Recent Patents on Nanotechnology

ISSN: 1872-2105

Recent Patents on Nanotechnology
Volume 5, Number 1, January 2011

Contents


Recent Patents on Self-Organised Magnetic Nanodot Arrays Pp. 1-18
J. J. de Miguel, T. Bobek and C. Teichert
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Development and Applications of Nano-Powder Patents - A Review in Patents Pp. 19-26
Lihong Su, Jianren Zhou, Zhiquan Zhou, Jingfen Ma, Liang Wang, Xu Zhao and Xuxiang Wang
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Calculation of Young’s Modulus Value by Means of AFM Pp. 27-36
J. J. Roa, G. Oncins, J. Díaz, F. Sanz and M. Segarra
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A Review of Patented Works on the Mechanical Characterization of Materials at Micro- and Nano-Scale Pp. 37-45
Marco Alfano, Leonardo Pagnotta and Maria F. Pantano
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Current Trends in Materials for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Pp. 46-61
Ricardo Faccio, Luciana Fernández-Werner, Helena Pardo and Álvaro W. Mombrú
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Recent Progress in Patterned Silicon Nanowire Arrays: Fabrication, Properties and Applications Pp. 62-70
Yan Zhang, Teng Qiu, Wenjun Zhang and Paul K. Chu
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Patent Selections Pp. 71-75



Abstracts


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Recent Patents on Self-Organised Magnetic Nanodot Arrays
J. J. de Miguel, T. Bobek and C. Teichert

As the continuous advance in the process of device miniaturisation reaches down to the nanometre range, fabrication techniques based on self-organisation, i.e., the spontaneous formation of ordered patterns on surfaces, are becoming increasingly attractive as potential, highly efficient alternatives to lithographic methods. In this article we review some of the methodologies that have been developed recently to produce ordered arrays of nanomagnets using self-organised surface templates, and we list the patents that have been filed recently to protect those fabrication procedures. We describe the underlying phenomena giving rise to the appearance of the ordered structures, and discuss their characteristics and the controllable parameters.


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Development and Applications of Nano-Powder Patents - A Review in Patents
Lihong Su, Jianren Zhou, Zhiquan Zhou, Jingfen Ma, Liang Wang, Xu Zhao and Xuxiang Wang

A thorough review on the patents in the applications of nano-powder technology shows that research work in this technical field is growing stronger, as indicated by a rapid increase in the number of independent patents in relevant topics. This also indicates ever increasing and continuous interests on the nano-podwer technology even after 15 years of dynamic global nanotechnology development. The review on the patents in the nano-powder area shows that the use of specialized databanks is recommendable and beneficial in providing the researchers in this technical community an updated, systematic and rapid reference in furthering new development and expansion of this vital nanotechnology field.


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Calculation of Young’s Modulus Value by Means of AFM
J. J. Roa, G. Oncins, J. Díaz, F. Sanz and M. Segarra

In the last years, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has become a powerful tool not only to study the surface morphology but also the nanomechanics of all kind of samples. In this paper, the applicability of this technique is reviewed and its basic aspects of operation, advantages and drawbacks of using the AFM probe as a picoindenter (Force Spectroscopy mode, FS-AFM) are discussed. The patents concerning picoindentation measurements are discussed in the text and special attention is paid to measurements performed on hard materials as ceramics, as they have not been as thoroughly reviewed in the literature as in the case of soft matter. The possibilities of AFM in the nanomechanics field include the quantitative determination of the Young's modulus (E) and the transition force from elastic to plastic deformation regimes, the measurement of adhesion forces and deformation mechanisms while applying vertical forces in the range from tens of pN to µN.


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A Review of Patented Works on the Mechanical Characterization of Materials at Micro- and Nano-Scale
Marco Alfano, Leonardo Pagnotta and Maria F. Pantano

In recent years, the development of cost-effective processing techniques, novel design concepts and new materials paved the way to a widespread diffusion of micro- and nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS/MEMS). Obviously, the reliability as well as the performance of NEMS/MEMS depend on the corresponding materials properties, which in turn should be determined using ad-hoc small samples fabricated at the relevant size-scale. For this reason, in the last decade research efforts have been devoted to the development of experimental techniques suitable for the mechanical characterization of materials at micro- and nano-scale.

There are many contributions stemming from this research area, the purpose of the present work is to give an overview of the most recent patented works. The focus will be directed to selected patents on the mechanical characterization of both micro- and nanosamples, like nanotubes and nanowires. Special emphasis will be given to the methods suited for the determination of elastic properties, fracture resistance and residual stresses of materials.


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Current Trends in Materials for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
Ricardo Faccio, Luciana Fernández-Werner, Helena Pardo and Álvaro W. Mombrú

Here, we intend to review those patents related with the technology of dye sensitized solar cells. In particular we discuss patents and papers that enable metal oxide layer to be more controllable and feasible for applications, and new and innovative dyes, sensitizers and electrolytes with promising features. Finally various methods were reviewed for fabricating semiconductor layers and complete DSSC devices focusing on the mass production of photovoltaic cells.


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Recent Progress in Patterned Silicon Nanowire Arrays: Fabrication, Properties and Applications
Yan Zhang, Teng Qiu, Wenjun Zhang and Paul K. Chu

Currently there is great interest in patterned silicon nanowire arrays and applications. The accurately controlled fabrication of patterned silicon nanowire arrays with the desirable axial crystallographic orientation using simpler and quicker ways is very desirable and of great importance to material synthesis and future nanoscale optoelectronic devices that employ silicon. The recent advances in manipulating patterned silicon nanowire arrays and patents are reviewed with a focus on the progress of nanowire fabrication and applications.