Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080205253 | HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE MEDIUM, METHOD AND DEVICE - A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers comprising (a) a first monomer including an aryl ether ketone and (b) a second monomer including an aryl ether ketone and a first phenylethynyl moiety, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having a phenylethynyl moiety the same as or different from the first phenylethynyl moiety. The one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layer in an atomic force data storage device. | 08-28-2008 |
20080212456 | DATA STORAGE DEVICE AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION THEREFOR - The present invention relates to a data storage device comprising: a data storage medium for storing data in the form of topographic features; and at least one probe for writing and/or reading the data stored in the data storage medium, wherein the data storage medium is formed on a support layer, the support layer having a lower shear modulus than the data storage medium. | 09-04-2008 |
20080219135 | METHOD FOR HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE AND IMAGING - An approach is presented for designing a polymeric layer for nanometer scale thermo-mechanical storage devices. Cross-linked polyimide oligomers are used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage device, giving significantly improved performance when compared to previously reported cross-linked and linear polymers. The cross-linking of the polyimide oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles. Additionally, the cross-linked polyimide oligomers are suitable for use in nano-scale imaging. | 09-11-2008 |
20080220612 | PROTECTION OF POLYMER SURFACES DURING MICRO-FABRICATION - A method of protecting a polymeric layer from contamination by a photoresist layer. The method includes: (a) forming a polymeric layer over a substrate; (b) forming a non-photoactive protection layer over the polymeric layer; (c) forming a photoresist layer over the protection layer; (d) exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation and developing the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer, thereby exposing regions of the protection layer; (e) etching through the protection layer and the polymeric layer where the protection layer is not protected by the patterned photoresist layer; (f) removing the patterned photoresist layer in a first removal process; and (g) removing the protection layer in a second removal process different from the first removal process. | 09-11-2008 |
20080220613 | PROTECTION OF POLYMER SURFACES DURING MICRO-FABRICATION - A method of protecting a polymeric layer from contamination by a photoresist layer. The method includes: (a) forming a polymeric layer over a substrate; (b) forming a non-photoactive protection layer over the polymeric layer; (c) forming a photoresist layer over the protection layer; (d) exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation and developing the photoresist layer to form a patterned photoresist layer, thereby exposing regions of the protection layer; (e) etching through the protection layer and the polymeric layer where the protection layer is not protected by the patterned photoresist layer; (f) removing the patterned photoresist layer in a first removal process; and (g) removing the protection layer in a second removal process different from the first removal process. | 09-11-2008 |
20080292850 | DATA STORAGE DEVICE - The present invention relates to a data storage device comprising: a polymer layer for storing data in the form of topographic features; a substrate comprising a conductor, a first surface of the polymer layer being provided on the substrate; and at least one probe which, when the device is in use, interacts with a second surface of the polymer layer, wherein, when in use, the data storage device is operable to apply a first electrical potential to the at least one probe relative to the substrate, thereby to cause a protrusion to be formed on the second surface of the polymer layer. | 11-27-2008 |
20080316904 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING TIP-WEAR OF A PROBE - The present invention relates to a method of reducing the wear of a tip of a probe when the tip is in contact with a surface of a substrate and when the probe is mounted on a support structure. A method is provided where a load force is applied to the probe, thereby causing the tip to be maintained substantially in contact with the substrate surface and a modulation step where the e magnitude of the load force is modulated at a modulation frequency. The modulation frequency is selected to be greater than a fundamental vibration frequency of the support structure on which the probe is mounted. | 12-25-2008 |
20090003188 | PROBE FOR SCANNING OVER A SUBSTRATE AND DATA STORAGE DEVICE - A data storage device comprises a storage medium for storing data in the form of marks and at least one probe for scanning the storage medium. The storage medium may be comprised in a substrate. The probe comprises a cantilever that comprises terminals serving as electrical contacts an being during operation of the probe mechanically fixed to a probe-holding structure, which may be a common frame of the data storage device. A probe further comprises a supporting structure, to which the terminals are mechanically directly coupled or coupled via hinges and which extends away from the terminals. A tip with a nanoscale apex is provided. A beam structure comprises a heating resistor and is attached at ends to the supporting structure. The beam structure is thinned at least in a direction parallel to an axis of the tip compared to an area of the supporting structure abutting the beam structure. | 01-01-2009 |
20090100553 | SCANNING PROBE-BASED LITHOGRAPHY METHOD - A resist medium in which features are lithographically produced by scanning a surface of the medium with an AFM probe positioned in contact therewith. The resist medium comprises a substrate; and a polymer resist layer within which features are produced by mechanical action of the probe. The polymer contains thermally reversible crosslinkages. Also disclosed are methods that generally includes scanning a surface of the polymer resist layer with an AFM probe positioned in contact with the resist layer, wherein heating the probe and a squashing-type mechanical action of the probe produces features in the layer by thermally reversing the crosslinkages. | 04-16-2009 |
20090120172 | NANOINDENTATION SURFACE ANALYSIS METHOD - The present invention provides a novel method for determining the mechanical properties of the surfaces of materials including thin films. Generally, the method is comprised of laterally scanning the surface of the film with an array of cantilever tips varying temperature, load and time to obtain a measurement of mechanical properties, such as hardness and glass transition temperature. The method can be used to obtain mechanical properties of films that would otherwise be unobtainable using standard methods. | 05-14-2009 |
20090185474 | METHOD OF STORING DATA USING A MICRO-ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM BASED DATA STORAGE SYSTEM - A method of storing data using data storage system having a positioning system for a micro-electromechanical system (“MEMS”) based data storage is provided. The method includes a moving MEMS-based scanner that interacts with a polymer medium to read, write and erase data. A first positioning system is coupled to the MEMS scanner to allow the storage of data over a defined area. A second positioning system is coupled to the first positioning system and the MEMS scanner to allow the use of a larger polymer medium. A plurality of storage modules is also provided to allow scalability of data storage. | 07-23-2009 |
20090255462 | DEVICE FORMED BY PROBE-BASED LITHOGRAPHY UTILIZING THERMOMECHANICALLY ACTIVATED POLYMERS - Device having features formed utilizing probe-based lithography, including: depositing a preceramic polymer on a substrate; writing nanoscale features in the polymer by locally transforming the preceramic polymer via a chemical reaction causing it to undergo a permanent phase change into hardened, ceramic material, the chemical reaction activated with a prescribed activation energy supplied by heat and/or pressure applied by a probe tip; depositing new layers and continuing according to a desired three-dimensional pattern; by cross-linking unactivated preceramic polymer to act as a support medium that isolates a formed ceramic structure mechanically and/or electrically; and where the ceramic pattern is made electrically conductive by (a) incorporating dopant elements into or onto the preceramic polymer, or (b) performing the write step in a chemically-active environment that supplies dopant atoms during the chemical reaction. | 10-15-2009 |
20090256275 | THERMOMECHANICALLY-ACTIVATED TIP SHAPE AND REGISTRY RESTORATION FOR PROBE ARRAY DEVICES UTILIZING THERMOMECHANICALLY-ACTIVATED POLYMERS - A method of repairing worn or blunt probe tips, attaching a desired tip material, or defining the registry of probe tips relative to planar surface, including: pressing a probe tip or an array of probe tips into a substrate pre-patterned with an array of tip-shaped molds, the molds containing a preceramic material that can bond to the worn probe tips by thermal activation, the substrate having a protective layer that prevents the preceramic material and/or thermally-activated ceramic material from bonding to the substrate; pressing the worn probe tips into the molds while heating the worn probe tips causing the preceramic material to bond to the worn probe tips and form a solid ceramic material; forming an array comprising a plurality of reconstructed probe tips that are sharper or consisting of a different material than the original worn or base probe tips; and reading and/or writing, with the array comprising the plurality of reconstructed probe tips, data that was unreadable and/or unwritable with the original probe tips due to tip shape or lack of registry with a planar pattern. | 10-15-2009 |
20100026332 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SENSING A POSITION OF A PROBE - A device for sensing a position of a probe relative to a reference medium, the probe comprising a heater element with a temperature dependent electrical resistance and being adapted to determine probe position by measuring a parameter associated to a thermal relaxation time of the heater element. | 02-04-2010 |
20100059383 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PATTERNING A SURFACE OF A POLYMER LAYER - The present invention relates to a device for forming topographic features on a surface of a polymer layer comprising: a polymer layer ( | 03-11-2010 |
20100085056 | MAGNETO-RESISTANCE BASED TOPOGRAPHY SENSING - A topography sensor and method include a probe configured to traverse a surface to determine a topography. A stray magnetic field is disposed in proximity to the probe. A magneto-resistive sensor is configured so that the stray magnetic field passing through it changes in accordance with positional changes of the probe as the probe tip traverses the surface. | 04-08-2010 |
20100196661 | METHOD FOR PATTERNING NANO-SCALE PATTERNS OF MOLECULES ON A SURFACE OF A MATERIAL - Probe-based methods for patterning a surface of a material are described. In particular, high resolution patterning of molecules on a surface of a material, such as nano-scale patterns with feature sizes of less than 30 nanometers, are described. In one aspect, a method for patterning a surface of a material includes providing a material having a polymer film. A heated, nano-scale dimensioned probe is then used to desorb molecules upon interacting with the film. The film includes a network of molecules (such as molecular glasses) which are cross-linked via intermolecular (noncovalent) bonds, such as hydrogen bonds. | 08-05-2010 |
20100284264 | HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE MEDIUM, METHOD AND DEVICE - A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers comprising (a) a first monomer including an aryl ether ketone and (b) a second monomer including an aryl ether ketone and a first phenylethynyl moiety, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having a phenylethynyl moiety the same as or different from the first phenylethynyl moiety. The one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layer in an atomic force data storage device. | 11-11-2010 |
20100316960 | PATTERNING NANO-SCALE PATTERNS ON A FILM COMPRISING UNZIPPING POLYMER CHAINS - The invention concerns a method for patterning a surface of a material. A substrate having a polymer film thereon is provided. The polymer is a selectively reactive polymer (e.g. thermodynamically unstable): it is able to unzip upon suitable stimulation. A probe is used to create patterns on the film. During the patterning, the film is locally stimulated for unzipping polymer chains. Hence, a basic idea is to provide a stimulus to the polymeric material, which in turn spontaneously decomposes e.g. into volatile constituents. For example, the film is thermally stimulated in order to break a single bond in a polymer chain, which is sufficient to trigger the decomposition of the entire polymer chain. | 12-16-2010 |
20110020533 | SCANNING PROBE-BASED LITHOGRAPHY METHOD - A resist medium in which features are lithographically produced by scanning a surface of the medium with an AFM probe positioned in contact therewith. The resist medium comprises a substrate; and a polymer resist layer within which features are produced by mechanical action of the probe. The polymer contains thermally reversible crosslinkages. Also disclosed are methods that generally includes scanning a surface of the polymer resist layer with an AFM probe positioned in contact with the resist layer, wherein heating the probe and a squashing-type mechanical action of the probe produces features in the layer by thermally reversing the crosslinkages. | 01-27-2011 |
20110128840 | HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE MEDIUM, METHOD AND DEVICE - A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone polymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone polymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having two or more phenylethynyl moieties. The one or more polyaryletherketone polymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage devices. | 06-02-2011 |
20110199887 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE - The present invention is directed to a method for producing a data storage medium on a surface of a substrate for storing data in the form of topographic features. The method comprises a first step wherein a crosslinking agent containing at least three alkyne groups is deposited on the surface of the substrate. In a second step the deposited cross linking agent is cured so as to obtain the data storage medium in the form of a crosslinked polymeric layer on the surface of the substrate. The invention is further directed to a data storage medium obtained by this method and a data storage device comprising this data storage medium | 08-18-2011 |
20110257344 | THERMALLY REVERSIBLE CROSS-LINKED POLY(ARYL ETHER KETONE) MEDIA AND METHOD FOR HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE - A composition of matter for a recording medium in atomic force data storage devices. The composition includes one or more poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers, each of the one or more poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers including (a) a first monomer including an aryl ether ketone and (b) a second monomer including an aryl ether ketone and a hydrogen bonding cross-linking moiety, the moiety capable of forming two or more hydrogen bonds at room temperature, each of the one or more poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having a phenylethynyl moiety. The covalent and hydrogen bonding cross-linking of the poly(aryl ether ketone) oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles. | 10-20-2011 |
20120033539 | METHOD FOR HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE AND IMAGING - An approach is presented for designing a polymeric layer for nanometer scale thermo-mechanical storage devices. Cross-linked polyimide oligomers are used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage device, giving significantly improved performance when compared to previously reported cross-linked and linear polymers. The cross-linking of the polyimide oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles. Additionally, the cross-linked polyimide oligomers are suitable for use in nano-scale imaging. | 02-09-2012 |
20120034383 | METHOD FOR HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE AND IMAGING - An approach is presented for designing a polymeric layer for nanometer scale thermo-mechanical storage devices. Cross-linked polyimide oligomers are used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage device, giving significantly improved performance when compared to previously reported cross-linked and linear polymers. The cross-linking of the polyimide oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles. Additionally, the cross-linked polyimide oligomers are suitable for use in nano-scale imaging. | 02-09-2012 |
20120082944 | Patterning nano-scale patterns on a film comprising unzipping copolymers - The invention concerns a method for patterning a surface of a material. A substrate having a polymer film thereon is provided. The polymer is a selectively reactive polymer (e.g., thermodynamically unstable): it is able to unzip upon suitable stimulation. A probe is used to create patterns on the film. During the patterning, the film is locally stimulated for unzipping polymer chains. Hence, a basic idea is to provide a stimulus to the polymeric material, which in turn spontaneously decomposes e.g., into volatile constituents. For example, the film is thermally stimulated in order to break a single bond in a polymer chain, which is sufficient to trigger the decomposition of the entire polymer chain. | 04-05-2012 |
20120106314 | HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE MEDIUM, METHOD AND DEVICE - A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone polymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone polymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having two or more phenylethynyl moieties. The one or more polyaryletherketone polymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage devices. | 05-03-2012 |
20120147728 | HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE MEDIUM, METHOD AND DEVICE - A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers comprising (a) a first monomer including an aryl ether ketone and (b) a second monomer including an aryl ether ketone and a first phenylethynyl moiety, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having a phenylethynyl moiety the same as or different from the first phenylethynyl moiety. The one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layer in an atomic force data storage device. | 06-14-2012 |
20120155242 | METHOD FOR HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE AND IMAGING - An approach is presented for designing a polymeric layer for nanometer scale thermo-mechanical storage devices. Cross-linked polyimide oligomers are used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage device, giving significantly improved performance when compared to previously reported cross-linked and linear polymers. The cross-linking of the polyimide oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles. Additionally, the cross-linked polyimide oligomers are suitable for use in nano-scale imaging. | 06-21-2012 |
20120255073 | SCANNING PROBE LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND MATERIAL ACCORDINGLY OBTAINED - A scanning probe lithography (SPL) apparatus, an SPL method, and a material having a surface thickness patterned according to the SPL method. The apparatus includes: two or more probes with respective shapes, where the respective shapes are different and the respective shapes form, in operation, different patterns in a thickness of a surface of a material processed with the apparatus. | 10-04-2012 |
20120291376 | ARRANGEMENT FOR A LABORATORY ROOM - An arrangement for a laboratory room that is confined by a floor, a ceiling and walls connecting the floor with the ceiling, the arrangement comprises: a main base suspended on the floor; a tool base arranged on the main base; a platform arranged around the tool base, wherein the platform is permeable for air, and the platform is suspended at the walls; an air inlet arranged below the platform; an air outlet arranged above the tool base; and air guides for directing an air flow upwards at least partially parallel to the main base and/or the tool base. | 11-22-2012 |
20120295531 | OPERATING AN ARRANGEMENT FOR A LABORATORY ROOM - A method for operating the arrangement for a laboratory room confined by a floor, a ceiling and walls connecting the floor with the ceiling, including inducing an air flow from an air inlet through a platform to an air outlet in a substantially laminar fashion. The arrangement includes a main base suspended on the floor; a tool base arranged on the main base; a platform arranged around the tool base, wherein the platform is permeable for air, and the platform is suspended at the walls; the air inlet arranged below the platform; the air outlet arranged above the tool base; and air guides for directing an air flow upwards. | 11-22-2012 |
20120297905 | PATTERNING NANO-SCALE PATTERNS ON A FILM COMPRISING UNZIPPING COPOLYMERS - The invention concerns a method for patterning a surface of a material. A substrate having a polymer film thereon is provided. The polymer is a selectively reactive polymer (e.g., thermodynamically unstable): it is able to unzip upon suitable stimulation. A probe is used to create patterns on the film. During the patterning, the film is locally stimulated for unzipping polymer chains. Hence, a basic idea is to provide a stimulus to the polymeric material, which in turn spontaneously decomposes e.g., into volatile constituents. For example, the film is thermally stimulated in order to break a single bond in a polymer chain, which is sufficient to trigger the decomposition of the entire polymer chain. | 11-29-2012 |
20120301672 | PATTERNING NANO-SCALE PATTERNS ON A FILM COMPRISING UNZIPPING COPOLYMERS - The invention concerns a method for patterning a surface of a material. A substrate having a polymer film thereon is provided. The polymer is a selectively reactive polymer (e.g., thermodynamically unstable): it is able to unzip upon suitable stimulation. A probe is used to create patterns on the film. During the patterning, the film is locally stimulated for unzipping polymer chains. Hence, a basic idea is to provide a stimulus to the polymeric material, which in turn spontaneously decomposes e.g., into volatile constituents. For example, the film is thermally stimulated in order to break a single bond in a polymer chain, which is sufficient to trigger the decomposition of the entire polymer chain. | 11-29-2012 |
20130258478 | FABRICATION OF A MICRO-OPTICS DEVICE WITH CURVED SURFACE DEFECTS - A method of fabrication of a micro-optics device included providing a layer of material; patterning the layer of material by one or more of: locally unzipping and desorbing molecules thereof, with a nano-scale dimensioned probe, to obtain a curved surface for the layer of material, the curved surface having a curved profile in a plane section; and completing a layer structure perpendicular to the plane section by providing one or more additional layers of material in contact with the curved surface to obtain the micro-optics device, wherein the micro-optics device has the layer structure, with a given layer thereof comprising a defect delimited by two surfaces, wherein one of the two surfaces is the curved surface. | 10-03-2013 |
20130284598 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR POSITIONING NANO-OBJECTS WITH ASPECT RATIOS - A method for positioning nano-objects on a surface and an apparatus for implementing the method. The method includes: providing a first surface and a second surface in a position facing each other, where one or more of the surfaces exhibits one or more position structures having dimensions on the nanoscale; providing an ionic liquid suspension of the nano-objects between the two surfaces, where the suspension comprises two electrical double layers each formed at an interface with a respective one of the two surfaces, and the surfaces have electrical charges of the same sign; enabling the nano-objects in the suspension to position according to a potential energy resulting from the electrical charge of the two surfaces; and depositing one or more of the nano-objects on the first surface according to the positioning structures by shifting the minima of the potential energy towards the first surface. | 10-31-2013 |
20140301178 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HIGH DENSITY DATA STORAGE - A local probe storage array is provided that includes a substrate, and a polymeric layer over the substrate, the polymeric layer comprising a crosslinking agent that has been cured, the crosslinking agent comprising at least three alkyne groups. | 10-09-2014 |
20150069472 | ELECTROMECHANICAL SWITCHING DEVICE WITH 2D LAYERED MATERIAL SURFACES - The present invention is notably directed to an electromechanical switching device having: two electrodes, including: a first electrode, having layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; and a second electrode, having layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface vis-à-vis said first surface; and an actuation mechanism, where: each of the first and second 2D layered materials is electrically conducting; and at least one of said two electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism to modify a distance between the first surface and the second surface, such as to modify an electrical conductivity transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface and thereby enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode. | 03-12-2015 |