Patents by Inventor Armin Knoll
Armin 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: 20220203367Abstract: Approaches presented herein enable a device for trapping nanoparticles. More specifically, the device comprises a dielectric layer, an electrically insulating lid, a plurality of trapping electrodes, and electrical circuit connectors. The dielectric layer has an exposed surface, which is structured to form a set of recesses in the dielectric layer. The recesses are dimensioned so as to allow nanoparticles (e.g. biomolecules) to be trapped. The electrically insulating lid extends above the exposed surface of the dielectric layer. A flow path is defined between the lid and the exposed surface, such that a liquid can be introduced in the flow path. The trapping electrodes are arranged opposite the lid with respect to the exposed surface to face respective ones of the recesses. This arrangement defines pairs, such that each pair associates one of the trapping electrodes with a respective one of the recesses.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2020Publication date: June 30, 2022Inventors: Francesca Ruggeri, Armin Knoll, Christian Michael Schwemmer, Federico Paratore, Heiko Wolf, Philippe Marc Nicollier
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Patent number: 11255769Abstract: A microfluidic device includes: a microchannel defining a flow path; a Brownian motor structure comprising two or more sorting channels having distinct ratchet topographies, the Brownian motor structure in fluid communication with the microchannel; and a filter extending transversely to the microchannel, the filter configured to filter particles, subject to sizes thereof, in a liquid advancing along the flow path, whereby smaller particles of the liquid can pass downstream of the filter in the flow path, and larger particles of the liquid are directed to the Brownian motor structure to be sorted out according to sizes thereof via the sorting channels.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2019Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Armin Knoll, Francesca Ruggeri, Christian Michael Schwemmer
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Publication number: 20210033517Abstract: A microfluidic device includes: a microchannel defining a flow path; a Brownian motor structure comprising two or more sorting channels having distinct ratchet topographies, the Brownian motor structure in fluid communication with the microchannel; and a filter extending transversely to the microchannel, the filter configured to filter particles, subject to sizes thereof, in a liquid advancing along the flow path, whereby smaller particles of the liquid can pass downstream of the filter in the flow path, and larger particles of the liquid are directed to the Brownian motor structure to be sorted out according to sizes thereof via the sorting channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2019Publication date: February 4, 2021Inventors: Armin Knoll, Francesca Ruggeri, Christian Michael Schwemmer
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Patent number: 10753877Abstract: A detection device can include a cavity structure forming a Fabry-Perot optical microcavity, an electrostatic trap, and a Brownian motor. The Fabry-Perot optical microcavity has two mirrors extending on each side of a reference plane in a spacer region between the two mirrors. The mirrors are configured to vertically confine radiation in the spacer region, e.g., with respect to a first direction perpendicular to the reference plane. The electrostatic trap is arranged in the spacer region. The trap includes a pit and the cavity structure is generally configured to confine radiation in the pit, laterally (e.g., with respect to a second direction parallel to the reference plane). The Brownian motor structure extends in the spacer region along said reference plane. This structure is adapted to laterally load particles in the pit of the electrostatic trap by moving such particles along the structure, in operation.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2019Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christian Michael Schwemmer, Darius Urbonas, Francesca Ruggeri, Thilo Hermann Curt Stoeferle, Armin Knoll
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Patent number: 10209630Abstract: A scanning probe nanolithography system comprising a probe to create nanostructures line (60) by line through writing said nanostructures (74) pixel by pixel along lines (61) on a sample. A positioning system is adapted to provide a positioning of the probe at a sequence of predetermined positions to the sample and its surface towards the probe and a control unit (50) is provided to control the positioning system for positioning the probe for a pixel-wise writing of said lines (61) through a writing unit. It further comprises a sensor unit adapted to detect a predetermined property of the written nanostructure (74), the sensor unit being connected to the control unit to adapt the control signals to be provided to the writing unit for writing the following line (61; 62) based on the measured signals (65; 66) of the predetermined property.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2014Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: SwissLitho AGInventors: Felix Holzner, Michael Zientek, Philip Paul, Armin Knoll, Colin Rawlings
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Patent number: 9869695Abstract: An atomic-force microscope system is provided including: an electrically conducting cantilever support; an electrically insulating element; and an electrically conducting cantilever anchored at a first end to the cantilever support via the insulating element, the cantilever including a probe tip at a second end opposite to the first end and the cantilever support is configured as a backside electrode of the cantilever for backside actuation thereof; a Fabry-Perot interferometer including: a resonator with a first mirror defined on the cantilever; and a second mirror defined on the cantilever support having a first side and a second side configured to allow light injection, opposite to the first side, the latter extending at least partly vis-à-vis the first mirror. The interferometer includes a light-emitting device, and a detector configured for detecting a property of the system impacted by interferences of light emitted by the light-emitting device. Methods of operations are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2016Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ute Drechsler, Urs T Duerig, Armin Knoll, Thilo Stoeferle
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Publication number: 20160231656Abstract: A scanning probe nanolithography system comprising a probe to create nanostructures line (60) by line through writing said nanostructures (74) pixel by pixel along lines (61) on a sample. A positioning system is adapted to provide a positioning of the probe at a sequence of predetermined positions to the sample and its surface towards the probe and a control unit (50) is provided to control the positioning system for positioning the probe for a pixel-wise writing of said lines (61) through a writing unit. It further comprises a sensor unit adapted to detect a predetermined property of the written nanostructure (74), the sensor unit being connected to the control unit to adapt the control signals to be provided to the writing unit for writing the following line (61; 62) based on the measured signals (65; 66) of the predetermined property.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2014Publication date: August 11, 2016Inventors: Felix Holzner, Michael Zientek, Philip Paul, Armin Knoll, Colin Rawlings
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Publication number: 20070196645Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2006Publication date: August 23, 2007Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Urs Duerig, Jane Frommer, Bernd Gotsmann, Erik Hagberg, James Hedrick, Armin Knoll, Victor Lee, Teddie Magbitang, Robert Miller, Russell Pratt, Charles Wade, Johannes Windeln
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Publication number: 20070063141Abstract: A device for sensing a position of a probe relative to a reference medium, the probe comprising a heater element with a temperature dependent electrical resistance and being adapted to determine probe position by measuring a parameter associated to a thermal relaxation time of the heater element.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2006Publication date: March 22, 2007Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Urs Duerig, Bernd Gotsmann, Armin Knoll