MEMS/NEMS | Office of Technology Licensing

Available Technologies by Category
Tunable MEMs Gas Sensor Improves Selectivity and Sensitivity	Versatile: Customizes MEMS chemical sensors, compatible with a variety of sensing materials, allowing for the detection of numerous gas-phase analytes Easy to manufacture: Uses batch-fabricated sensors compatible with COTS electronics Highly sensitive: Offers sub parts-per-million detection limits for volatile organic compounds Enhanced selectivity: Combines gravimetric and impedimetric responses to demonstrate enhanced discrimination between multiple VOCs Powerful: Enables the simultaneous observation of both mass loading and dielectric changes in polymeric sensing films upon sorption of an analyte Innovative: Uses the transient response characteristics of a sensor response to a gated exposure event, rather than steady-state sensor data	8269, 8987
Patient-Centered Biofeedback Headset Can Isolate, Monitor, and Analyze Vocal Output in Real Time for Optimal Voice Modulation in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease	Innovative headset offers real-time haptic feedback for vocal improvement and increased patient autonomy. Device stores easily accessible data for therapist review and fine-tuning of preset therapeutic thresholds to continually improve vocal output. Lightweight, low-profile, battery-powered headset are favorable for all-day wear and use omnidirectional microphones for optimal comfort.	9134
Parametric Resonance Approach for Efficient, Versatile Acoustic Power Transfer for Implantable/Wearable Devices, Sensing, and Communications	New class of transducers utilizes parametric resonance to convert acoustic energy from an ultrasonic source to a sustained electrical signal. Technology powers implantable biomedical devices, small wearable sensors, and other wireless charging applications. Simple yet robust generation of stable electromechanical frequency combs is also possible in both air and liquid environments using a capacitive micro-resonator array.	7635, 9075
Electronic Immunoassay Using Enzymatic Metallization on Microparticles	Lower cost: Replacing fluorescent markers and readout methods with impedance detection has the potential to significantly decrease the cost of the assay. Transportable: Impedance measurements in microfluidics can be made transportable, which can potentially enable point-of-care applications, as electronic elements are more durable than optical elements. Practical: Identification of COVID-19 antibodies in COVID-positive serum samples has already been demonstrated.	8813
Integrated Alkali Dispenser Collimator	Precise: Reducing the “spread” of vapor via collimation can reduce potential signal-to-noise ratio degradation and avoid contamination of nearby electronic components. Simple: Generating a directed atomic beam from the dispenser can be achieved via integrated packaging. Cooler: Placing a spacer material between the dispenser and collimator creates a sealed gap that not only prevents leakage, but also allows the vapor to cool (via rapid thermalization with the collimator plate).	8872
Chip-Scale Electrochemical Double-Layer (ECDL) Supercapacitors	Decreased size: Minimizes space that does not contribute to volumetric density and is drastically smaller than conventional ECDL capacitors, allowing capacitor-dependent devices to shrink considerably High power: Achieves gravimetric energy densities of over 100 watt-hours per kilogram Improved performance: The vertically aligned graphene-functionalized carbon nanotubes Offers high porosity and surface area for improved pseudocapacitance by vertically aligning graphene-functionalized nanotubes	6573
A Chip-Scale Linear Ion Trap to Enable Portable Mass Spectrometers	Enabling: Can be used in the development of much smaller mass spectrometers than are currently available—from benchtop devices to handheld or even smaller instruments—which would extend their use to applications in which they are not currently cost effective High-performance: Provides better than unit-mass resolution and high detection efficiency, and operates at much higher pressures than larger mass analyzers, as shown during lab-based simulations Multi-modal: Allows for several different modes of operation and enables tandem(MS/MS or MS2) or multi-stage/sequential (MSn) mass spectrometry, greatly improving capability compared with other analyzers	8137
Heat Dissipation for Microelectronic Systems via Capillary Trap	Effective: Dissipates large heat fluxes via 3D heat spreading and evaporative cooling that could approach kW/cm2 and beyond while keeping the surface temperature under 90oC Preventive: Mitigates coolant dry-out at the critical heat flux levels that result in a rapid and large temperature rise and thus cause device burn-out Efficient: Exploits high cooling capabilities associated with phase-change heat transfer through evaporation	6272
Integrating Electrical Sensors into Soft-Lithography Microfluidic Devices	Sophisticated: Advances the integration of electrical sensors on microfluidic devices with a simple, approachable solution Sensitive: Demonstrates a higher signal sensitivity than electrodes in a typical coplanar arrangement Adaptable: Allows for greater layout flexibility because of its straightforward fabrication process	7769
Utilizing Impedance Spectroscopy for Advanced Characterization of Particles	Comprehensive: Simultaneously measures both spatial and dielectric properties of particles Streamlined: Helps resolve signal interference from coincident cells—a challenge of other assessment techniques Precise: Offers complex impedance as a new level of particle feature assessment, integrating it with other measurements such as elasticity and size for more predictive analyses	8049
Portable Multi-Parameter Cancer Diagnostic Tool	Powerful: Simultaneously measures multiple tissue parameters to determine electro-thermo-mechanical properties Disposable: Uses single-use biochip components to eliminate cross-contamination Versatile: Uses a variety of other micromotion-capable actuators and extends to other manufacturing techniques and different length scales	7619
Multi-Functional Sparse Phased Arrays for Guiding Focused Ultrasound Therapies	Robust: Provides sensitivity of detection down to a single microbubble for FUS-induced microbubble activity Precise: Offers broadband B-mode imaging capabilities to improve workflow and efficacy of FUS-based therapies Scalable: Enables the formation of large CMUT arrays and subarrays with appropriate element spacing	8493
Technique Improves Printing Quality for 3D Nanoprinting	High-performance: Enables a powerful process for high-throughput 3D printing of micro- and nanoscale structures Efficient: Reduces defects during printing to improve yield and decrease excess printing commonly observed with FP-TPL Improved: Broadens the applicability of FP-TPL to printing of functional micro- and nanoscale structures	8478
Resonators for Temperature-Stable Oscillators	Reduced motional resistance – by using the distributed arrangement for the mode shape Performance scaling –added design freedom of the resonator Compatibility –no dimensional constraints	7780
Heterogeneous Interconnect Geometries in Electronic Packages	Increased electrical performance of the interconnects Does not compromise mechanical reliability Cost effective	4120
Patterned Graphene Structures on Silicon Carbide	Less damage: Growth of nanoribbons in desired shapes eliminates damage from post-processing to achieve desired dimensions. Scalable: 10,000 top-gated graphene transistors on a .24 SiC chip have been demonstrated. Room temperature operation: Prototypes exhibit an on-off ratio of 10 and carrier mobilities up to 2,700 cm2/ (V•s) at room temperature.	5589
Improved Projection Exposure System for Fabricating Nanomaterials	High speed processing: Enables rapid prototyping and large-scale manufacturing Simple optics: Nano-scale patterning achieved without complex optical systems or photomasks Cost effective: Replaces slow and expensive electron beam lithography	5283
Self-Aligned HARPSS Micromechanical Variable Capacitors	Results in larger-value capacitors Requires only three lithography masks	4359
MINTED: Simultaneous Deformation and Temperature Imaging	Simultaneous recording of small-scale temperature and deformation fields at high spatial and time resolutions Studies deformation, failure, and heating in a range of materials Analyzes/monitors heating and failure of MEMS devices, microchips, and circuit board	8064
Electron Beam Induced Deposition of Nanostructures	Unique nano-fabrication process that allows direct-write of complex 3D nano-structures (e.g. cavities and overhangs) Fabrication process compatible with variety of materials on any substrates (planar and non-planar) Provides growth rate of amorphous carbon nano-structures 3 times greater than that of standard gas-phase FEBID	6998

Technologies