US Patent 7196386 - Spin polarized memory using fullerene

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7196386.html

Memory devices that use electron spin rather than electron charge to store data have been experimented with using mostly paramagnetic and semiconductor materials. This patent from Sony explains that the use of fullerene films in forming spin conduction layers allows for a longer coherence length for the spin to allow for practical operation. Claim 1 reads:

1. A memory element wherein recording information is written by injecting spin-polarized electrons, the memory element comprising: a spin conduction layer made of a spherical shell or cylindrical molecule material having a hollow portion, and wherein the spin-polarized electrons are conducted by the spin conduction layer.

US Patent 7189681 - C20 superconductor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7189681.pdf

This is an interesting case for enablement issues (35 USC 112 1st) of nanotech cases which went to the Board of Patent Appeals for the US patent office. The patent claims a fullerene superconducting wire based on C20 but was rejected by the Examiner based on insufficient test data to justify the claim of superconductivity. The Examiner was reversed by the Board which stressed the burden on the Examiner to establish a prima facie case of non-enablement even when the patent application is lacking in test data. Claim 1 reads:

1. A superconducting material comprising a structure wherein C.sub.20 Fullerene molecules are polymerized into a one-dimensional chain.