IP Library Granted Patent US 8,344,295
Granted Patent B2
US 8,344,295 · App. 12/579,128 · Granted Jan 1, 2013

Nanosoldering heating element

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,344,295
App. No.
12/579,128
Granted
Jan 1, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for providing heat to a small area and apparatus capable of providing heat to a small area are provided.

Claims (41)

1. A heating element, comprising:

a substrate including at least one wall extending from a portion thereof so as to define a series of contiguously connected top surfaces; and

a conducting layer substantially arranged upon the top surfaces,

wherein the conducting layer has an etched portion on an outermost portion of the at least one wall.

2. The heating element of claim 1 , wherein the conducting layer includes at least one graphene sheet.

3. The heating element of claim 1 , wherein the conducting layer includes at least one CNT film.

4. The heating element of claim 1 , further comprising:

a protection layer arranged substantially upon the conducting layer.

5. The heating element of claim 4 , wherein the protection layer includes at least one of metal materials, metal compounds, or insulating materials.

6. The heating element of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wall is disposed substantially perpendicular to the substrate.

7. The heating element of claim 1 , further comprising:

an insulation layer arranged substantially between the top surfaces and the conducting layer.

8. The heating element of claim 7 , wherein a phenyl-terminated silane is further applied to at least a portion of the insulation layer.

9. The heating element of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wall has width and height measuring in the range of several hundreds of nanometers.

10. A method for fabricating a heating element, comprising:

forming at least one wall on a substrate so as to extend from a portion of the substrate and to define a series of contiguously connected top surfaces;

coating the top surfaces with conducting materials; and

etching at least one portion of the conducting materials to form etched heating element portions that are made from etched portions of the conducting materials that are chemically affected by the etching, wherein the etched heating element portions are distributed in at least one un-etched portion having a lower resistivity than that of respective ones of the etched heating element portions.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the etching step is performed upon an outermost portion of the at least one wall.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the coating step includes arranging at least one CNT film upon the top surfaces.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the coating step includes arranging at least one graphene sheet upon the top surfaces.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

applying a protection layer to the top surfaces having coating applied thereto.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the protection layer is applied to the top surfaces having coating applied thereto by one of a sputtering and a vapor deposition method.

16. The method of claim 10 , the at least one wall is fabricated by using etching techniques.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the forming step includes:

arranging an etch mask layer upon the substrate;

arranging a photoresist layer upon the etch mask layer;

forming a lithography pattern upon the photoresist layer;

etching portions of the photoresist layer surrounding the lithography pattern;

etching at least a portion of the etch mask layer;

removing the lithography pattern from the photoresist layer;

etching at least a portion of the substrate; and

removing the etch mask layer from the substrate.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the forming includes liquefaction techniques.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the etching step is conducted by plasma etching.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the forming step includes:

locating nanostructures on the substrate;

disposing a plate above the nanostructures;

etching and liquefying the nanostructures; and

performing cooling and removal processes.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS, RECORDED ON JANUARY 29, 2019 AT REEL 048373 FRAME 0217 Recorded Sep 22, 2025
From: CRESTLINE DIRECT FINANCE, L.P., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 072936/0464 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2019
From: CRESTLINE DIRECT FINANCE, L.P.
To: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 049924/0794 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2019
From: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
To: CRESTLINE DIRECT FINANCE, L.P.
Reel/Frame 048373/0217 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2009
From: LEE, KWANGYEOL; CHOI, DONGHOON
To: KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 023371/0868 →