US Patent 7276385 - Nanoparticles for circuit repair

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7276385.html

Kovio is a company focusing on the use of printing technologies to fabricate electronics with less expense. This patent uses laser irradiation of a thin film of nanoparticles to selectively form wiring patterns for circuit repair and subsequent removal of the nanoparticles that were not irradiated. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of repairing a circuit, comprising the steps of: a) depositing a thin film composition comprising nanoparticles of at least one electrically functional material on or over a region of said circuit to be repaired such that said thin film composition contacts first and second elements of said circuit; b) irradiating at least a portion of the thin film composition with a wavelength of light for a length of time and at an intensity sufficient to convert said nanoparticles to an electronically functional film, fuse said nanoparticles or bind said nanoparticles to each other; and c) locally rinsing said irradiated thin film with a developer to remove non-irradiated portions or portions adjacent to the irradiated portion of the composition.