| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 20090011253 | METHOD OF PRODUCING A DATA STORAGE MEDIUM - The present invention relates a method of producing a data storage medium comprising the steps of: a) coating a layer comprising a polymer material onto at least a part of a template surface thereby to obtain a modified template surface; b) clamping the modified template surface produced in step (a) with a target surface thereby to obtain an assembly; and c) introducing a liquid to an environment of the assembly obtained in step (b) thereby to transfer the layer comprising the polymer material of the modified template surface onto at least an adjacent region on the target surface. | 01-08-2009 |
| 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 |
| 20100085071 | THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE AND METHOD - A system, device and method for electrically addressing an element include providing a thermoelectric layer in proximity with an area to be addressed and positioning a probe in proximity of the thermoelectric layer. Electrical activity is induced in the thermoelectric layer by applying heat from the probe. A response is caused in the area to be addressed. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100175156 | Three-Dimensional Imaging and Manipulation - A three-dimensional imaging and manipulation tool is provided. Techniques for creating a three-dimensional imaging and manipulation tool include combining high-resolution capability of a probe with three-dimensional imaging capability of a heater sensor. Also, techniques for positioning a nano-manipulation device relative to a surface are provided. The techniques include using a heater sensor for non-contact imaging, linking the heater sensor to the nano-manipulation device, and positioning the nano-manipulation relative device to a surface. | 07-08-2010 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
