Patents by Inventor Allen J. Bard

Allen J. Bard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5382336
    Abstract: Small amplitude tip-position modulation (TPM) in combination with lock-in detection of the modulated current signal is applied to a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) to improve signal-to-noise ratio and to enhance image resolution. Phase shift information from the alternating current TPM signal and the bipolar response of TPM over insulators and conductors make TPM-SECM superior to conventional SECM imaging methods as well as useful for measuring substrate conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Allen J. Bard, David O. Wipf
  • Patent number: 5327373
    Abstract: Methods and apparatii are described for information storage in photoconductive film of single layer composition by irradiation of memory elements simultaneously with application of an electric field. Information is stored as trapped charge accumulations in the film when the irradiation is removed, but trapped charge can be released by subsequent irradiation. Repeated information storage, followed by erasure, returns the films to their original state without degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Chongyang Liu, Horng-long Pan, Allen J. Bard, Marye A. Fox
  • Patent number: 5324457
    Abstract: Devices and methods for generating electrogenerated chemiluminescence, using an electrode which is coated with an immobilized layer of a compound capable of generating ECL. The coated electrode can be immersed along with a second electrode into an electrolyte solution containing a reactant which can react with the immobilized compound to generate ECL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of TX System
    Inventors: Xun Zhang, Allen J. Bard
  • Patent number: 5310687
    Abstract: A chemical moiety is disclosed which comprises a chemical, biochemical, or biological substance attached to one or more electrochemiluminescent organometallic compounds. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the substance is attached to one or more ruthenium-containing or osmium-containing luminescent organometallic compounds. Methods are disclosed for detecting low concentrations of the chemical moiety using chemiluminescent, electrochemiluminescent, and photoluminescent means. Compounds are disclosed which are useful for labeling substances of interest with ruthenium-containing and osmium-containing labels or other electrochemiluminescent labels. These labeled substances are useful in methods provided for detecting and quantifying analytes of interest in binding assays and competitive binding assays. The labeled substances are of particular use in homogeneous binding assays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Igen, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen J. Bard, George M. Whitesides
  • Patent number: 5238808
    Abstract: A chemical moiety is disclosed which comprises a chemical, biochemical, or biological substance attached to one or more electrochemiluminescent organometallic compounds. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the substance is attached to one or more ruthenium-containing or osmium-containing luminescent organometallic compounds. Methods are disclosed for detecting very small amounts of the chemical moiety using chemiluminescent, electrochemiluminescent, and photoluminescent means. Compounds are disclosed which are useful for labelling substances of interest with ruthenium-containing and osmium-containing labels or other electrochemiluminescent labels. These labelled substances are useful in methods provided for detecting and quantifying analytes of interest in binding assays and competitive binding assays. The labelled substances are of particular use in homogeneous binding assays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Igen, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen J. Bard, George M. Whitesides
  • Patent number: 5221605
    Abstract: A chemical moiety is disclosed which comprises a chemical biochemical, or biological substance attached to one or more electrochemiluminescent organometallic compounds. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the substance is attached to one or more ruthenium-containing or osmiumcontaining luminescent organometallic compounds. Methods are disclosed for detecting very small amounts of the chemical moiety using chemiluminescent, electrochemiluminescent, and photoluminescent means. Compounds are disclosed which are useful for labelling substances of interest with ruthenium-containing and osmium-containing labels or other electrochemiluminescent labels. These labelled substances are useful in methods provided for detecting and quantifying analytes of interest in binding assays and competitive binding assays. The labelled substances are of particular use in homogeneous binding assays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Igen, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen J. Bard, George M. Whitesides
  • Patent number: 5202004
    Abstract: A method for locating a chemical substance on the surface of a material and for determining the contour of a surface of a material using a scanning electrochemical microscope is provided in the present invention. The substance to be examined is immersed in a solution, the tip of a working electrode is positioned in the solution proximate the surface and an electric potential is connected directly or indirectly between the tip and the material generating a current through the tip and producing an electrochemical reaction. The current through the tip is measured at a plurality of points while the tip is scanned across the surface. The current at each point in the scan is preferably plotted to produce an image of the contour or of the differing chemical compositions on the surface of the substance being examined. The solution in which the substance and working electrode tip are immersed is chosen to enable electrochemically generated reduction and oxidation processes to occur between the surface and the tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Digital Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Juhyoun Kwak, Allen J. Bard, Fu-Ren F. Fan
  • Patent number: 4968390
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a new method for producing microfine conducting features by utilizing a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) (a modified version of the scanning tunneling microscope) to electrochemically deposit various conducting substances on the surfaces of conductive objects. The method comprises the steps of coating or forming a polymeric or ionically conducting film layer over a conductive object upon which the conducting features are to be deposited, placing the tip of an SECM in contact with the conducting film, applying a voltage between the SECM tip and the object so that a current passes through the film from the SECM tip to the object to induce an electrochemical reaction that will cause the desired product to be deposited, and moving the tip across the surface of the film to leave a pattern of microfine deposit features. At the same time, the counter-reaction at the conductive object yields to a localized etching of the lattice with a high resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Allen J. Bard, Oskar E. Huesser, Derek H. Craston
  • Patent number: 4793910
    Abstract: A multielectrode photoelectrochemical cell in which at least contains two bipolar electrode panels for photoelectrochemical reactions such as water photolysis to produce H.sub.2 O.sub.2 without external bias. In one embodiment of the present invention, a bipolar TiO.sub.2 /Pt multielectrode photoelectrochemical cell was fabricated with five panels in series. The cell permitted unassisted photolytic (Xe lamp) water splitting to produce H.sub.2 and O.sub.2 with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 molar ratio of 2.4/1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventors: Eugene Smotkin, Allen J. Bard, Marye A. Fox
  • Patent number: 4365010
    Abstract: A photoelectrochromic display device having a semiconductor electrode, and a counterelectrode made of a selected metallic material is presented. The electrode and counterelectrode are immersed in an aqueous solution containing heptyl viologen. The device is usable as a display device, as a storage battery, and as an alternating current photoelectric generator. As a display device, the cell requires only two leads rather than multiple leads and complicated electrical addressing and decoding required for most multi-character displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Allen J. Bard, Fu-Ren F. Fan, Benjamin Reichman
  • Patent number: 4303486
    Abstract: Methods for heterogeneous photocatalytic decarboxylation of saturated carboxylic acids on several n-type semiconductor powders are disclosed. Major reaction products are the corresponding alkanes and carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1981
    Assignee: Board of Regents, University of Texas System
    Inventors: Allen J. Bard, Bernhard Kraeutler
  • Patent number: 4264421
    Abstract: Photocatalytic methods are disclosed for the preparation of metallized powders. Specifically, such methods include the photodeposition of platinum, copper and other metals on TiO.sub.2 powder and other semiconductor powders. The powders thus prepared are particularly useful as catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1981
    Assignee: Board of Regents, University of Texas System
    Inventors: Allen J. Bard, Wendell W. Dunn, Bernhard Kraeutler