NANOSTRUCTURES FORMED BY MANIPULATION OF INDIVIDUAL ATOMS, MOLECULES, OR LIMITED COLLECTIONS OF ATOMS OR MOLECULES AS DISCRETE UNITS; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT THEREOF

Description

B82B encompasses techniques for constructing nanostructures through direct manipulation of individual atoms, molecules, or small atomic/molecular clusters as distinct functional units. This includes methods such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)-based atom positioning, molecular assembly, and bottom-up nanofabrication approaches that build structures from discrete components. The classification covers manufacturing processes, chemical or physical treatment, and characterization methods specific to atom-by-atom or molecule-by-molecule assembly strategies. It excludes bulk nanomaterial synthesis, self-assembly without external manipulation, and nanostructures formed primarily through conventional chemical or physical processes not involving deliberate positioning of individual entities.

Filing statistics

CPC subclass B82B recorded 6,156 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 897 in 2013 to 161 in 2023 (-82%). The most active applicants in class B82 are TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY (3,665 applications), SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY (2,885 applications) and CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (2,220 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings