Nanotechnology is the construction of useful chemicals and machines built from individual atoms and molecules, with a typical dimension of between 1 and 100 nanometers. How small is that? Many consumer products now available on the market already use nanotechnology.
Recent Developments in Nanotechnology
- On September 29, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a press release announcing a research plan to research possible health and environmental risks of nanomaterials.
- January 2009, Stanford University researchers announce the development of the world's smallest writing.
The opportunities available to those in the nanotechnology field are enormous. From medicines that make us healthier to products that make our lives easier, this emerging field is bringing wondrous new items to the marketplace. Unfortunately, risks and challenges are also part of the landscape. Inventions must be protected, regulatory agencies kept informed, and policy matters addressed.
Stites & Harbison has a team of Intellectual Property and Technology (“IPT”) attorneys experienced in handling sophisticated transactions, difficult litigation, and complex regulatory issues nationwide.
The firm’s patent attorneys have extensive experience in prosecuting domestic and foreign patent applications covering a wide range of technologies, including nanotechnology.
Our attorneys have been active in assisting all types of inventors and companies, including Fortune 500 companies, major universities, established domestic and international brick-and-mortar businesses, Internet start-ups, and independent inventors.
The attorneys of the IPT Group not only prosecute patent applications, but also assist clients in protecting existing patent rights, and developing and implementing intellectual property protection plans. This service has included validity opinions, infringement opinions, right-to-use opinions, and patentability opinions. The group also negotiates licenses and technology transfer agreements, and manages and conducts litigation to protect and enforce patent rights.
The IPT Group has extensive experience in litigating intellectual property matters before federal and state courts throughout the nation, as well as all levels of appeals, including the United States Supreme Court. The IPT Group’s attorneys have handled a large number of significant and well-known intellectual property disputes and have served as lead counsel in intellectual property litigation in more than 30 states.
The firm’s patent attorneys have the training and expertise it takes to prosecute patents in a broad range of scientific and technical fields. These include biological and chemical technologies, and other high technologies, including processors, electro-mechanical, telecommunications, software, thermal engineering, RF interference, printed circuit board design, microprocessor design, and general electronic manufacturing services.
Among the most recent patents issued or published with Stites & Harbison patent attorneys in the area of nanotechnology are the following:
U.S. Patent No. 7,597,941 discloses a method to synthesize and control the morphology of tubular nanostructures. Tubular nanostructures of different shapes are possible through controlling the wetting behavior of a low melting metal and a nonreactive substrate in different gas phase growth environments. The patent was issued on October 6, 2009, and was prosecuted by Robert C. Yang and Mandy Wilson Decker.
U.S. Patent No. 7,591,897 — A METHOD FOR THE RAPID SYNTHESIS OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF METAL OXIDE NANOWIRES AT LOW TEMPERATURES. This patent discloses a process to facilitate the fabrication of metal oxide nanowires by treating metals with oxygen plasma at low temperatures. The optimal oxygen atom density in the oxygen plasma for nanowire synthesis differs for different materials. By optimizing that oxygen atom density, nanowire synthesis yield can be maximized. The patent was issued on September 22, 2009, and was prosecuted by Robert C. Yang.
U.S. Patent No. 6,890,233 — METHOD OF MAKING LOW GATE CURRENT MULTILAYER EMITTER WITH VERTICAL THIN-FILM-EDGE MULTILAYER EMITTER
U.S. Patent No. 6,590,322 — LOW GATE CURRENT FIELD EMITTER CELL AND ARRAY WITH VERTICAL THIN-FILM-EDGE EMITTER
U.S. Patent No. 6,568,979 — METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A LOW GATE CURRENT FIELD EMITTER CELL AND ARRAY WITH VERTICAL THIN-FILM-EDGE EMITTER
U.S. Patent No. 6,448,701 — SELF-ALIGNED INTEGRALLY GATED NANOFILAMENT FIELD EMITTER CELL AND ARRAY
