Sandia National Laboratories is seekingindustrial partners interested in a patent-pending method for engineering interfaces between metals and the oxides of metals. Simple method may improve computer memory, catalysts, ceramic/metal seals, and nanodevices Sandia National Laboratories (www.sandia.gov) is seeking industrial partners interested in licensing a patent-pending method for engineering interfaces between metals and the oxides of metals. The allowed patent application is awaiting issuance. The method eliminates the high-temperature brazing step from the joining process of metals to metal oxides and has several potential applications. For instance, by improving magnetic random access memories, this method helps next generation computers boot up instantly and helps retain their entire memories after power interruptions. This technique enables the deposition of flat, nanometer-thin crystalline and ferromagnetic metallic layers on similarly thin oxide layers. The strength, stability and uniformity of the oxide-metal interface reduces material cost and requires less electricity to produce more rapid magnetic effects for the computer memory. In addition, this inexpensive technique may produce better, less expensive (more highly dispersed but stable) catalysts for chemical reactions, better ceramic/metal seals, and lead to improved nanodevices. Sandia is interested in partnering with companies for future applications of this technology via licensing or cooperative development agreements. Interested parties should mail or fax a statement of interest to Colleen Kearney within 30 days from the date this announcement is published at: Sandia National Laboratories, MS 0115, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-0115, Fax: (505) 844-8011. Please indicate the date and title of this notice and the markets in which you would like to apply the technology. Patent Abstract A method of controlling the growth and interfacial strength of a metal deposited on an oxide layer. a) By first fully hydroxylating the oxide surface and then cleaning it of impurities, deposited metals can produce a chemical reaction that oxidizes a fraction of the metal atoms and reduces hydrogen. The oxidized metal atoms are incorporated into the oxide surface and bind strongly to it by ionic bonds. However, these metal atoms also bind strongly to metallic metal above and serve as “anchors” to bind more metal. At sufficient concentration, laminar growth is achieved and crystallinity is observed at only about 6 metal atomic layers, in spite of large lattice mismatches. These findings are supported by both experimental and theoretical results. Or b) A method of controlling the wetting characteristics and increasing the adhesion between a metal and an oxide layer. By introducing or producing a sub-monolayer of negatively-charged species to the surface of an oxide layer, layer-by-layer growth of metal deposited onto the oxide surface is promoted, increasing the adhesion strength of the metal-oxide interface. The negatively-charged species can either be deposited onto the oxide surface or a compound can be deposited that dissociates on, or reacts with, the surface to form the negatively-charged species. The deposited metal atoms can thereby bond laterally to the negatively-charged species as well as vertically to the oxide surface as well as react with the negatively charged species, be oxidized, and incorporated on or into the surface of the oxide. Point of Contact Colleen Kearney, Administration, Phone: 505-284-8670, Fax: 505-844-8011, E-mail:
[email protected]