High-Speed Nano Fountain Pen (23014)

The high-speed nano fountain pen continuously feeds ink to an array of tips that deposit ink on a surface. The high-speed nano fountain pen incorporates special dispensing nanotips with micro-channels to transport fluid from reservoirs to nanotips.

Improvements over existing technology include:

Continuous feeding of ink with increased speed as the result. Ability to fabricate in arrays, with increased speed and mass production capability as the results The high-speed nano fountain pen provides nanometer resolution in writing and patterning. It enables large-scale production of arrays because it is manufactured with standard micro-fabrication methods (thin film deposition, lithography, etching).

APPLICATIONS: The range of applications include ink printing, nanolithography (writing with resists), direct patterning for functionalized area biodetection, microelectrochemistry and new working modes for scanning probe microscopy. The invention supports nano-lithography to dispense materials, to form patterns on surfaces, to initiate local reactions or exchange ions, or to perform voltametry in nanometer-size confined spaces.

STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT: A schematic of the high-speed nano fountain pen is provided below. The nano fountain pen has experimentally demonstrated the ability to write 40-50nm patterns, whereby the ink was transmitted from reservoir to tip. Simultaneous writing of two molecular inks has been demonstrated using a one-dimensional array of nano fountain pens. The nano fountain pen has been used to directly deposit 15 nm gold particles and to pattern single strand DNA. In addition, the inventors have experimentally demonstrated a cantilever actuation device to bend the cantilever and apply the tip to the surface.

Issued Patent No.: 7,250,139.

Inventor(s): Horacio Espinosa, Nicolaie Moldovan, Keun-Ho Kim

Type of Offer: Licensing



Next Patent »
« More Nanotech Patents

Share on      


CrowdSell Your Patent