Intellectual Property Office
Non-Confidential Disclosures
“Fine Position Control of Nanostructures Using a Template Structure and a Conductive Sacrificial Pad Layer”
PSU Inv. Disc. No 3039
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Keywords
Nanotechnology, Manufacturing, Template
Inventors:
Stephen Fonash, Sanjay Joshi, Wook Jun Nam
Links:
US Patent Application 11/581,080
Inventor website
Background:
The term nanoelement encompasses nanocolloids, nanodiscs, nanorods, and nanobeads just to name a few, and their predicted applications range from chemical sensors to quantum electronics. The nanoscale size of these structures is expected to provide advantages ranging from enhanced integration in device fabrication to high detection sensitivity in sensor applications. These unique advantages may only be possible if the positioning of the nanoelement can be precisely controlled. Numerous approaches have already attempted to control the positioning of nanoelements. These approaches include but are not limited to: organic linking using single-stranded DNA, evaporation of a nanostructure suspended solution using electron-beam lithography, and also techniques using an electrophoresis and/or a dielectrophoresis. However, most of these techniques face practical challenges, especially when manufacturing in large volumes.
Invention description:
The disclosed invention is a novel nanoelement positioning technique for the manipulation and placement of nanostructures. This technique can be used to create finely positioned nanostructured devices through a bottom-up approach using the various nanoelements as building blocks. The disclosure resolves current problems related to building larger structures from these smaller nanoelements. This invention utilizes three different approaches for fine positioning depending on the type of structure and materials involved. The three approaches exhibit a number of advantages including better control in nanoelement positioning, tolerance for the use of mixed nanoelements, and increased throughput processing while utilizing existing capital equipment. They also overcome the main disadvantages inherent in previous techniques of practicality and controllability.
Advantages:
- Provides better control in nanoelement positioning
- Suitable for high throughput processing
- Allows for use of mixed nanoelement positioning for added versatility
- Reduced steps relative to previous positioning techniques
Contact:
Richard M. Weyer
Sr. Technology Licensing Officer
Intellectual Property Office
113 Technology Center
The Pennsylvania State Univ.
University Park, PA 16802-7000
Phone: (814) 865-6279
Fax: (814) 865-3591
E-mail:rmw4@psu.edu |
