Patents by Inventor Joseph D. Cuiffi

Joseph D. Cuiffi 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).

  • Publication number: 20080135826
    Abstract: This invention presents a novel method to form uniform or heterogeneous, straight or curved and size-controllable nanostructures including, for example, nanotubes, nanowires, nanoribbons, and nanotapes, including SiNW, using a nanochannel template. In the case of semiconductor nanowires, doping can be included during growth. Electrode contacts are present as needed and may be built in to the template structure. Thus completed devices such as diodes, transistors, solar cells, sensors, and transducers are fabricated, contacted, and arrayed as nanowire or nanotape fabrication is completed. Optionally, the template is not removed and may become part of the structure. Nanodevices such as nanotweezers, nanocantilevers, and nanobridges are formed utilizing the processes of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Stephen Fonash, Yinghui Shan, Chih-Yi Peng, Ali Kaan Kalkan, Joseph D. Cuiffi, Daniel Hayes, Paul Butterfoss, Wook Jun Nam
  • Patent number: 7309620
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods for preparing a removable system on a mother substrate. The method deposits a high surface to volume sacrificial layer on a mother substrate and stabilizes the sacrificial layer by a) removing volatile chemical species in and on the sacrificial layer and/or b) modifying the surface of the layer. The method coats over the sacrificial layer with a capping medium. A system is the fabricated on the capping medium. The method provides through holes to access the sacrificial layer. The method may also apply a top layer onto the system to form a covered system. The invention also includes the step of removing the sacrificial layer to release the system from the mother substrate. Methods of the invention also include selectively removing a portion of the system and capping layers to form void regions defining an array of islands composed of device, structure, or system and capping layer regions, and optionally filling the island-defining void region with a sacrificial material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Fonash, Handong Li, Youngchul Lee, Joseph D. Cuiffi, Daniel J. Hayes
  • Patent number: 7238594
    Abstract: This invention presents a novel method to form uniform or heterogeneous, straight or curved and size-controllable nanostructures including, for example, nanotubes, nanowires, nanoribbons, and nanotapes, including SiNW, using a nanochannel template. In the case of semiconductor nanowires, doping can be included during growth. Electrode contacts are present as needed and may be built in to the template structure. Thus completed devices such as diodes, transistors, solar cells, sensors, and transducers are fabricated, contacted, and arrayed as nanowire or nanotape fabrication is completed. Optionally, the template is not removed and may become part of the structure. Nanodevices such as nanotweezers, nanocantilevers, and nanobridges are formed utilizing the processes of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Fonash, Yinghui Shan, Chih-Yi Peng, Ali Kaan Kalkan, Joseph D. Cuiffi, Daniel Hayes, Paul Butterfoss, Wook Jun Nam
  • Publication number: 20030157783
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods for preparing a removable system on a mother substrate. The method deposits a high surface to volume sacrificial layer on a mother substrate and stabilizes the sacrificial layer by a) removing volatile chemical species in and on the sacrificial layer and/or b) modifying the surface of the layer. The method coats over the sacrificial layer with a capping medium. A system is the fabricated on the capping medium. The method provides through holes to access the sacrificial layer. The method may also apply a top layer onto the system to form a covered system. The invention also includes the step of removing the sacrificial layer to release the system from the mother substrate. Methods of the invention also include selectively removing a portion of the system and capping layers to form void regions defining an array of islands composed of device, structure, or system and capping layer regions, and optionally filling the island-defining void region with a sacrificial material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: THE PENN STATE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Stephen J. Fonash, Handong Li, Youngchul Lee, Joseph D. Cuiffi, Daniel J. Hayes