Patents by Inventor Armin W. Knoll
Armin W. Knoll has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20160148770Abstract: An electromechanical switching device includes a first electrode, comprising layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; a second electrode, comprising layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface opposite the first surface; and an actuation mechanism; wherein each of the first and second 2D layered materials has an anisotropic electrical conductivity, which is lower transversely to its layers than in-plane with the layers; the first electrode includes two distinct areas alongside the first surface, which areas differ in at least one structural, electrical and/or magnetic property; and at least one of the first and second electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism, such that actuation thereof for modification of an electrical conductance transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface to enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2015Publication date: May 26, 2016Inventors: Urs T. Duerig, Armin W. Knoll, Elad Koren, Emanuel Loertscher
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Publication number: 20160139311Abstract: A method of fabrication of a micro-optics device included providing a layer of material; patterning the layer of material by one or more of: locally unzipping and desorbing molecules thereof, with a nano-scale dimensioned probe, to obtain a curved surface for the layer of material, the curved surface having a curved profile in a plane section; and completing a layer structure perpendicular to the plane section by providing one or more additional layers of material in contact with the curved surface to obtain the micro-optics device, wherein the micro-optics device has the layer structure, with a given layer thereof comprising a defect delimited by two surfaces, wherein one of the two surfaces is the curved surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2015Publication date: May 19, 2016Inventors: Fei Ding, Urs T. Duerig, Armin W. Knoll, Rainer F. Mahrt, Thilo H. Stoeferle
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Patent number: 9281060Abstract: A device is disclosed, comprising: a first layer including a first molecular network having a first 2D lattice structure, a second layer including a second molecular network having a second 2D lattice structure, wherein the first layer and the second layer are arranged at a distance from each other such that the first and the second molecular network interact electronically via molecular orbital interactions, and a rotation device implemented to rotate the first layer relative to the second layer by a rotation angle, wherein an electrical resistance between the first molecular network and the second molecular network changes as a function of the rotation angle.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2015Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Urs T. Duerig, Armin W. Knoll, Elad Koren, Emanuel Loertscher
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Publication number: 20160064014Abstract: The present invention relates a method of producing a data storage medium comprising the steps of: a) coating a layer comprising a polymer material onto at least a part of a template surface thereby to obtain a modified template surface; b) clamping the modified template surface produced in step (a) with a target surface thereby to obtain an assembly; and c) introducing a liquid to an environment of the assembly obtained in step (b) thereby to transfer the layer comprising the polymer material of the modified template surface onto at least an adjacent region on the target surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2015Publication date: March 3, 2016Inventors: Urs T. Duerig, Bernd W. Gotsmann, Armin W. Knoll
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Publication number: 20160056003Abstract: An electromechanical switching device includes a first electrode, comprising layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; a second electrode, comprising layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface opposite the first surface; and an actuation mechanism; wherein each of the first and second 2D layered materials has an anisotropic electrical conductivity, which is lower transversely to its layers than in-plane with the layers; the first electrode includes two distinct areas alongside the first surface, which areas differ in at least one structural, electrical and/or magnetic property; and at least one of the first and second electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism, such that actuation thereof for modification of an electrical conductance transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface to enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2015Publication date: February 25, 2016Inventors: Urs T. Duerig, Armin W. Knoll, Elad Koren, Emanuel Loertscher
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Publication number: 20160039965Abstract: A local probe storage array is provided that includes a substrate, and a polymeric layer over the substrate, the polymeric layer comprising a crosslinking agent comprising at least three alkyne groups.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2015Publication date: February 11, 2016Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Urs T. DUERIG, Bernd W. GOTSMANN, Armin W. KNOLL, David S. PIRES
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Patent number: 9256014Abstract: A method of fabrication of a micro-optics device included providing a layer of material; patterning the layer of material by one or more of: locally unzipping and desorbing molecules thereof, with a nano-scale dimensioned probe, to obtain a curved surface for the layer of material, the curved surface having a curved profile in a plane section; and completing a layer structure perpendicular to the plane section by providing one or more additional layers of material in contact with the curved surface to obtain the micro-optics device, wherein the micro-optics device has the layer structure, with a given layer thereof comprising a defect delimited by two surfaces, wherein one of the two surfaces is the curved surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2013Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Fei Ding, Urs T. Duerig, Armin W. Knoll, Rainer F. Mahrt, Thilo H. Stoeferle
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Patent number: 9255182Abstract: A composition of matter for a recording medium in atomic force data storage devices. The composition includes polyimide oligomers having covalently bonded monomers forming a backbone, the oligomer thermally stable to at least 400° C.; one or more covalent bonding cross-linking moieties incorporated into the polyimide oligomer; and one or more hydrogen bonding cross-linking moieties incorporated into the polyimide oligomer. The covalent and hydrogen bonding cross-linking of the polyimide oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2008Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Urs T. Duerig, Jane Elizabeth Frommer, Bernd Walter Gotsmann, Erik Christopher Hagberg, James Lupton Hedrick, Armin W. Knoll, Teddie Peregrino Magbitang, Robert Dennis Miller, Russell Clayton Pratt, Charles Gordon Wade
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Patent number: 9196289Abstract: A local probe storage array is provided that includes a substrate, and a polymeric layer over the substrate, the polymeric layer comprising a crosslinking agent that has been cured, the crosslinking agent comprising at least three alkyne groups.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2014Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Urs T. Duerig, Bernd W. Gotsmann, Armin W. Knoll, David S. Pires
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Patent number: 9171565Abstract: The present invention relates a method of producing a data storage medium comprising the steps of: a) coating a layer comprising a polymer material onto at least a part of a template surface thereby to obtain a modified template surface; b) clamping the modified template surface produced in step (a) with a target surface thereby to obtain an assembly; and c) introducing a liquid to an environment of the assembly obtained in step (b) thereby to transfer the layer comprising the polymer material of the modified template surface onto at least an adjacent region on the target surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2008Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Urs T. Duerig, Bernd W. Gotsmann, Armin W. Knoll
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Patent number: 9164376Abstract: The invention concerns a method for patterning a surface of a material. A substrate having a polymer film thereon is provided. The polymer is a selectively reactive polymer (e.g., thermodynamically unstable): it is able to unzip upon suitable stimulation. A probe is used to create patterns on the film. During the patterning, the film is locally stimulated for unzipping polymer chains. Hence, a basic idea is to provide a stimulus to the polymeric material, which in turn spontaneously decomposes e.g., into volatile constituents. For example, the film is thermally stimulated in order to break a single bond in a polymer chain, which is sufficient to trigger the decomposition of the entire polymer chain.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2012Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.Inventors: Daniel J. Coady, Urs T. Duerig, Jane E. Frommer, Kazuki Fukushima, James L. Hedrick, Armin W. Knoll
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Patent number: 9121108Abstract: A method for positioning nano-objects on a surface and an apparatus for implementing the method. The method includes: providing a first surface and a second surface in a position facing each other, where one or more of the surfaces exhibits one or more position structures having dimensions on the nanoscale; providing an ionic liquid suspension of the nano-objects between the two surfaces, where the suspension comprises two electrical double layers each formed at an interface with a respective one of the two surfaces, and the surfaces have electrical charges of the same sign; enabling the nano-objects in the suspension to position according to a potential energy resulting from the electrical charge of the two surfaces; and depositing one or more of the nano-objects on the first surface according to the positioning structures by shifting the minima of the potential energy towards the first surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2013Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Urs T Duerig, Felix Holzner, Armin W Knoll, Walter H Riess
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Publication number: 20150232324Abstract: A nano-electromechanical switch and a method for designing a nano-electromechanical switch. The nano-electromechanical switch includes at least one actuator electrode and a curved cantilever beam. The curved cantilever beam is adapted to flex in response to an activation voltage applied between the actuator electrode and the curved cantilever beam to provide an electrical contact between the curved cantilever beam and an output electrode of the nano-electromechanical switch. Before, during and after the curved cantilever beam flex in response to the activation voltage, a remaining gap between the curved cantilever beam and the actuator electrode is uniform.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2015Publication date: August 20, 2015Inventors: Michel Despont, Daniel Grogg, Armin W. Knoll
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Patent number: 9070578Abstract: The present invention is notably directed to an electromechanical switching device having: two electrodes, including: a first electrode, having layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; and a second electrode, having layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface vis-à-vis said first surface; and an actuation mechanism, where: each of the first and second 2D layered materials is electrically conducting; and at least one of said two electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism to modify a distance between the first surface and the second surface, such as to modify an electrical conductivity transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface and thereby enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2014Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Michel Despont, Urs T. Duerig, Daniel Grogg, Armin W. Knoll, Elad Koren
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Patent number: 9041499Abstract: A nano-electromechanical switch and a method for designing a nano-electromechanical switch. The nano-electromechanical switch includes at least one actuator electrode and a curved cantilever beam. The curved cantilever beam is adapted to flex in response to an activation voltage applied between the actuator electrode and the curved cantilever beam to provide an electrical contact between the curved cantilever beam and an output electrode of the nano-electromechanical switch. Before, during and after the curved cantilever beam flex in response to the activation voltage, a remaining gap between the curved cantilever beam and the actuator electrode is uniform.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Michel Despont, Daniel Grogg, Armin W. Knoll
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Publication number: 20150069472Abstract: The present invention is notably directed to an electromechanical switching device having: two electrodes, including: a first electrode, having layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; and a second electrode, having layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface vis-à-vis said first surface; and an actuation mechanism, where: each of the first and second 2D layered materials is electrically conducting; and at least one of said two electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism to modify a distance between the first surface and the second surface, such as to modify an electrical conductivity transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface and thereby enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2014Publication date: March 12, 2015Inventors: Michel Despont, Urs T. Duerig, Daniel Grogg, Armin W. Knoll, Elad Koren
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Patent number: 8937763Abstract: A vertical microcavity having a layer structure perpendicular to a vertical axis z, includes a first reflector and a second reflector, each comprising one or more material layers; a confinement layer between the reflectors, wherein an electromagnetic wave can be substantially confined, the confinement layer having a body and a defect delimited by first and second surfaces, perpendicular to the vertical axis z; wherein one of the two surfaces is contiguous with the body, the other one contiguous with a layer of the first or second reflector, and wherein one of the two surfaces has a curved profile in at least a plane section perpendicular to the layer structure, the curved profile having a vertex, which defines a maximal thickness h0 of the defect between the first surface and the second surface in the plane section, the maximal thickness h0 being less than a thickness of the contiguous layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2013Date of Patent: January 20, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Fei Ding, Armin W. Knoll, Rainer F. Mahrt, Thilo H. Stoeferle
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Publication number: 20140301178Abstract: A local probe storage array is provided that includes a substrate, and a polymeric layer over the substrate, the polymeric layer comprising a crosslinking agent that has been cured, the crosslinking agent comprising at least three alkyne groups.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2014Publication date: October 9, 2014Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Urs T. DUERIG, Bernd W. GOTSMANN, Armin W. KNOLL, David S. PIRES
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Patent number: 8821965Abstract: The invention notably concerns a method for depositing nano-objects on a surface. The method includes: providing a substrate with surface patterns on one face thereof; providing a transfer layer on said face of the substrate; functionalizing areas on a surface of the transfer layer parallel to said face of the substrate, at locations defined with respect to said surface patterns, such as to exhibit enhanced binding interactions with nano-objects; depositing nano-objects and letting them get captured at the functionalized areas; and thinning down the transfer layer by energetic stimulation to decompose the polymer into evaporating units, until the nano-objects reach the surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2012Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Urs T. Duerig, Felix Holzner, Cyrill Kuemin, Armin W. Knoll, Philip Paul, Heiko Wolf
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Patent number: 8792318Abstract: An approach is presented for designing a polymeric layer for nanometer scale thermo-mechanical storage devices. Cross-linked polyimide oligomers are used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage device, giving significantly improved performance when compared to previously reported cross-linked and linear polymers. The cross-linking of the polyimide oligomers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles. Additionally, the cross-linked polyimide oligomers are suitable for use in nano-scale imaging.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2012Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Urs T. Duerig, Jane Elizabeth Frommer, Bernd Walter Gotsmann, Erik Christopher Hagberg, James Lupton Hedrick, Armin W. Knoll, Victor Yee-Way Lee, Teddie Peregrino Magbitang, Robert Dennis Miller, Russell Clayton Pratt, Charles Gordon Wade, Johannes Windeln