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IPC Subclass
B82B

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

Introduced: January 2000

Classification Context

Section:
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:
NANOTECHNOLOGY
Subclass:
NANOSTRUCTURES FORMED BY MANIPULATION OF INDIVIDUAL ATOMS OR 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

IPC subclass B82B recorded 8,476 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 1,702 in 2013 to 222 in 2023 (-87%). The most active applicants in class B82 are CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (3,032 applications), SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY (711 applications) and ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY (703 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Additional Content

Glossary

manufacture chemical, electrical or mechanical process or apparatus for accomplishing one or more of the following operations on a nano structural assemblage or an essential integral element thereof: assembling, associating, bonding, constructing, creating, cutting, distorting, electric photographing, etching, fabricating, fastening, finishing, joining, juxtaposing, positioning, shaping or working.

Application references

Nanocapsules for medicinal preparations

Related Keywords

NANOSTRUCTURES

2 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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  • B82B 1/00 Nanostructures formed by manipulation of individual atoms or molecules, or limited collections of atoms or molecules as discrete units
  • B82B 3/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures by manipulation of individual atoms or molecules, or limited collections of atoms or molecules as discrete units

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B82, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 3,032
  2. SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 711
  3. ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY 703
  4. SHAANXI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 641
  5. IBM (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION) US 620
  6. TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY 546
  7. JILIN UNIVERSITY 544
  8. SOUTH CHINA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 525
  9. TIANJIN UNIVERSITY 524
  10. UNIVERSITY OF JINAN 521