Patents by Inventor Charles M. Lieber

Charles M. Lieber 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).

  • Patent number: 8178907
    Abstract: Electrical devices comprised of nanoscopic wires are described, along with methods of their manufacture and use. The nanoscopic wires can be nanotubes, preferably single-walled carbon nanotubes. They can be arranged in crossbar arrays using chemically patterned surfaces for direction, via chemical vapor deposition. Chemical vapor deposition also can be used to form nanotubes in arrays in the presence of directing electric fields, optionally in combination with self-assembled monolayer patterns. Bistable devices are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Thomas Rueckes, Ernesto Joselevich, Kevin Kim
  • Patent number: 8154002
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanotechnology and submicroelectronic devices that can be used in circuitry and, in some cases, to nanoscale wires and other nanostructures able to encode data. One aspect of the invention provides a nanoscale wire or other nanostructure having a region that is electrically-polarizable, for example, a nanoscale wire may comprise a core and an electrically-polarizable shell. In some cases, the electrically-polarizable region is able to retain its polarization state in the absence of an external electric field. All, or only a portion, of the electricallypolarizable region may be polarized, for example, to encode one or more bits of data. In one set of embodiments, the electrically-polarizable region comprises a functional oxide or a ferroelectric oxide material, for example, BaTiO3, lead zirconium titanate, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Yue Wu, Hao Yan
  • Patent number: 8153470
    Abstract: A method for selectively aligning and positioning semiconductor nanowires on a substrate by providing a substrate; patterning electrodes on a surface of the substrate; conditioning the surface of the substrate to attach semiconductor nanowires to the surface by functionalizing the surface with a first functional group having an affinity for the semiconductor nanowires; providing an environment in contact with the electrodes, the environment having suspended therein the semiconductor nanowires; and providing an electric field between the electrodes, thereby causing the nanowires in the environment to align between and electrically connect the electrodes to thereby form a semiconducting channel between the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Yi Cui, Xiangfeng Duan, Yu Huang
  • Publication number: 20120061648
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method to construct a device that includes a plurality of nanowires (NWs) each having a core and at least one shell. The method includes providing a plurality of radially encoded NWs where each shell contains one of a plurality of different shell materials; and differentiating individual ones of the NWs from one another by selectively removing or not removing shell material within areas to be electrically coupled to individual ones of a plurality of mesowires (MWs). Also disclosed is a nanowire array that contains radially encoded NWs, and a computer program product useful in forming a nanowire array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventors: Andre DEHON, Charles M. Lieber, John E. Savage, Eric Rachlin
  • Publication number: 20110315962
    Abstract: Electrical devices comprised of nanowires are described, along with methods of their manufacture and use. The nanowires can be nanotubes and nanowires. The surface of the nanowires may be selectively functionalized Nanodetector devices are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Hongkun Park, Qingqiao Wei, Yi Cui, Wenjie Liang
  • Patent number: 8072005
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method to construct a device that includes a plurality of nanowires (NWs) each having a core and at least one shell. The method includes providing a plurality of radially encoded NWs where each shell contains one of a plurality of different shell materials; and differentiating individual ones of the NWs from one another by selectively removing or not removing shell material within areas to be electrically coupled to individual ones of a plurality of mesowires (MWs). Also disclosed is a nanowire array that contains radially encoded NWs, and a computer program product useful in forming a nanowire array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Brown University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Andre Dehon, Charles M. Lieber, John E. Savage, Eric Rachlin
  • Patent number: 8058640
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanotechnology and, in particular, to branched nanoscale wires. In some cases, the branched nanoscale wires may be produced using vapor-phase and/or solution-phase synthesis. Branched nanoscale wires may be grown by depositing nanoparticles onto a nanoscale wire, and segments or “branches” can then be grown from the nanoparticles. The nanoscale wire may be any nanoscale wire, for example, a semiconductor nanoscale wire, a nanoscale wire having a core and a shell. The segments may be of the same, or of different materials, than the nanoscale wire, for example, semiconductor/metal, semiconductor/semiconductor. The junction between the segment and the nanoscale wire, in some cases, is epitaxial. In one embodiment, the nanoparticles are adsorbed onto the nanoscale wire by immobilizing a positively-charged entity, such as polylysine, to the nanoscale wire, and exposing it to the nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Bozhi Tian, Xiaocheng Jiang
  • Publication number: 20110174619
    Abstract: Electrical devices comprised of nanoscopic wires are described, along with methods of their manufacture and use. The nanoscopic wires can be nanotubes, preferably single-walled carbon nanotubes. They can be arranged in crossbar arrays using chemically patterned surfaces for direction, via chemical vapor deposition. Chemical vapor deposition also can be used to form nanotubes in arrays in the presence of directing electric fields, optionally in combination with self-assembled monolayer patterns. Bistable devices are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Thomas Rueckes, Ernesto Joselevich, Kevin Kim
  • Patent number: 7956427
    Abstract: Electrical devices comprised of nanowires are described, along with methods of their manufacture and use. The nanowires can be nanotubes and nanowires. The surface of the nanowires may be selectively functionalized. Nanodetector devices are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Hongkun Park, Qingqiao Wei, Yi Cui, Wenjie Liang
  • Patent number: 7918935
    Abstract: Nanowires are disclosed which comprise transition metal oxides. The transition metal oxides may include oxides of group II, group III, group IV and lanthanide metals. Also disclosed are methods for making nanowires which comprise injecting decomposition agents into a solution comprising solvents and metallic alkoxide or metallic salt precursors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Hongkun Park, Charles M. Lieber, Jeffrey J. Urban, Qian Gu, Wan Soo Yun
  • Patent number: 7915151
    Abstract: A bulk-doped semiconductor that is at least one of the following: a single crystal, an elongated and bulk-doped semiconductor that, at any point along its longitudinal axis, has a largest cross-sectional dimension less than 500 nanometers, and a free-standing and bulk-doped semiconductor with at least one portion having a smallest width of less than 500 nanometers. At least one portion of such a semiconductor may a smallest width of less than 200 nanometers, or less than 150 nanometers, or less than 100 nanometers, or less than 80 nanometers, or less than 70 nanometers, or less than 60 nanometers, or less than 40 nanometers, or less than 20 nanometers, or less than 10 nanometers, or even less than 5 nanometers. Such a semiconductor may be doped during growth. Such a semiconductor may be part of a device, which may include any of a variety of devices and combinations thereof, and a variety of assembling techniques may be used to fabricate devices from such a semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Yi Cui, Xiangfeng Duan, Yu Huang
  • Patent number: 7911009
    Abstract: Electrical devices comprised of nanowires are described, along with methods of their manufacture and use. The nanowires can be nanotubes and nanowires. The surface of the nanowires may be selectively functionalized. Nanodetector devices are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Hongkun Park, Qingqiao Wei, Yi Cui, Wenjie Liang
  • Publication number: 20110042641
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanotechnology and, in particular, to branched nanoscale wires cases, the branched nanoscale wires may be produced using vapor-phase and/or solution-phase synthesis. Branched nanoscale wires may be grown by depositing nanoparticles onto a nanoscale wire, and segments or “branches” can then be grown from the nanoparticles. The nanoscale wire may be any nanoscale wire, for example, a semiconductor nanoscale wire, a nanoscale wire having a core and a shell. The segments may be of the same, or of different materials, than the nanoscale wire, for example, semiconductor/metal, semiconductor/semiconductor. The junction between the segment and the nanoscale wire, in some cases, is epitaxial. In one embodiment, the nanoparticles are adsorbed onto the nanoscale wire by immobilizing a positively-charged entity, such as polylysine, to the nanoscale wire, and exposing it to the nanoparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Bozhi Tian, Xiaocheng Jiang
  • Publication number: 20110001117
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanotechnology and sub-microelectronic devices that can be used in circuitry, and, in particular, to nanoscale wires and other nanostructures able to encode data. One aspect of the present invention is directed to a device comprising an electrical crossbar array comprising at least two crossed wires at a cross point. In some cases, at least one of the crossed wires is a nanoscale wire, and in certain instances, at least one of the crossed wires is a nanoscale wire comprising a core and at least one shell surrounding the core. For instance, the core may comprise a crystal (e.g., crystalline silicon) and the shell may be at least partially amorphous (e.g., amorphous silicon). In certain embodiments, the cross point may exhibit intrinsic current rectification, or other electrical behaviors, and the cross point can be used as a memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Yajie Dong, Wei Lu, Guihua Yu, Michael MeAlphine
  • Patent number: 7858965
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanoscale heterostructures and, in some cases, to nanowire heterostructures exhibiting ballistic transport, and/or to metal-semiconductor junctions that that exhibit no or reduced Schottky barriers. One aspect of the invention provides a solid nanowire having a core and a shell, both of which are essentially undoped. For example, in one embodiment, the core may consist essentially of undoped germanium and the shell may consist essentially of undoped silicon. Carriers are injected into the nanowire, which can be ballistically transported through the nanowire. In other embodiments, however, the invention is not limited to solid nanowires, and other configurations, involving other nanoscale wires, are also contemplated within the scope of the present invention. Yet another aspect of the invention provides a junction between a metal and a nanoscale wire that exhibit no or reduced Schottky barriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Wei Lu, Jie Xiang, Yue Wu, Brian P. Timko, Hao Yan, Charles M. Lieber
  • Publication number: 20100243990
    Abstract: Electrical devices comprised of nanowires are described, along with methods of their manufacture and use. The nanowires can be nanotubes and nanowires. The surface of the nanowires may be selectively functionalized. Nanodetector devices are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Hongkun Park, Qingqiao Wei, Yi Cui, Wenjie Liang
  • Publication number: 20100227382
    Abstract: Various aspects of the present invention generally relate to nanoscale wire devices and methods for use in determining analytes suspected to be present in a sample, and systems and methods of immobilizing entities such as reaction entities relative to nanoscale wires. In one aspect, a nucleic acid, such as DNA, may be immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire, and in some cases, grown from the nanoscale wire. In certain embodiments, the nucleic acid may interact with entities such as other nucleic acids, proteins, etc., and in some cases, such interactions may be reversible. As an example, an enzyme such as telomerase may be allowed to bind to DNA immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire. The telomerase may extend the length of the DNA, for instance, by reaction with free deoxynucleotide triphosphates in solution; additionally, various properties of the nucleic acid may be determined, for example, using electric field interactions between the nucleic acid and the nanoscale wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Fernando Patolsky, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Patent number: 7772543
    Abstract: A system and method for manipulating and processing nanowires in solution with arrays of holographic optical traps. The system and method of the present invention is capable of creating hundreds of individually controlled optical traps with the ability to manipulate objects in three dimensions. Individual nanowires with cross-sections as small as 20 nm and lengths exceeding 20 ?m are capable of being isolated, translated, rotated and deposited onto a substrate with holographic optical trap arrays under conditions where single traps have no discernible influence. Spatially localized photothermal and photochemical processes induced by the well-focused traps can also be used to melt localized domains on individual nanowires and to fuse nanowire junctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignees: New York University, Harvard University
    Inventors: David G. Grier, Ritesh Agarwal, Guihua Yu, Charles M. Lieber, Kosta Ladavac, Yael Roichman
  • Publication number: 20100155698
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to sub-microelectronic circuitry, and more particularly to nanometer-scale articles, including nanoscale wires which can be selectively doped at various locations and at various levels. In some cases, the articles may be single crystals. The nanoscale wires can be doped, for example, differentially along their length, or radially, and either in terms of identity of dopant, concentration of dopant, or both. This may be used to provide both n-type and p-type conductivity in a single item, or in different items in close proximity to each other, such as in a crossbar array. The fabrication and growth of such articles is described, and the arrangement of such articles to fabricate electronic, optoelectronic, or spintronic devices and components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Xiangfeng Duan, Yi Cui, Yu Huang, Mark Gudiksen, Lincoln J. Lauhon, Jianfang Wang, Hongkun Park, Qingqiao Wei, Wenjie Liang, David C. Smith, Deli Wang, Zhaohui Zhong
  • Publication number: 20100152057
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanoscale wire devices and methods for use in determining analytes suspected to be present in a sample. The invention provides a nanoscale wire that has improved sensitivity, as the carrier concentration in the wire is controlled by an external gate voltage, such that the nanoscale wire has a Debye screening length that is greater than the average cross-sectional dimension of the nanoscale wire when the nanoscale wire is exposed to a solution suspected of containing an analyte. This Debye screening length (lambda) associated with the carrier concentration (p) inside nanoscale wire is adjusted by adjusting the gate voltage applied to an FET structure, such that the carriers in the nanoscale wire are depleted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Havard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Xuan Gao, Gengfeng Zheng