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Why is IP important to a Researcher at RIT?

Ryne P. Raffaelle

Professor, Physics & Microsystems Engineering Director of NanoPower Research Laboratories

Brian J. Landi

PhD Student, Microsystems Engineering

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Overview Why?

– Research Duties

– Scientific Credibility

– Student Benefits

– Financial Rewards

How?– Approach

– NPRL Examples

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Research Duties

Ideas

Research

Devices

CommercializeIP

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Scientific Credibility - Grants

Synergy between Grant Proposal Writing and IP – “Secure IP”

Chicken & Egg: Qualifications to get money but money is needed to do work

Industrial partnerships for commercialization – technology transfer

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Student Benefits

Education Exposure of Technology in field – the

business of science Curriculum Vitae Financial rewards

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Financial Rewards

Technology Transfer to industry– Licensing

– Collaboration for future grants

Personal Income

$ $ $

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Approach Awareness of Professional Field

– Conferences, Seminars, local chapters

– Literature

– Collaborations

Identifying a Need…is there a Demand? Innovate a Novel solution

• Incremental Improvement?

• Paradigm Shift?

• Cost effective?

• Existing IP?

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NPRL Examples: -Voltaics

Substrate

Photovoltaic Cell

Quantum Dots

Photon

-particle

Radioisotope Source

Upper Contacts

Lower ContactsSubstrate

Photovoltaic Cell

Quantum Dots

Photon

-particle

Radioisotope Source

Upper Contacts

Lower Contacts

Need: Microelectronic power supplies

Demand: Microsystems, Remote sensing, long-lived sustainable batteries (pacemaker)

Novelty: Nanomaterials afford utility-radiation tolerance and efficient luminescence

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NPRL Examples: SWNTs

(a) (b)

100 150 200 250 300

Ram

an I

nten

sity

(a.

u.)

Raman Shift (cm-1)

1.96 eV2.54 eV

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181

164

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(a) (b)

100 150 200 250 300

Ram

an I

nten

sity

(a.

u.)

Raman Shift (cm-1)

1.96 eV2.54 eV

161

181

164

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Need: Solvent Dispersions and Separation

Demand: Analysis, chemical reactions, phase-pure material (metallic vs. semiconducting)

Novelty: Simple organic solvent – cost effective

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NPRL Examples: QD-SWNTsNeed: Additives for Polymeric Solar Cells

Demand: Nanomaterials which can be dispersed in a conducting polymer to improve exciton dissociation and charge transport

Novelty: Wavelength selective, high electron affinity, extraordinary electrical conductivity

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Conclusions IP can facilitate a researcher’s ability to

be awarded grant money IP development is synergistic with other

research duties Successful IP will allow for a revenue

stream for the university lab and the researcher