotubes

Posted on February 01, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7878988.htmlThis patent teaches using carbon nanotubes as stress/strain sensors to access the healing of bone damage. Claim 1 reads:1. A method of measuring bone healing strength on a bone area being studied, comprising: a) implanting a bone fixation device constituted at least in part of a material selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes and other high aspect ratio materials which alter the conduction of electric current when said bone fixation device is subjected to stress or strain; b) applying externally a testing cuff requiring no direct electric contacts to said bone fixation device, wherein said testing cuff provides a means to cause an electric current in said bone fixation device, and to measure said electric current; c) using an analyzer to study changes in said electric current resulting from the effects of stress and strain on the material of the bone fixation device; d) obtaining a series of test results using predetermined loads on the bone area; and e) determining bone healing strength...

US Patent 7878203 - Phototherapeutic treatment with nanoparticle composite

Posted on February 01, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7878203.htmlLight therapy uses visible and near-infrared light to promote circulation and help replace damaged cells. This patent from MedX Health Corp. teaches a method using nanocrystals incorporated into a structure shaped to wrap around joints (e...

US Patent 7875920 - Radially projecting vertical nanowire array

Posted on January 27, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7875920.htmlIt has been suggested to use nanotubes and nanowires to increase the surface area of electrodes and form capacitors having a high charge storage density. This patent from Samsung teaches a variation of this idea in which an array of nanowires or nanotubes are formed to spread apart from their base in order to more efficiently use the electrode area...

US Patent 7875912 - Atomic layer deposition of high-k dielectric

Posted on January 27, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7875912.htmlOne route toward increased scaling of MOSFET electronics is the use of high-k materials to replace the silicon oxide used in current gate dielectrics. This patent from Micron teaches a new dielectric based on Zr(x)Hf(y)Sn(1-x-y)O2 material formed by atomic layer deposition...

US Patent 7875884 - Nanostructured hetro-crystalline thin film

Posted on January 27, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7875884.htmlPolycrystalline thin film semiconductors may be used to fabricate solar cells and thin film transistors at low cost but introduce increased electron/hole scattering in comparison to single crystal semiconductors...

US Patent 7875801 - CNT-enhanced thermoplastic conductive wire

Posted on January 26, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7875801.htmlIn order to fabricate conductive polymer wires carbon nanotubes has been used as a doping material. However, if the concentration of nanotubes is too high the polymer becomes too viscous for ease in processing...

US Patent 7875480 - Growing nanowire sensors

Posted on January 26, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7875480.htmlThis patent from HP includes some basic claims to growing horizontally oriented nanowires arrays in a substrate for use as nanoscale sensors. Claim 1 reads: 1. A method of making a sensor, comprising: substantially laterally growing at least one nanowire having at least two segments between two electrodes, whereby a junction or connection is formed between the at least two segments; and establishing a sensing material adjacent to the junction or connection, and adjacent to at least a portion of each of the at least two segments, wherein the sensing material has at least two states.

US Patent 7875351 - Core/shell nanoreactor catalyst

Posted on January 26, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7875351.htmlThis patent from the Regents of the University of California teaches new types of nanocatalysts such as platinum nanoparticles with a colbolt oxide shell useful to chemical processing. Claim 1 reads:1. A nanoreactor, comprising: a nanoreactor shell having a thickness of at least 0...

US Patent 7875256 - Producing carbon nanocoils

Posted on January 25, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7875256.htmlThis patent from National Taiwan University teaches a method of increasing the production yield of a type of nanostructure called carbon nanocoils useful to applications in sensors and EM shielding...

US Patent 7875219 - Fabricating NGP supercapacitors

Posted on January 25, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7875219.htmlThis patent from Nanotek Instruments teaches a process incorporating their Nanoscaled Graphene Platelets (NGPs) for manufacturing supercapacitors. Claim 1 reads:1. A process for producing meso-porous nanocomposite supercapacitor electrode comprising nano-scaled graphene platelets, said process comprising: (A) Providing nano-scaled graphene platelets, wherein each of the platelets comprises a single graphene sheet or a stack of multiple graphene sheets, and the platelets have an average thickness no greater than 100 nm; (B) Combining a binder material, said graphene platelets, and a liquid to form a dispersion; (C) Forming said dispersion into a desired shape and removing said liquid to produce a binder-platelet mixture; and (D) Treating said binder material under a desired temperature or radiation environment to convert said binder-platelet mixture into said meso-porous nanocomposite electrode, wherein said platelets are bonded by said binder and said electrode has electrolyte-accessible pores characterized in that said nanocomposite has a surface area greater than about 100 m2/gm...

US Patent 7874250 - High power nanoswitch for wellbore

Posted on January 25, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7874250.htmlThis patent from Schlumberger Technology teaches switches used in the high temperature environment of wellbore applications using nanotube field emitters to enable high voltage (>1400 V DC) switching. Claim 1 reads:1...

Memristor Patent ReExams and Prior Art

Posted on January 23, 2011
In the past few years there has been increasing interest in the resistance switching properties of nanoscale thin films to develop a new form of non-volatile memory called ReRAM. This interest was peaked in 2008 based upon a paper published in Nature by researchers from HPLabs which connected experimentally observed resistance switching of TiO2 thin films to a memristor model postulated in the 1970's by Leon Chua and Steve Kang...

US Patent 7872407 - Field emission cathode having CNT film

Posted on January 20, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7872407.htmlSome of the most basic patents from Till Keesman related to the electron emission properties of carbon nanotubes are currently planned for sale by Ocean Tomo. This patent from Hon Hai Precision (FoxConn) teaches ways to improve stability and efficiency for CNT electron emitting films...

US Patent 7872334 - CNT diodes

Posted on January 20, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7872334.htmlIn order to transform CNT electronics into commercial devices a necessary requirement will be mechanisms for electrostatic discharge protection compatible with the carbon nanotubes. This patent from IBM teaches one such mechanism based on using both p-type and n-type nanotubes forming diode junctions...

US Patent 7872324 - Suspended nanowire sensor

Posted on January 18, 2011
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7872324.htmlIt has been found that interaction between a substrate and a nanowire can be detrimental to sensing characteristics. In order to avoid such interaction this patent teaches using a suspended nanowire above a trench formed in the substrate...

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