2011-15084. Notice of Intent to Grant Partially Exclusive License of the United States Patent Application No. 12/365,698, “Reusable Sample Holding Device Permitting Ready Loading of Very Small Wet Samples,” Filed Feb 4, 2009

AGENCY:

Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.

ACTION:

Notice of intent.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with 37 CFR 404.7(a) (1) (i), announcement is made of a prospective partially exclusive license of the following U.S. Patent Application 12/365,698 Filed February 04, 2009 (published on Aug. 5, 2010 with Pub. No. US 2010/0193398 A1) to Hummingbird Scientific, Inc for achieving commercial sales of a reusable sample holding device permitting ready loading of very small wet samples for use with high resolution imaging systems of various types, to include those requiring a vacuum environment.

DATES:

Written objections must be filed not later than 15 days following publication of this announcement.

ADDRESSES:

United States Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Attn: CEERD-OT (Ms. Bea Shahin), 2902 Newmark Drive, Champaign, IL 6182-1076.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Bea Shahin [phone], FAX [phone], e-mail: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This patent application claims a reusable sample-holding device for readily loading very small wet samples for observation of the samples by microscopic equipment, in particular in a vacuum environment. Embodiments may be used with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), an X-ray microscope, optical microscope, and the like. For observation of the sample, embodiments provide a thin-membrane window etched in the center of each of two silicon wafers abutting to contain the sample in a small uniform gap formed between the windows. This gap may be adjusted by employing spacers. Alternatively, the thickness of a film established by the fluid in which the sample is incorporated determines the gap without need of a spacer. To optimize resolution each window may have a thickness on the order of 50 nm and the gap may be on the order of 50 nm.

Dated: June 14, 2011.

David B. Olson,

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.