US Patent 8158193 - Highly luminescent color-selective nanocrystals

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8158193.html

This patent from M.I.T. has priority going back to 1997 and includes some basic claims for nanocrystal core-shell quantum dots. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composition comprising a population of nanocrystals,

wherein each nanocrystal of the population comprises a core including a first semiconductor material and an overcoating including a second semiconductor material deposited on the core,

wherein the population exhibits photoluminescence having a quantum yield of at least 30% and emit light in a spectral range of about 37 nm or less full width at half max (FWHM) when irradiated.

US Patent 8148001 - Energy storage using nanotube molecules

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8148001.html

The deformation of elastic springs is one of the oldest forms of energy storage but suffers from a low energy storage density. This patent based on research conducted at M.I.T. teaches a way to use carbon nanotube material for elastic spring energy storage which may improve energy storage density. Claim 1 reads:

1. An energy storage device comprising;

at least one nanotube structure having one nanotube, a multi-molecular assembly of interacting nanotubes, an array of non-interacting nanotubes, or non-interacting assemblies of interacting nanotubes, said at least one nanotube structure being independent of electric charge or current; and

an energy storage, maintenance, and recovery mechanism for converting energy that is external to said energy storage device into potential energy by applying strain on said at least one nanotube structure, maintaining said potential energy of strain for an arbitrary period of time, with no losses due to friction, by fixating said at least one nanotube structure in a non-moving state, and converting said potential energy of strain back into external energy by relaxing said strain on said at least one nanotube structure.

US Patent 8093144 - Nanoassembly using charge patterns

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8093144.html

This patent from MIT has priority going back to 2002 and teaches a type of nanoscale bottom up assembly based on the use of charge patterns to attract molecular structures. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for forming a feature, the method comprising:

creating a net charge pattern on a substrate by means of at least one energy beam, the charge pattern having a first type of charge; and

introducing a plurality of at least one of molecular-size scale and nanoscale building blocks to a region proximate the charge pattern, the building blocks having a second type of charge and directly imaging the charge pattern to form the feature, the building blocks being introduced by dusting, such that the building blocks adhere only to the charge pattern.

US Patent 8075863 - Growing nanowires in a microfluidic environment

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8075863.html

Typically nanowires and nanotubes are grown in reaction chambers having sizes ranging from centimeters to meters in which localized control of growth conditions is difficult. This patent from M.I.T. teaches a method of growing nanostructures in a microfluidic environment to provide localized control of growth conditions. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of growing an elongated nanostructure, comprising:

causing a nanoparticle catalyst to float in a microfluidic channel by applying a magnetic or an electromagnetic field;

flowing a fluid in a first direction in the microfluidic channel;

initiating growth of an elongated nanostructure from the nanoparticle catalyst while the catalyst is floating in the microfluidic channel; and

continuing growth of the elongated nanostructure substantially in the first direction in the microfluidic channel.

US Patent 7943552 - Quantum dot nanocrystal inventory control

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7943552.html

This patent from M.I.T. has priority going back to 1998 and includes some basic claims to using semiconductor quantum dots for inventory control. Claim 1 reads:

1. A library of compounds, wherein each compound in the library is bound to an individual support, each support having associated therewith more than one population of semiconductor nanocrystals, each population having a distinct characteristic spectral emission, wherein each compound is attached to the support during a synthesis sequence, wherein each nanocrystal comprises a Group II-VI semiconductor, a Group III-V semiconductor, or a Group IV semiconductor selected from a group consisting of ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, MgTe, GaN, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, InSb, AlP, AlSb, AlS, Ge, or Si.

US Patent 7884525 - Nanotube compliant MEMS

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7884525.html

Nanoscale mechanical grippers have long been proposed in science fiction as a way to enable the molecular nanotechnology envisioned by Eric Drexler. This patent teaches a way to use nanotubes to construct the compliant portions of such gripping devices. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nano-scale compliant mechanism comprising:

a grounded component;

a mechanical coupler disposed to move relative to the grounded component; and

a plurality of nanotubes having first and second ends, the first ends of the nanotubes being coupled to the grounded component and the second ends of the nanotubes being coupled to the coupler, the nanotubes being compliant relative to the grounded component and the coupler;

wherein the coupler is disposed for substantially linear motion relative to the grounded component.

US Patent 7825405 - Core/shell nanocrystal heterostructure

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7825405.html

This patent from M.I.T. teaches a variation of type-II heterostructure nanocrystals having enhanced photoconversion efficiency. Claim 1 reads:

1. A device comprising a coated nanocrystal comprising:

a core nanocrystal including a first semiconductor material;

an overcoating including a second semiconductor material on the core nanocrystal; and

an organic layer on a surface of the coated nanocrystal, wherein the first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material are selected so that, upon excitation, one charge carrier is substantially confined to the core and the other charge carrier is substantially confined to the overcoating.

US Patent 7818065 - Conducting polymer nanowire brain-machine interface

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7818065.html

Over the last several years there have been a variety of implementations of brain-computer interfaces. One problem with such devices is that most electrode materials are not biocompatible and over time the detectable signal strength weakens. This patent is based on a collaboration between New York University and M.I.T. and teaches a way to use polymer nanowires to achieve a more biocompatible solution. Claim 1 reads:

1. A system for transmitting electrical signals to a biological target using vascular-based probes, said system comprising:

a plurality of conducting polymer nanowires, each nanowire having a distal end and a proximal end, and an associated probe portion located at the distal end of each nanowire;

the plurality of conducting polymer nanowires being introduced directly into a vascular territory to which signals are transmitted;

wherein the distal end of at least one of the plurality of conducting polymer nanowires is selectively deflectable, thereby allowing at least one of controlled directing of electrical current to a particular area for stimulation and controlled guiding of the polymer nanowires introduced directly into and within the vascular area; and

an electronic interface circuit in electrical communication with the plurality of conducting polymer nanowires, said electronic interface circuit comprising an interface module for interfacing the conducting polymer nanowires with a microwire located in the vicinity of the proximal ends of the conducting polymer nanowires.

US Patent 7692373 - Qdot white light

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7692373.html

This patent from Lumileds Lighting has very early priority (April 1998) and includes claims to white light LEDs formed using quantum dot. Claim 1 reads:

1. A white light emitting device comprising:

a blue primary light source;

a first layer in optical communication with the blue primary light source and comprising quantum dots of a material and size adapted to emit red secondary light; and

a second layer in optical communication with said first layer and said primary light source and comprising quantum dots of a material and size adapted to emit green secondary light.

US Patent 7651926 - Electrostatic patterning of nanostructures

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7651926.html

This patent from M.I.T. teaches a form of nanolithography in which electrostatic patterns are used to attract oppositely charged nanostructures allowing more complex structures to be formed then that which rely on self-assembly. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for forming a structure, comprising the steps of:

forming a charge pattern on a substrate, the charge pattern having a first type of charge; and
using an electrospray apparatus, introducing a plurality of nanoscale or molecular size scale building blocks to a region proximate the charge pattern, the building blocks having a second type of charge and adhering to the charge pattern to form the structure.

US Patent 7641882 - Fullerene coated carbon black

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7641882.html

This patent is from M.I.T. and teaches a way to chemically bond fullerene to carbon black in order to create improved inkjet inks. Claim 1 reads:

1. Fullerenic structures chemically bonded to a surface of a bulk carbon material wherein the average fullerene concentration on the surface of the bulk carbon material is at least 87 molecules per 1000 nanometers of perimeter.

US Patent 7566476 - High spectral purity quantum dots

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7566476.html

This patent is from M.I.T. and has some relatively early priority (1997) to a method of nanocrystal separation to produce a narrow spectrum photoluminescence from the nanocrystals. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of producing a population of coated nanocrystals that exhibit photoluminescence having a quantum yield of greater than about 30%, comprising:

synthesizing a plurality of nanocrystal cores made from a first semiconductor material; and

size-separating a select population of nanocrystal cores from the plurality of synthesized cores, wherein the population of coated nanocrystals emit light in a spectral range of no greater than about 40 nm full width at half max (FWHM) when irradiated.

US Patent 7507987 - Trench grown nanotubes

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7507987.html

This patent from M.I.T. teaches a method of forming "nanopellets" of carbon nanotubes disposed in blocks of dielectric materials formed in trenches in order to facilitate the handling of carbon nanotube materials of uniform length and spacing. Claim 1 reads:

1. A device comprising:

a silicon substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, with the first surface having a trench provided therein, the trench having a base surface which corresponds to a bottom of the trench and wherein a depth of the trench is defined as a distance between the base surface of the trench and the first surface of the substrate;

a catalyst disposed at a first location on the base surface of the trench;

at least one nanostructure disposed in said trench such that each of said at least one nanostructures projects from the base surface of the trench at the first location with each of said at least one nanostructures having a length at least equal to the depth of the trench; and

a quantity of dielectric filler material disposed in said trench and such that each of said at least one nanostructure is entirely embedded in said quantity of dielectric filler material and such that said quantity of dielectric filler material holds each of said at least one nanostructures in a fixed position within said trench.

US Patent 7476442 - Ligand linked nanoparticle chain

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7476442.html

This patent from M.I.T. appears to disclose a method of making a nanoparticle chain system analogous to polymeric chains of molecules. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for creating a multiple-nanoparticle assembly in a controlled fashion, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of nanoparticles;

providing a plurality of ligands, each of the ligands comprising at least one linker arm;

attaching at least one ligand to each of the plurality of nanoparticles; and

reacting at least one ligand linker arm with a linker arm of a ligand attached to another nanoparticle, forming an assembly of multiple nanoparticles.

US Patent 7470473 - Nanocrystal composite laser

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7470473.html

Most conventional lasers are limited in their spectral output. However, the use of quantum dot nanocrystals provides a degree of tuning of photoemission based on the nanocrystal size distribution. This patent from M.I.T. teaches a nanocrystal metal oxide composite used for lasing. Claim 1 reads:

1. A laser comprising:

a grating; and

a semiconductor nanocrystal layer disposed on the grating, the layer including a plurality of semiconductor nanocrystals including a Group II-VI compound, the nanocrystals being distributed in a metal oxide matrix.

US Patent 7465871- Thermoelectric nanomaterials with small band offset

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7465871.html

This patent is based on a collaboration between M.I.T. and Boston College and teaches incorporating semiconductor nanostructures in a host semiconductor formed of a material having a different energy level than the nanostructures to enhance thermal efficiency in applications such as thermoelectric cooling.

1. A thermoelectric nanocomposite semiconductor composition, comprising:

a semiconductor host material, and

a plurality of nano-sized inclusions distributed randomly within said host material, said inclusions being formed of a semiconductor inclusion material, wherein said host material comprises dopants, and wherein the conduction band-edge offset or a valence band-edge offset between said host material and the inclusion material at an interface of the two materials is less than about 5kBT, wherein kB is the Boltzman constant and T is an average temperature of said nanocomposite composition.

US Patent 7449237 - Quantum dot microspheres

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7449237.html

This patent from M.I.T. teaches microspheres having quantum dots formed in the peripheral surface which provide a luminous biotag having chemical and light stability. Claim 1 reads:

1. A microsphere comprising:

a central region including a first inorganic material; and

a peripheral region on a surface of the central region, the peripheral region including a second inorganic material and a semiconductor nanocrystal incorporated in the second inorganic material and covalently linked to the second inorganic material.

US Patent 7425368 - Nanotube filler for polymer orientation

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7425368.html

This patent from M.I.T. teaches the use of carbon nanotube or nanofiber filler to enhance the orientation of molecular structures in spun polymer fibers to create stronger materials such as improved Kevlar. Claim 1 reads:

1. Filler-enhanced polymeric fiber comprising:

a polymeric fiber; and

high aspect ratio filler particles dispersed within the polymeric fiber and in intimate contact during processing with the polymeric fiber, the filler particles, having an interfiber spacing of less than 350 nanometers, serving as templates to orient the molecular structure of the polymer fiber to enhance fiber mechanical properties.

However, some relevant prior art may have been overlooked such as the article "Electrospinning of Continuous Carbon Nanotube-Filled Nanofiber Yarns" published over a year prior to the priority date of this patent.

US Patent 7394094 - Barbell shaped nanocrystal with electron/hole separation

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7394094.html

This patent from M.I.T. teaches a nanocrystal heterostructure in the shape of a barbell that allows for electron and hole separation for enhanced quantum efficiency electronic and photonic applications. Claim 1 reads:

1. A semiconductor nanocrystal comprising:

a central region and a first end, the central region including a first semiconductor material; and

a distal region at the first end of the nanocrystal, the distal region including a second semiconductor material,

wherein the first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material are selected so that, upon excitation, one charge carrier is substantially confined to the central region and the other charge carrier is substantially confined to the distal region.

US Patent 7390568 - Exciton separation with core/shell nanocrystals

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7390568.html

Excitons are formed from bound states of electrons and holes in insulating and semiconducting materials and are often involved in applications involving light sensing, light emission, and photovoltaics. This patent from M.I.T. teaches forming coated nanocrystals in which excitons can be bound via the core and shell of the nanocrystal. Claim 1 reads:


1. A method of preparing a coated nanocrystal comprising:

introducing a core nanocrystal including a first semiconductor material into an overcoating reaction mixture; and

overcoating a second semiconductor material on the core nanocrystal, wherein the first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material are selected so that, upon excitation of the nanocrystal to form an exciton, one charge carrier of the exciton is substantially confined to the core and the other charge carrier of the exciton is substantially confined to the overcoating.