US Patent 7465595 - AFM manufacture of quantum dot electronics

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7465595.html

This patent from Fujitsu teaches using atomic force microscopes to form quantum dot electronic structures. With high density AFM arrays this type of technology could eventually enable production of quantum computers. Claim 1 reads:

1. A manufacturing method of a quantum device, comprising the steps of:

bringing a tip of an atomic force microscope to which a negative bias is applied into contact with a surface of a semiconductor substrate to form a ring-shaped oxide film on the surface of the semiconductor substrate in an atmosphere containing water;

forming a ring-shaped groove in the surface of the semiconductor substrate by removing the oxide film; and

growing a semiconductor film in the groove.