209 results about "Nanolithography" patented technology

The present invention provides value to brand owners, retailers, and consumers through the use of radio frequency identification, stenography, nanolithography, fingerprints, novel heuristic threat evaluation, indication, and detection model. Additionally, using cryptography, tag passwords are formulated and identities are reversibly flipped, thus allowing item identities to remain secret to unauthorized observers. This unique combination of heuristics and authentication technologies provides an efficient means of finding and stopping the flow of counterfeit products throughout global supply chains. The present invention includes radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, encoders, servers, identity changers, and authenticity verifiers to make this task a viable and adaptive weapon against the elusive counterfeiters. The present end-to-end RFID system offers unprecedented security for retailers and consumers, while remaining efficient and scalable.

The present invention is directed toward a method for fabricating low-defect nanostructures of wide bandgap materials and to optoelectronic devices, such as light emitting sources and lasers, based on them. The invention utilizes nanolithographically-defined templates to form nanostructures of wide bandgap materials that are energetically unfavorable for dislocation formation. In particular, this invention provides a method for the fabrication of phosphor-less monolithic white light emitting diodes and laser diodes that can be used for general illumination and other applications.

Radiation-curable silsesquioxane resin materials are employed for micro- and nanolithography. The resin materials can include a radiation-curable silsesquioxane resin and a photo-initiator having low viscosity. The low viscosity of the liquid system allows imprinting with low pressure and low temperature; e.g. room temperature. The resist's dry etching resistance is increased and the cured film is more easily separated from the mask. Due to its high modulus after cure, the material allows the fabrication of micro- and nano-features having high aspect ratios while providing a high throughput. Various pattern sizes, for example, ranging from tens of microns to as small as a few nanometers, may be achieved with the UV-curable material system.

Combination of nanolithography and wet chemical etching including the fabrication of nanoarrays of sub-50 nm gold dots and line structures with deliberately designed approximately 12-100 nm gaps. These structures were made by initially using direct write nanolithography to pattern the etch resist, 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHA), on Au / Ti / SiOx / Si substrates and then wet chemical etching to remove the exposed gold. These are the smallest Au structures prepared by a wet chemical etching strategy. Also, Dip-Pen Nanolithography (DPN) has been used to generate resist layers on Au, Ag, and Pd that when combined with wet chemical etching can lead to nanostructures with deliberately designed shapes and sizes. Monolayers of mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHA) or octadecanethiol (ODT), patterned by DPN, were explored as etch resists. They work comparably well on Au and Ag, but ODT is the superior material for Pd. MHA seems to attract the FeCl3 etchant and results in nonuniform etching of the underlying Pd substrate. Dots, lines, triangles and circles, ranging in size from sub-100 to several hundred nm have been fabricated on these substrates. These results show how one can use DPN as an alternative to more complex and costly procedures like electron beam lithography to generate nanostructures from inorganic materials.

A microfabricated probe array for nanolithography and process for designing and fabricating the probe array. The probe array consists of individual probes that can be moved independently using thermal bimetallic actuation or electrostatic actuation methods. The probe array can be used to produce traces of diffusively transferred chemicals on the substrate with sub-1 micrometer resolution, and can function as an arrayed scanning probe microscope for subsequent reading and variation of transferred patterns.

Disclosed is a structure made of a trench patterned substrate having a pre-determined trench period and a pre-determined mesa to trench width ratio, and a block copolymer on top of the trench patterned substrate. The block copolymer has at least an organic block and a silicon-containing block, wherein the block copolymer can have either perpendicular or parallel cylinders. The structure is annealed under a pre-determined vapor pressure for a predetermined annealing time period, wherein the pre-determined trench period, the pre-determined mesa to trench width ratio, the predetermined vapor pressure and the predetermined annealing time period are chosen such that cylinders formed in the block copolymer are either perpendicular or parallel with respect to the trench-patterned substrate. A method is also described to form the above-mentioned structure.

Inkwells adapted for use in direct-write nanolithography and other applications including use of wells, channels, and posts. The wells can possess a geometry which matches the geometry of tips which are dipped into the inkwells. The channels can be open or closed. Hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity can be used to control ink flow. SEM can be used to characterize the inkwells. Ink flow can be monitored with video. Hydrophobic material layers can be used to prevent cross contamination. Microsyringes can be used to fill reservoirs. Satellite reservoirs can be used to prevent bubble formation.

While gold wire grids have been used to polarize infrared wavelengths for over a hundred years, they are not appropriate for shorter wavelengths due to their large period. With embodiments of the present invention, grids with periods a few tens of nanometers can be fabricated. Among other things, such grids can be used to polarize visible and even ultraviolet light. As a result, such wire grid polarizers have a wide variety of applications and uses, such as, e.g., in the fabrication of semiconductors, nanolithography, and more.

Disclosed are electronic, plasmonic and opto-electronic components that are prepared using patterned photodeposited nanoparticles on a substrate surface. Also disclosed are ferroelectric nanolithography methods for preparing components, circuits and devices.

The invention discloses a nanolithography method and a nanolithography device in the technical field of nanolithography. The device comprises a femtosecond laser device, a light transmittance base plate, a photoetching mask plate, photoresist and a substrate. A specific super-diffraction limit graph is formed on the photoetching mask plate through the femtosecond laser device; a plasma excimer excitation structure on the upper surface of the photoetching mask plate is changed, and an exposure wavelength is adjusted by controlling the material of the photoetching mask plate, so that the shape, the distribution and the size of the super-diffraction limit graph can be controlled; moreover, a two-photon absorption phenomenon of the photoresist is introduced; and the line width of an exposure graph of the photoresist is controlled by controlling the power of a femtosecond laser exposure light source.

Method and apparatus for selectively actuating a cantilevered probe for applying a compound to a substrate in nanolithography. A probe having a probe electrode and a substrate having a counter electrode are provided. Voltage applied to the probe electrode and / or counter electrode provides electrostatic attraction between them, moving a probe tip into sufficient proximity to the substrate to apply the patterning compound. Alternatively, a flexible cantilevered probe anchored to a holder includes a layer of conductive material forming a probe electrode. A counter electrode on the holder faces the probe electrode. The holder and probe are positioned so that a probe tip applies the compound to the substrate. The probe is disposed between the substrate and the counter electrode. An electrostatic attractive force generated between the probe electrode and the counter electrode flexes the probe and lifts the tip away from the substrate to suspend writing.

The invention proposes a novel technique for implementing high performance atomic lithography, and in particular high resolution lithography. The technique makes use of Stern-Gerlach type atomic interferometry enabling disturbances to be implemented in the atomic phase of the beam. Such interaction then directly modulates the intensity of the associated wave in the plane extending transversely to the beam of atoms, and does so in controllable manner. The installation of the invention for nanolithography by atomic interferometry comprises a Stern-Gerlach type interferometer comprising, as its phase object, four-pole magnetic induction having a transverse gradient created by four parallel bars carrying alternating direct currents, bracketed between two separator plates, preceded and followed respectively by a spin polarizer and by an analyzer operating by laser pumping. An additional uniform field is being created by another four additional bars powered in paired manner by adjustable currents in order to create a uniform field of arbitrary intensity and orientation for the interference pattern by adjusting the two current parameters. The source of atoms is a source that continuously discharges metastable helium or argon with approximately Maxwell type speed dispersion of about 30% to 40% in order to obtain a central spot.

While gold wire grids have been used to polarize infrared wavelengths for over a hundred years, they are not appropriate for shorter wavelengths due to their large period. With embodiments of the present invention, grids with periods a few tens of nanometers can be fabricated. Among other things, such grids can be used to polarize visible and even ultraviolet light. As a result, such wire grid polarizers have a wide variety of applications and uses, such as, e.g., in the fabrication of semiconductors, nanolithography, and more.

The invention discloses multi-beam semiconductor laser interference nanoimprinting technology and system which adopt the following principle that the required two or more bundles of coherent lights can be obtained by using semiconductor pulse laser through beam splitting, the coherent lights are subjected to coupling, beam expansion and reshaping and redistributed on the surface of material by using the light intensity in an interference field to form a periodical interference pattern. When the system is used for imprinting, a photosensing material can be directly subjected to the interference exposure and then etching without masking. By using an optical fiber beam splitting device as a light splitter, the complicity of a light path is greatly reduced, and the system is more stable and reliable; in addition, the selection from two light beams to a plurality of light beams is more flexible and convenient.

Methods for providing pharmaceutical compositions and objects with identification regions and identification features which are difficult to detect. Microlithography, nanolithography, and stamping methods are used. The identification features can be positive protrusions or negative indentations with respect to the surface. The identification regions can comprise bar codes and holograms. DPN printing or other lithographies such as electron beam lithography, optical lithography, or nanoimprint lithography can be used to prepare stamps, which are then used to prepare the identification features. Redundant patterns can be formed. The invention is useful for counterfeit prevention. An apparatus for stamping the identification features is also described.

The invention discloses a method for synthesizing nano strip V2O5 by a low-temperature hydrothermal process. The method comprises the following steps of: (1) dissolving surfactant into secondary deionized water to obtain 0.001 to 0.01M solution 1; (2) dissolving NH4VO3 into the solution 1, and stirring the solution till dissolution to obtain 14.2 to 428mM solution 2; (3) adding a reducing agent into the solution 2 in a volume ratio of 1: 5-1: 10, stirring the solution, transferring the solution into a lining reaction kettle of polytetrafluoroethylene, performing hydrothermal reaction for 12 to 24 hours at the temperature of between 160 and 180 DEG C, and drying a reaction product to obtain NH4V4O10 sediment; and (4) thermally treating the dried sediment for 1 to 3 hours at the temperature of between 300 and 500 DEG C to obtain the nano strip V2O5. The nano strip V2O5 can be used for preparing a sensor, a spinning electronic device, a nano photo-etching template or a high-capacity electrode material.

The invention provides a lithographic method referred to as “dip pen” nanolithography (DPN). DPN utilizes a scanning probe microscope (SPM) tip (e.g., an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip) as a “pen,” a solid-state substrate (e.g., gold) as “paper,” and molecules with a chemical affinity for the solid-state substratte as “ink.” Capillary transport of molecules from the SPM tip to thee solid substrate is used in DPN to directly write patterns consisting of a relatively small collection of molecules in submicrometer dimensions, making DPN useful in the facrication of a variety of microscale and nanoscale devices. The invention also provices substrates patterened by DPN, including submirocmeter combinatorial arrays, and kits, devices and software for performing DPN. The invention further provides a method of performing AFM imaging in air. The method comprises coating an AFM tip with a hydrophobic compound, the hydrophobic compoind being selected so that AFM imaging perfromed using the coated AFM tipn is improved compared to AFM imaging preformed using an uncoated AFM tip. Finally, the invention provides AFM tips coated with the hydrophobic compounds.

The present invention provides value to brand owners, retailers, and consumers through the use of radio frequency identification, stenography, nanolithography, fingerprints, novel heuristic threat evaluation, indication, and detection model. Additionally, using cryptography, tag passwords are formulated and identities are reversibly flipped, thus allowing item identities to remain secret to unauthorized observers. This unique combination of heuristics and authentication technologies provides an efficient means of finding and stopping the flow of counterfeit products throughout global supply chains. The present invention includes radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, encoders, servers, identity changers, and authenticity verifiers to make this task a viable and adaptive weapon against the elusive counterfeiters. The present end-to-end RFID system offers unprecedented security for retailers and consumers, while remaining efficient and scalable.

A microfabricated probe array for nanolithography and process for designing and fabricating the probe array. The probe array consists of individual probes that can be moved independently using thermal bimetallic actuation or electrostatic actuation methods. The probe array can be used to produce traces of diffusively transferred chemicals on the substrate with sub-1 micrometer resolution, and can function as an arrayed scanning probe microscope for subsequent reading and variation of transferred patterns.

While gold wire grids have been used to polarize infrared wavelengths for over a hundred years, they are not appropriate for shorter wavelengths due to their large period. With embodiments of the present invention, grids with periods a few tens of nanometers can be fabricated. Among other things, such grids can be used to polarize visible and even ultraviolet light. As a result, such wire grid polarizers have a wide variety of applications and uses, such as, e.g., in the fabrication of semiconductors, nanolithography, and more.

Photomask repair and fabrication with use of direct-write nanolithography, including use of scanning probe microscopic tips (e.g., atomic force microscope tips, etc.) for deposition of ink materials including sol-gel inks. Additive methods can be combined with subtractive methods. Holes can be filled with nanostructures. Heights of the nanostructures filling the holes can be controlled without losing control of the lateral dimensions of the nanostructures. Phase shifters on phase shifting masks (PSMs) are additively repaired with selectively deposited sol-gel material that is converted to solid oxide, which has optical transparency and index of refraction adapted for the phase shifters repaired.

A method of forming nanofluidic enclosed channels includes providing a first substrate having a layer of a first material disposed thereon. A plurality of nanoscale slots is formed along a second substrate using nanolithography, etching, or other disclosed techniques. The first substrate is then bonded to the second substrate such that the layer of the first material on the first substrate is adjacent the plurality of slots on the second substrate to define a plurality of enclosed nanofluidic channels therethrough.

A monolithically integrated 3-D membrane or diaphragm / tip (called 3-D tip) of substantially all UNCD having a tip with a radius of about less than 50 nm capable of measuring forces in all three dimensions or being used as single tips or in large arrays for imprint of data on memory media, fabrication of nanodots of different materials on different substrates and many other uses such as nanolithography production of nanodots of biomaterials on substrates, etc. A method of molding UNCD is disclosed including providing a substrate with a predetermined pattern and depositing an oxide layer prior to depositing a carbide-forming metallic seed layer, followed by seeding with diamond nano or micropowder in solvent suspension, or mechanically polishing with diamond powder, or any other seeding method, followed by UNCD film growth conforming to the predetermined pattern. Thereafter, one or more steps of masking and / or etching and / or coating and / or selective removal and / or patterning and / or electroforming and / or lapping and / or polishing are used in any combination to form the tip or probe.

A direct-write micro- or nano-lithography method for depositing a functional material with a preferred orientation onto a target surface. The method includes the steps of (1) forming a precursor fluid to the functional material; (2) operating a sub-micrometer tip to discharge, on contact, the precursor fluid onto the target surface so as to produce a desired pattern of deposited functional material in sub-micrometer dimensions; and (3) during the pattern-producing step, subjecting the deposited material to a highly localized electric or magnetic field for attaining a preferred orientation in at least a portion of the functional material. The method is particularly useful for microfabrication, nanotechnology, and molecular electronics.

The invention relates to a method and device for generating a three-dimensional array hollow light spot. The device comprises a laser device, a pinhole filter, a collimator lens, a half-wave plate, a spatial light modulator, an optical wave converter, a beam diameter changer and a microobjective. In addition, the method includes: laser emitted by the laser device is converted into a linear polarization type plane wave; wave-front phase modulation is carried out on the linear polarization type plane wave; and then light after wave-front phase modulation is focused by an objective lens to generate an array light spot. The wave-front phases are in three-dimensional spatial position controllable array light spot phase distribution; and the light wave after wave-front phase modulation needs to be processed by modulation of circular polarization with a spiral phase or angular polarization without a spiral phase. The array light spot is formed by a plurality of hollow light spots arranged in three-dimensional space and each light spot can move precisely in the three-dimensional space. The method and device can be applied to array optical tweezers, super-resolution microscopic imaging and super-resolution nanometer lithography fields.

Disclosed are electronic, plasmonic and opto-electronic components that are prepared using patterned photodeposited nanoparticles on a substrate surface. Also disclosed are ferroelectric nanolithography methods for preparing components, circuits and devices.

In one aspect, a method of nanolithography is provided using a driving force to control the movement of a deposition compound from a scanning probe microscope tip to a substrate. Another aspect of the invention provides a tip for use in nanolithography having an internal cavity and an aperture restricting movement of a deposition compound from the tip to the substrate. The rate and extent of movement of the deposition compound through the aperture is controlled by a driving force.

The invention discloses a super-diffraction imaging device for improving resolution based on a phase shifting principle and a manufacturing method thereof. Adjacent light transmission areas of the super-diffraction imaging device realize phase delay and phase advance respectively by alternately filling two materials with a positive dielectric coefficient and a negative dielectric coefficient and the phase difference modulation of the material thicknesses is enhanced greatly, so that the device is easier to realize a pi phase difference; therefore, the imaging resolution of the device is further improved. The scheme solves the technical difficult problem that a conventional super-diffraction imaging device is difficult to realize the resolution below the line width of 40 nm and has a broad application prospect in super-diffraction imaging and nano-lithography technologies.