# US 10,370,247 B2 · Contacting molecular components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,247 B2 - Document ID: US10370247B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/249,963 - Filed: 2016-08-29 - Published: 2018-03-01 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-29 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation; University of Basel - Inventors: Emanuel Loertscher; Marcel Mayor; Gabriel Fernando Puebla Hellman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370247B2 ## CPC - H01G 11/52: Separators - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - H10K 50/115: comprising active inorganic nanostructures, e.g. luminescent quantum dots - H10N 70/011: {Manufacture or treatment of multistable switching devices} - H10N 70/841: {Electrodes} - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method for forming a contact to a layer of one or more molecular components that comprises depositing one or more nanoparticles on the layer of one or more molecular components. Each of at least a portion of the one or more nanoparticles bond with each of at least a portion of the one or more molecular components. When there is more than one nanoparticle, each of at least a portion of the one and more nanoparticles cross-link with at least one other of the one or more nanoparticles. The bonded and cross-linked nanoparticles form both a mechanical and electrical contact for the layer of molecular components. The contact may further act as protection and sealing layers to preserve the chemical integrity at ambient operation conditions and/or enable mass and ionic exchange. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for forming a contact to a layer of one or more molecular components, comprising: depositing one or more nanoparticles on a first layer of one or more molecular components having a first top anchor group, a first functional moiety and a first bottom anchor group via gas phase, wherein the first functional moiety connects the first top anchor group to the first bottom anchor group; forming a first contact for the first layer of one or more molecular components by bonding at least a portion of the one or more nanoparticles with the first top anchor group of the one or more molecular components, wherein each of the portion of the one or more nanoparticles that bond with each of the portion of the one or more molecular components form a molecule-metal bond there between; and wherein each of at least a portion of the one or more nanoparticles cross-link with at least one other of the one or more nanoparticles. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer of one or more molecular components comprises a structure selected from a group consisting of: a self-assembled monolayer of molecules, a crystal, a cell, a metal, and a two-dimensional material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the molecule-metal bond formed between a given one of the nanoparticles and a given one of the one or more molecular components is based on a chemical affinity of the top anchor group associated with the molecular component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of at least a portion of the nanoparticles cross-link with at least one other of the nanoparticles due to a release of at least a portion of a ligand shell of each nanoparticle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the release comprises a release mechanism selected from the group consisting of: a passive-induced release and an active-induced release. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the passive-induced release comprises a proximity-induced release. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the active-induced release comprises a release caused by a trigger selected from the group consisting of: electrical, heat, chemical, and light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a repulsive character of the ligand shell of each nanoparticle prevents clustering of nanoparticles prior to release of the ligand shell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of at least a portion of the nanoparticles cross-link with at least one other of the nanoparticles due to exchange of at least a portion of a ligand shell of each nanoparticle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a contact layer over the nanoparticles and the molecular components. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the contact layer forms a hermetic seal over the nanoparticles and the molecular components. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles are composed of one or more elements with one or more of an optically transparent property, a molecularly transparent property, and an atomically transparent property. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: depositing a second layer of one or more molecular components having a second top anchor group, a second functional moiety and a second bottom anchor group, wherein the molecular components of the second layer are one of the same as and different than the molecular components of the first-formed layer and further wherein the second functional moiety connects the second top anchor group to the second bottom anchor group; bonding a portion of the one or more nanoparticles with the second bottom anchor group of the one or more molecular components; and forming a second contact for the second layer of one or more molecular components by bonding one or more additional nanoparticles with the second top anchor group of the one or more molecular components; wherein each of at least a portion of the second plurality of nanoparticles cross-link with at least one other of the one or more nanoparticles. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: depositing a top contact layer on the one or more nanoparticles, wherein the one or more nanoparticles and the top contact layer are composed of material that allows light to pass to the first layer of one or more molecular components. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first top anchor group and the first bottom anchor group are non-identical anchoring groups. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the second top anchor group and the second bottom anchor group are non-identical anchoring groups. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein each of at least a portion of the second plurality of nanoparticles cross-link with at least one other of the second plurality of nanoparticles due to a release of at least a portion of a ligand shell of each nanoparticle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising forming a contact layer over the second plurality of nanoparticles and the molecular components. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the contact layer forms a hermetic seal over the nanoparticles and the molecular components. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the second plurality of nanoparticles are composed of one or more elements with one or more of an optically transparent property, a molecularly transparent property, and an atomically transparent property.