US Patent 7304357 - Clamped nanotube films for non-volatile memory

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7304357.html

In order to avoid problems created by stiction forces on the microscale several MEMS technologies have adapted spacer structures to limit the motion of the movable member. This patent from Nantero seems to deal with the same problem confronting nanotube ribbons used in non-volatile memory. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanotube article, comprising: a first structure; a conductive trace of defined orientation disposed on the first structure, wherein the trace has a central region and a plurality of edges, wherein the trace comprises a plurality of unaligned nanotubes, each nanotube generally extending along the trace, wherein each nanotube is not constrained to being parallel to the orientation of the trace; and a first clamp in contact with the trace and with the first structure, wherein the first clamp overlaps a first defined region of the trace.