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Patent Number: |
7431970 |
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Case ID: |
0 |
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Patent Title:
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Method of polymer nanolithography
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Status: |
ACTIVE |
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Status Date: |
2/3/2010 10:32:13 AM |
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Issue Date:
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10/7/2008 |
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Filed Date:
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3/25/2004 |
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Serial #:
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0/817,406 |
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Assignee Name:
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United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
(Washington,
DC)
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Inventor(s):
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Lyuksyutov, Sergei , Juhl, Shane , Vaia, Richard |
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Lab Name: |
Materials & Manufacturing Directorate |
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Location: |
Building 653, Room 406
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7734 |
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Contact: |
Contact Lab About This Patent |
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RIGHTS OF THE GOVERNMENT
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for all governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to nanolithography and specifically to a polymer electrostatic nanolithography method using Atomic Force Microscopy.
The use of nano and micro-scale structuring of polymers, whether as a sacrificial, pattern-transfer layer or as the active component in a nano-device, is integral to nearly every aspect of future material fabrication. Two general areas of
interest are polymer patterning for micro/nanofabrication and ultra dense data storage. Ultra compact data storage in thin polymer films is a promising alternative to sometimes unreliable ferromagnetic storage mediums such as computer floppy disks and
the like.
Recent nanolithography investigations to date are based on the spatially se . . . . More |
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An atomic force microscopy polymer nanolithography method is described.
The method of the present invention enables rapid creation of raised or
depressed features in a polymer film. The features are generated by mass
transport of polymer within an initially uniform, planar film via
localized softening of attoliters of polymer by Joule heating. This
localized softening of the polymer is accomplished by current flow
between the AFM tip and a conductive wafer upon which the layer of
polymer is mounted.
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The invention claimed is:
1. A polymer nanolithography method, comprising the steps of: providing an atomic force microscope; providing a conductive cantilever tip within said atomic force
microscope; providing a thin polymer film mounted upon a conductive wafer; installing said thin polymer film within said atomic force microscope; establishing a relative humidity within said atomic force microscope between about 10 to about 70
percent; setting an initial tip-surface distance by applying a voltage to said cantilever tip such that no mechanical deformation of the surface of said polymer film during scanning occurs; and, forming nanoscale features upon said polymer by
selectively varying said voltage applied to said cantilever tip to effect a desired localized softening of attoliters of said polymer by Joule heating.
2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of erasing said polymer by annealing at a temperature greater than T.sub.g for a sufficient tim . . . . More |
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