Nanoink, Inc.

Nanolnk, Inc.

Sylvain Cruchon-Dupeyrat

Joseph S Fragala

Hua Zhang

Robert Elghanian

Linette Demers

Raymond Roger Shile

Michael R Nelson

Nabil A Amro

Bjoern Rosner

John Edward Bussan

Sandeep Disawal

Cedric Loiret-Bernal

Igor Touzov

Debjyoti Banerjee

Gregory Joseph Athas

Jason R Haaheim

Jeffrey R Rendlen

Terrisa Duenas

Percy Van Crocker

Jeff Rendlen

Ray Eby

Stamps and methods of making stamps for applications in anti-counterfeiting and authentication. The stamps are relatively small in size and feature nanoscale and microscale identification regions and features. High throughput manufacturing and high resolution methods are used to make the stamps including electron beam lithography and optical lithography. Anti-fouling coatings can be applied.

Stamps with micrometer-and nanometer-scale features and methods of fabrication thereof

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

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.

Identification features

A new, low temperature method for directly writing conductive metal traces with micron and sub-micron sized features. In this method, a flat beam is used, such as an AFM cantilever, with or without a tip, to draw traces of metal precursor ink onto a substrate. The dimensions of the metal traces can be directly controlled by the geometry of the cantilever, so that one can controllably deposit traces from 1 micron to over 100 microns wide with microfabricated cantilevers. Cantilevers with sharp tips can be used to further shrink the minimum features sizes to sub-micron scale. The height of the features can be increased by building layers of similar or different material.

Micrometric direct-write methods for patterning conductive material and applications to flat panel display repair

Stamps with micrometer- and nanometer-scale features and methods of fabrication thereof

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.

Methods and apparatus for ink delivery to nanolithographic probe systems

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.

Methods for additive repair of phase shift masks by selectively depositing nanometer-scale engineered structures on defective phase shifters

A novel method of transporting ink to a substrate with dip-pen nanolithographic (DPN) stamp tips coated with polymer (e.g., polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), etc.). This kind of tip adsorbs chemicals ('inks') easily and is used to generate DPN nanopatterns that are imaged with the same tip after a DPN process. This method builds a bridge between micro-contact printing (&#x3bc;CP) and DPN, making it possible for one to easily generate smaller structures of any molecules that have been patterned by the &#x3bc;CP technique. The easy tip-coating and writing process enriches the state-of-the-art DPN technique. The sub-100 nm DPN resolution obtained by using this kind of novel tip is comparable to that with a conventional SiNprobe tip. Importantly, the unique stamp tip was able to transfer solvent (e.g., liquid 'ink') onto a substrate, resulting in fabrication of hollow nanostructures with only one DPN holding/writing step. Inks comprising metals and sol-gel materials are noted, as well as applications in photomask repair, enhancement, and fabrication.

Direct-write nanolithography method of transporting ink with an elastomeric polymer coated nanoscopic tip to form a structure having internal hollows on a substrate

The invention provides a nanolithographic protosubstrate adapted for nanolithographic formation of nanostructures on the protosubstrate comprising: a substrate having a top surface exposed for nanolithographic formation of nanostructures, wherein the top surface comprises: electrically insulating surface regions; and at least one discreet electrode topology surrounded by the electrically insulating surface regions, wherein the electrode topology is adapted with electrical interconnections for electrically coupling the electrode topology to an external device.

Protosubstrates

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Sylvain Cruchon-Dupeyrat