Recent Patents on Nanotechnology

ISSN: 1872-2105

Recent Patents on Nanotechnology
Volume 1, Number 1, February 2007

Contents


Medical Nanorobot Architecture Based on Nanobioelectronics Pp. 1-10
Adriano Cavalcanti, Bijan Shirinzadeh, Robert A. Freitas Jr. and Luiz C. Kretly
[Abstract] [Full Text Article]


Recent Patents on Fabrication of Nanowires Pp. 11-20
Chuan-Pu Liu, Ruey-Chi Wang, Chien-Lin Kuo, Yu-Han Liang and Wei-Yu Chen
[Abstract] [Full Text Article]


Patenting Activity in Synthesis of Lipid Nanotubes and Peptide Nanotubes Pp. 21-28
Yong Zhou
[Abstract] [Full Text Article]


Patterned Media Towards Nano-bit Magnetic Recording: Fabrication and Challenges Pp. 29-40
Rachid Sbiaa and Seidikkurippu N. Piramanayagam
[Abstract] [Full Text Article]


Modeling the Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits with Molecular Markers Pp. 41-49
Rongling Wu, Wei Hou, Yuehua Cui, Hongying Li, Tian Liu, Song Wu, Chang-Xing Ma and Yanru Zeng
[Abstract] [Full Text Article]


Molecular Diodes and Applications Pp. 51-57
M. Jagadesh Kumar
[Abstract] [Full Text Article]


Fabrication and Application of Polymer Composites Comprising Carbon Nanotubes Pp. 59-65
Kausala Mylvaganam and Liangchi C. Zhang
[Abstract] [Full Text Article]


Recent Progress in Inorganic Solar Cells Using Quantum Structures Pp. 67-73
Seung Y. Myong
[Abstract] [Full Text Article]


Patent Annotations Pp. 75-79

Patent Selections Pp. 81-89




Abstracts


[Back to top]
Medical Nanorobot Architecture Based on Nanobioelectronics
Adriano Cavalcanti, Bijan Shirinzadeh, Robert A. Freitas Jr. and Luiz C. Kretly

[Full Text Article]

This work describes an innovative medical nanorobot architecture based on important discoveries in nanotechnology, integrated circuit patents, and some publications, directly or indirectly related to one of the most challenging new fields of science: molecular machines. Thus, the architecture described in this paper reflects, and is supported by, some remarkable recent achievements and patents in nanoelectronics, wireless communication and power transmission techniques, nanotubes, lithography, biomedical instrumentation, genetics, and photonics. We also describe how medicine can benefit from the joint development of nanodevices which are derived, and which integrate techniques, from artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and embedded smart sensors. Teleoperated surgical procedures, early disease diagnosis, and pervasive patient monitoring are some possible applications of nanorobots, reflecting progress along a roadmap for the gradual and practical development of nanorobots. To illustrate the described nanorobot architecture, a computational 3D approach with the application of nanorobots for diabetes is simulated using clinical data. Theoretical and practical analysis of system integration modeling is one important aspect for supporting the rapid development in the emerging field of nanotechnology. This provides useful directions for further research and development of medical nanorobotics and suggests a time frame in which nanorobots may be expected to be available for common utilization in therapeutic and medical procedures.


[Back to top]
Recent Patents on Fabrication of Nanowires
Chuan-Pu Liu, Ruey-Chi Wang, Chien-Lin Kuo, Yu-Han Liang and Wei-Yu Chen

[Full Text Article]

Nanowires are the building blocks of future nanodevices and thus methods for fabricating nanowires of various materials in various forms are fundamentally important. Although nanowires have been intensively studied, there are only a few methods that showed promising characteristics for practical applications. Here, we intend to review those patents, which enable nanowire growth to be more controllable and feasible for applications. Various methods for fabricating metal, semiconductor and organic nanowires with promising features are reviewed, where some emphasize the characteristics of individual nanowires, others address the uniformity and alignment of an array of nanowires as a whole. The patents for fabricating nanowires of various materials are introduced in the first part. In the second part, the patents to improve crystalline quality, morphology, uniformity of nanowires are introduced. Finally, the patents for growing aligned nanowire arrays and aligning dispersed nanowires are reviewed.


[Back to top]
Patenting Activity in Synthesis of Lipid Nanotubes and Peptide Nanotubes
Yong Zhou

[Full Text Article]

Lipid nanotubes (LNTs) and peptide nanotubes (PNTs) are especially intriguing and noncovalent self-assemblies of amphiphiles. They have hydrophilically internal and external membrane surfaces, and can provide the wide scope for chemical modifications, in sharp contrast to carbon nanotubes. These unique properties make themselves as ideal candidates for a variety of applications in chemistry, biochemistry, materials science and medicine. Patenting the LNTs and PNTs is quite active recently. This mini-review provides a brief outline of patenting activity in synthesis of the LNTs and PNTs since 1980s. The key point of the present review aims to create an optimistic circulation between the basic research achievement and potential application of this sub-field of nanotechnology, promoting each other in their future development.


[Back to top]
Patterned Media Towards Nano-bit Magnetic Recording: Fabrication and Challenges
Rachid Sbiaa and Seidikkurippu N. Piramanayagam

[Full Text Article]

During the past decade, magnetic recording density of HDD has doubled almost every 18 months. To keep increasing the recording density, there is a need to make the small bits thermally stable. The most recent method using perpendicular recording media (PMR) will lose its fuel in a few years time and alternatives are sought. Patterned media, where the bits are magnetically separated from each other, offer the possibility to solve many issues encountered by PMR technology. However, implementation of patterned media would involve developing processing methods which offer high resolution (small bits), regular patterns, and high density. All these need to be achieved without sacrificing a high throughput and low cost. In this article, we review some of the ideas that have been proposed in this subject. However, the focus of the paper is on nano-imprint lithography (NIL) as it fulfills most of the needs of HDD as compared to conventional lithography using electron beam, EUV or X-Rays. The latest development of NIL and related technologies and their future prospects for patterned media are also discussed.


[Back to top]
Modeling the Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits with Molecular Markers
Rongling Wu, Wei Hou, Yuehua Cui, Hongying Li, Tian Liu, Song Wu, Chang-Xing Ma and Yanru Zeng

[Full Text Article]

Understanding the genetic control of quantitatively inherited traits is fundamental to agricultural, evolutionary and biomedical genetic research. A detailed picture of the genetic architecture of quantitative traits can be elucidated with a well-saturated genetic map of molecular markers. The parameters that quantify the genetic architecture of a trait include the number of individual quantitative trait loci (QTL), their genomic positions, their genetic actions and interactions, and their responsiveness to biotic or abiotic factors. A variety of genetic designs and statistical models have been developed to estimate and test these architecture-modeling parameters. With the availability of very highly abundant single nucleotide polymorphism markers, DNA sequence variants, i.e., quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs), which contribute to quantitative variation can be identified. A newly emerging active area - functional mapping, has shown its value to unravel the genetic machinery of dynamic traits at the QTL or QTN level that change their phenotypes with time or other variables. Functional mapping provides a quantitative framework for testing the interplay between genetic effects and trait formation and development and, thus, appeals to push statistical genetic analysis and modeling into the context of developmental biology. Some of the statistical methods for genetic mapping have been patented.


[Back to top]
Molecular Diodes and Applications
M. Jagadesh Kumar

[Full Text Article]

Due to the huge power consumption and expensive fabrication methods required, down scaling silicon devices to sub-100 nm dimensions is becoming very unattractive. On the other hand, it is easier to build electronic circuits using molecules since they are small and their properties can be tuned. In this review, we first discuss the building blocks of molecular electronics. We then describe how these building blocks can be used to build single molecule based digital logic such as AND, OR and XOR gates. The distinction of these molecular electronic building blocks is that for first time, (i) the Tour wires are used as the conductive backbone for the rectifying junctions, (ii) donor/acceptor principles are implemented in the molecular wire itself and (iii) the logic gates are realized using molecular rectifying diodes embedded in the molecular conducting wire itself.


[Back to top]
Fabrication and Application of Polymer Composites Comprising Carbon Nanotubes
Kausala Mylvaganam and Liangchi C. Zhang

[Full Text Article]

Carbon nanotubes are being used in place of carbon fibers in making composites due to their high strength, high aspect-ratio and excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. Although carbon nanotubes were discovered more than a decade ago, works on preparation of satisfactory composites reinforced by carbon nanotubes have encountered difficulties. This review will discuss some registered patents and relevant papers on the fabrication of carbon nanotube-polymer composites on improving material properties such as electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, and radiation detection which have a broad range of applications in nano-electronic devices, and space and medical elements.


[Back to top]
Recent Progress in Inorganic Solar Cells Using Quantum Structures
Seung Y. Myong

[Full Text Article]

Thermalization of photogenerated carriers in bulk materials is the main bottleneck for the conversion efficiency of conventional inorganic solar cells. Furthermore, despite extensive research, the achieved conversion efficiency is nearly saturated during the last decade. Therefore, new device concepts to break through the efficiency barrier are highly requested. Nanotechnologies are the building blocks for next-generation solar cells, because low-dimensional quantum structures can possibly reduce thermalization and extend the light absorption range. Hereafter, recently invented inorganic solar cells using quantum structures will be reviewed.