nanoREV.

NSTI 2008 Highlights

The annual NSTI Nanotech Conference and Trade Show was held this week in Boston, Ma. Some of the highlights include:

A keynote speech by Congressman Jay Inslee, author of Apollo’s Fire: Igniting America’s Clean Energy Economy.  Congressman Inslee made the comparison between the challenge of the moon landing confronting U.S. science and technology in the 1960’s to the current challenges of renewable/clean energy.

During a Nanotech IP and funding session Brent Segal, COO of Nantero, discussed strategies for developing patent portfolios and noted the importance of developing application patents around core nanomaterials patents and of having inventors contribute to the writing of their patent specifications (as opposed leaving the interpretation of a technical disclosure solely in the hands of the inventor’s patent attorney). In related Nantero news a deal with SVTC was announced to advance commercialization of their NRAM memory. During this same session the importance of continuations in nanotechnology patenting, filing in China, and the mixed benefits of provisional patent applications were discussed (the consensus was that they should only be used as a last resort).     

Chad Mirkin discussed recent technical advances made in dip pen nanolithography by Nanoink including the extension of 2D tip arrays to densities in the range of millions of tips per cm² by forming the tips within an integrated elastomeric stamp similar to nanoimprint lithography but which used the meniscus transport properties characteristic of Nanoink’s previous probe tip arrays.  Additional developments mentioned include multiple chemistry tip arrays and the development of “eraser” tips functionalized to correct improperly patterned areas. While current applications are focused on mask and flat panel display repair, the potential for application in bioarrays, sensors, nanoscale encryption, and molecular electronics were discussed.

Jerry Hallmark of Motorola discussed the impact of nanomaterials in future cell phone and portable electronic designs. Micro-fuel cells were discussed as one of the main areas Motorola is exploring as a higher energy density power source for cell phones and Motorola is in joint development with Unidym focusing on developing SWNTs for electrodes of fuel cells. It was noted that Angstrom Power also recently demonstrated  a micro-fuel cell for the SLVR handset.