Spire Corporation Awarded Patent for Nano-PV Devices

Spire Corporation SPIR announced today it has been awarded a patent for its invention of a nanophotovoltaic (Nano-PV) device which, when applied to biological cells such as cancer, can control and/or limit their growth. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued Spire Corporation U.S. Patent No. 7,955,965 entitled “Nanophotovoltaic Devices.” Spire's invention provides Nano-PV devices having sizes in a range of about 50 nanometers to about 5 microns, and a method for their fabrication. The devices functionalized to target specific cells and then are selectively activated by light to generate an electrical charge to kill or interfere with cell growth.