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Patent Number: |
7538332 |
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Case ID: |
0 |
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Patent Title:
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Method of Z-lift electrostatic nanolithography
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Status: |
ACTIVE |
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Status Date: |
2/3/2010 2:05:01 PM |
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Issue Date:
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5/26/2009 |
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Filed Date:
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9/1/2005 |
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Serial #:
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1/217,843 |
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Assignee Name:
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The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
(Washington,
DC)
N/A
(
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Inventor(s):
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Juhl, Shane , Lyuksyutov, Sergei F. , Vaia, Richard A. |
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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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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to nanolithography and specifically to a polymer electrostatic nanolithography method based upon Z-lift electrostatic Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
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. It is known that a fundamental limitation for the density of magnetic storage media such as computer floppy disks and the like is the so-called superparamagnetic
limit that is related to spin-spin interactions. Ultra compact data storage in thin polymer films is a promising alternative to ferromagnetic storage mediums because polymer data storage overcomes this fundamental limitation, enabling ultra dense
storage.
Techniques . . . . More |
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The method of the present invention utilizes atomic force microscopy
techniques (AFM) for the reversible formation of nanoscale polymeric
features by localized heating and mechanical deformation, generated
through electrostatically mediated interactions across the polymer film
between a conductive backplane and the cantilever AFM tip. This technique
utilizes a selective lifting/placement of the cantilevered tip in the z
direction (perpendicular to the planar surface of the polymer) to produce
nanostructures of precise dimensions in contact AFM mode from regions of
polymer locally heated by current flow between the cantilever AFM tip and
the conductive substrate.
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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, said cantilever tip including a selectively operable feedback loop controller; providing a thin polymer film mounted upon a conductive wafer; installing said thin polymer film within said atomic force microscope; bringing said cantilever
tip into proximity with the surface of said polymer; disabling said feedback loop; applying a preselected voltage to said cantilever tip by ramping the voltage from zero to the preselected voltage over a finite time period; positioning said cantilever
tip in the z direction with respect to the surface of said polymer film to create features thereon, said positioning including retracting the cantilever tip from the surface of said polymer film for creation of positive features thereon and extending the
cantilever tip towards the surface of . . . . More |
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