Nanoink, Inc.

Nanolnk, Inc.

Jason R Haaheim

Gregory Joseph Athas

Joseph S Fragala

Sylvain Cruchon-Dupeyrat

Raymond Roger Shile

John Edward Bussan

Terrisa Duenas

Jeffrey R Rendlen

Vadim Val-Khvalabov

A timpani percussion mallet for use with a timpani musical instrument by a timpani player, the mallet comprising: a shaft having a first end that is for a timpani player to hold, and also having an opposite second end that is for the timpani player striking a part of the timpani musical instrument, wherein the shaft comprises at least one tube with outer walls, wherein the tube contains within the outer walls a plurality of segments including a first segment comprising a first solid segment material and a second solid segment comprising a second segment material different from the first solid segment material, and optional additional segments with optional additional solid segment materials, wherein the first and second segments are each non-movable within the tube, wherein the first segment is located closer to the first end, and the second segment is located closer to the second end, wherein the first segment and the second segment have different densities to provide the timpani percussion mallet and shaft with a controlled density gradient to control center of mass, moment of inertia, and/or vibration mitigation for the timpani percussion mallet. A palette of mallets and sounds are provided for the elite player.

Controlled density-gradient timpani percussion mallets

Improved actuated probes suitable for scanning probe lithography or microscopy, and especially direct-write nanolithography and method of fabrication thereof. In one embodiment, thermomechanically actuated cantilevers with oxide-sharpened microcast tips are inexpensively fabricated by a process that comprises low-temperature wafer bonding, such as (gold) thermocompressive bonding, eutectic or adhesive bonding. Also provided is a flexcircuit that electrically interconnects the actuated probes to external circuitry and mechanically couples them to the instrument actuator. An improved scanning probe lithography instrument, hardware and software, can be built around the actuated cantilevers and the flexcircuit. Finally, provided is an improved microfluidic circuit to deliver chemical compounds to the tips of (actuated) probes and a fabrication method for tall, high-aspect-ratio tips.

Active pen nanolithography

Faster and better methods for leveling arrays including software and user interface for instruments. A method comprising: (i) providing at least one array of cantilevers supported by at least one support structure, (ii) providing at least one substrate, (iii) providing at least one instrument to control the position of the array with respect to the substrate, (iv) leveling the array with respect to the substrate, wherein the leveling is performed via a user interface on the instrument which is adapted to have the user input positional information from the motors and piezoelectric extender when at least one cantilever deflects from the substrate. Uniform z-displacements can be achieved.

Array and cantilever array leveling

A calibration leveling system and method are provided which improve printing and imaging at the nanoscale including improved tip-based deposition and nanolithography. The system can include a scanning probe instrument having a video camera with an adjustable lens. The scanner can be coupled to a one or two dimensional array of cantilevers comprising cantilever tips for imaging or printing. The scanning probe instrument has one or more motors for controlling the scanner in the z-axis. The z-axis motors position the scanner so that the cantilever tips are in a level orientation relative to the surface of a substrate. Once the cantilever tips are level with the substrate, the positions of the z-axis motors can be recorded for future reference.

Using optical deflection of cantilevers for alignment

A method of dipping a nanoscopic probe comprising dipping a nanoscopic tip at a dipping rate into an inkwell comprising ink, wherein the dipping rate is configured to be sufficiently faster than a rate of wicking. A nanoscopic probe comprising a nanoscopic tip and an inkwell configured to contain ink, wherein the nanoscopic probe is configured to dip into and retract from the ink at a rate that is sufficiently faster than wicking. Wicking can cause excessive amounts of ink to be deposited on nanoscopic tips, which can lead to contamination of inkwells and other nanoscopic tips.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Jason R Haaheim