Nanoparticle-based electrical, chemical, and mechanical structures and methods of making same

US6294401A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology · US

Inventors

• Joseph M. Jacobson · Newton, US
• Brian N. Hubert · Redwood City, US
• Brent Ridley · Redwood City, US
• Babak Nivi · Boston, US
• Sawyer Fuller · Los Osos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 17, 1999
• Grant date: Sep 25, 2001
• Expiry date: Jun 17, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S977/777
• WIPO field: Basic materials chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Nanoparticles are utilized to create, through deposition and patterning, functional electronic, electromechanical, and mechanical systems. At sizes ranging from 1 to 999 nm, the ratio of surface atoms to interior atoms becomes non-negligible, and particle properties therefore lie between those of the bulk and atomic materials. Monodisperse (i.e., uniformly sized) or polydisperse nanoparticles can form stable colloids or suspensions in appropriate dispersing media, facilitating their deposition and processing in a liquid state. As a result, printing technology can be utilized to deposit and pattern nanoparticles for mass production or for personal desktop manufacturing.