Patents by Inventor Michael A. Huff

Michael A. Huff 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).

  • Publication number: 20120301981
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for the fabrication of electron field emitter devices, including carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission devices. The method of the present invention involves depositing one or more electrically conductive thin-film layers onto a electrically conductive substrate and performing lithography and etching on these thin film layers to pattern them into the desired shapes. The top-most layer may be of a material type that acts as a catalyst for the growth of single- or multiple-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Subsequently, the substrate is etched to form a high-aspect ratio post or pillar structure onto which the previously patterned thin film layers are positioned. Carbon nanotubes may be grown on the catalyst material layer. The present invention also described methods by which the individual field emission devices may be singulated into individual die from a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Mehmet OZGUR, Paul SUNAL, Lance OH, Michael HUFF, Michael PEDERSEN
  • Publication number: 20120281725
    Abstract: A laser diode system is disclosed in which a substrate made of a semiconductor material containing laser diodes is bonded to a substrate made from a metallic material without the use of any intermediate joining or soldering layers between the two substrates. The metal substrate acts as an electrode and/or heat sink for the laser diode semiconductor substrate. Microchannels may be included in the metal substrate to allow coolant fluid to pass through, thereby facilitating the removal of heat from the laser diode substrate. A second metal substrate including cooling fluid microchannels may also be bonded to the laser diode substrate to provide greater heat transfer from the laser diode substrate. The bonding of the substrates at low temperatures, combined with modifications to the substrate surfaces, enables the realization of a low electrical resistance interface and a low thermal resistance interface between the bonded substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Michael A. HUFF, Jonah JACOB
  • Patent number: 8304324
    Abstract: A method of wafer or substrate bonding a substrate made of a semiconductor material with a substrate made from a metallic material is disclosed. The method allows the bonding of the two substrates together without the use of any intermediate joining gluing, or solder layer(s) between the two substrates. The method allows the moderate or low temperature bonding of the metal and semiconductor substrates, combined with methods to modify the materials so as to enable low electrical resistance interfaces to be realized between the bonded substrates, and also combined with methods to obtain a low thermal resistance interface between the bonded substrates, thereby enabling various useful improvements for fabrication, packaging and manufacturing of semiconductor devices and systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventor: Michael Huff
  • Patent number: 8270081
    Abstract: A method of reflecting impinging electromagnetic radiation by using engineered surfaces of alternating layers of materials having different indices of refraction is described. These layers can be fabrication or applied onto the surfaces of macro-scale objects. Also, a method of limiting the heating within the interior of an object being impinged upon by electromagnetic radiation is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Corporation For National Research Initiatives
    Inventor: Michael A Huff
  • Patent number: 8243766
    Abstract: A laser diode system is disclosed in which a substrate made of a semiconductor material containing laser diodes is bonded to a substrate made from a metallic material without the use of any intermediate joining or soldering layers between the two substrates. The metal substrate acts as an electrode and/or heat sink for the laser diode semiconductor substrate. Microchannels may be included in the metal substrate to allow coolant fluid to pass through, thereby facilitating the removal of heat from the laser diode substrate. A second metal substrate including cooling fluid microchannels may also be bonded to the laser diode substrate to provide greater heat transfer from the laser diode substrate. The bonding of the substrates at low temperatures, combined with modifications to the substrate surfaces, enables the realization of a low electrical resistance interface and a low thermal resistance interface between the bonded substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Inventors: Michael Huff, Jonah Jacob
  • Publication number: 20110309553
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for the precision fabrication of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems (NEMS), Microsytems, Nanosystems, Photonics, 3-D integration, heterogeneous integration, and Nanotechology devices and structures. The disclosed system and method can also be used in any fabrication technology to increase the precision and accuracy of the devices and structures being made compared to conventional means of implementation. A platform holds and moves a substrate to be machined during machining and a plurality of lasers and/or ion beams are provided that are capable of achieving predetermined levels of machining resolution and precision and machining rates for a predetermined application. The plurality of lasers and/or ion beams comprises a plurality of the same type of laser and/or ion beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventor: Michael A. HUFF
  • Publication number: 20110250706
    Abstract: An improved method for the fabrication of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems (NEMS), Photonics, Nanotechnology, 3-Dimensional Integration, Micro- and Nano-Fabricated Devices and Systems for both rapid prototyping development and manufacturing is disclosed. The method includes providing a plurality of different standardized and repeatable process modules usable in fabricating the devices and systems, defining a process sequence for fabricating a predefined one of the devices or systems, and identifying a series of the process modules that are usable in performing the defined process sequence and thus in fabricating the predefined device or system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventor: Michael A. HUFF
  • Patent number: 8007695
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of implementing lens elements or lens arrays having dimensions ranging from a few centimeters down to the micro-scale or nano-scale using the surface tension of the lens material in a molten state to allow the curved shape of the lens to be precisely defined. The method has useful application in the fabrication of lens elements and lens arrays out of a large variety of material types, including elemental materials, as well as compound materials and alloys. The method also allows the implementation of lenses having far superior surface smoothness compared to other approaches, as well as very accurate lens shapes. The method allows the making of high quality lenses and lens arrays, wherein the diameter of the lenses are on the order of a few microns or less. Convex, concave, plano-convex, plano-concave, compound lenses, and many other types of lens shapes can be implemented using the method of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventor: Michael A. Huff
  • Patent number: 7994463
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating structures such as transducer pedestal structures and transducers fabricated by the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignees: Corporation for National Research Initiatives, Science Research Laboratory
    Inventors: Allen M. Flusberg, Michael A. Huff
  • Publication number: 20100326262
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a chaff pod includes at least two dispensers disposed within a chaff pod housing. Each of the dispensers has a surface defining an opening through which a number of countermeasures may be dispensed. The dispensers are configured to be coupled to the aircraft. The first dispenser directs countermeasures in a first direction, and the second dispenser directs countermeasures in a second direction. The difference between the first direction and the second direction form a relative angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Galanti, David J. Broadhead, Michael A. Huff
  • Publication number: 20100118407
    Abstract: A method of reflecting impinging electromagnetic radiation by using engineered surfaces of alternating layers of materials having different indices of refraction is described. These layers can be fabrication or applied onto the surfaces of macro-scale objects. Also, a method of limiting the heating within the interior of an object being impinged upon by electromagnetic radiation is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventor: Michael A. Huff
  • Publication number: 20100108254
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a metallic alloy composed of Titanium and Tungsten that together form an alloy having a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE), wherein the content of the respective constituents can be adjusted so that the alloy material can be nearly perfectly matched to that of a commonly used semiconductor and ceramic materials. Moreover, alloys of Titanium-Tungsten have excellent electrical and thermal conductivities making them ideal material choices for many electrical, photonic, thermoelectric, MMIC, NEMS, nanotechnology, power electronics, MEMS, and packaging applications. The present invention describes a method for designing the TiW alloy so as to nearly perfectly match the coefficient of thermal expansion of a large number of different types of commonly used semiconductor and ceramic materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventors: Michael A. Huff, Paul Sunal
  • Patent number: 7679042
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating structures such as transducer pedestal structures and transducers fabricated by the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Inventors: Allen M. Flusberg, Michael A. Huff
  • Publication number: 20090286382
    Abstract: A method of wafer or substrate bonding a substrate made of a semiconductor material with a substrate made from a metallic material is disclosed. The method allows the bonding of the two substrates together without the use of any intermediate joining gluing, or solder layer(s) between the two substrates. The method allows the moderate or low temperature bonding of the metal and semiconductor substrates, combined with methods to modify the materials so as to enable low electrical resistance interfaces to be realized between the bonded substrates, and also combined with methods to obtain a low thermal resistance interface between the bonded substrates, thereby enabling various useful improvements for fabrication, packaging and manufacturing of semiconductor devices and systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventor: Michael A. Huff
  • Publication number: 20090283927
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of implementing lens elements or lens arrays having dimensions ranging from a few centimeters down to the micro-scale or nano-scale using the surface tension of the lens material in a molten state to allow the curved shape of the lens to be precisely defined. The method has useful application in the fabrication of lens elements and lens arrays out of a large variety of material types, including elemental materials, as well as compound materials and alloys. The method also allows the implementation of lenses having far superior surface smoothness compared to other approaches, as well as very accurate lens shapes. The method allows the making of high quality lenses and lens arrays, wherein the diameter of the lenses are on the order of a few microns or less. Convex, concave, plano-convex, plano-concave, compound lenses, and many other types of lens shapes can be implemented using the method of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventor: Michael A. Huff
  • Publication number: 20090092162
    Abstract: A laser diode system is disclosed in which a substrate made of a semiconductor material containing laser diodes is bonded to a substrate made from a metallic material without the use of any intermediate joining or soldering layers between the two substrates. The metal substrate acts as an electrode and/or heat sink for the laser diode semiconductor substrate. Microchannels may be included in the metal substrate to allow coolant fluid to pass through, thereby facilitating the removal of heat from the laser diode substrate. A second metal substrate including cooling fluid microchannels may also be bonded to the laser diode substrate to provide greater heat transfer from the laser diode substrate. The bonding of the substrates at low temperatures, combined with modifications to the substrate surfaces, enables the realization of a low electrical resistance interface and a low thermal resistance interface between the bonded substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Michael A. Huff, Jonah Jacob
  • Publication number: 20090002914
    Abstract: A variable capacitor device is disclosed in which the capacitive tuning ratio and quality factor are increased to very high levels, and in which the capacitance value of the device is tuned and held to a desired value with a high level of accuracy and precision using a laser micromachining tuning process on suitably designed and fabricated capacitor devices. The tuning of the variable capacitor devices can be performed open-loop or closed-loop, depending on the precision of the eventual capacitor value needed or desired. Furthermore, the tuning to a pre-determined value can be performed before the variable capacitor device is connected to a circuit, or alternatively, the tuning to a desired value can be performed after the variable capacitor device has been connected into a circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventors: Michael A. Huff, Mehmet Ozgur
  • Patent number: 7188530
    Abstract: A micro-mechanical pressure transducer is disclosed in which a capacitive transducer structure is integrated with an inductor coil to form a LC tank circuit, resonance frequency of which may be detected remotely by imposing an electromagnetic field on the transducer. The capacitive transducer structure comprises a conductive movable diaphragm, a fixed counter electrode, and a predetermined air gap between said diaphragm and electrode. The diaphragm deflects in response to an applied pressure differential, leading to a change of capacitance in the structure and hence a shift of resonance frequency of the LC tank circuit. The resonance frequency of the LC circuit can be remotely detected by measuring and determining the corresponding peak in electromagnetic impedance of the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventors: Michael Pedersen, Mehmet Ozgur, Michael A. Huff
  • Publication number: 20060235330
    Abstract: An apparatus for identifying and managing mood, including from seven to ten selectable mood buttons, each representing a mood; selectable trigger buttons, each representing a trigger for the mood; mood suggestions displayed after selection of a mood button and a trigger button; a speaker; and a mode selection button. The apparatus may include a wristband. The apparatus may include an on/off switch. The apparatus of may include an AC adapter jack. The mood suggestions may be displayed audibly through the speaker. Also disclosed is a method of identifying and managing mood, comprising the steps of displaying a selectable mood button, representing a mood; displaying a selectable trigger button, representing a trigger for the mood; and displaying mood suggestions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventor: Michael HUFF
  • Patent number: 7052926
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a high-aspect ratio micro-mechanical device or system with dimensions that can vary from nanometers to millimeters is disclosed. According to the method, a tool master with a high-aspect ratio, submicron lateral resolution and vertical dimensions substantially corresponding to the vertical dimensions of the device or system is formed. The tool master and a substrate sized for the device or system are heated to a temperature at which the substrate becomes compliant. The heated tool master and substrate are then pressed together so as to imprint the shape and form of the tool master into the substrate. The temperature of the tool master and substrate are then lowered, whereupon the tool master and substrate are separated and cooled to ambient temperature. The tool master can have a plurality of duplications to form a plurality of devices or systems. The substrate is composed of a laminate comprised of a sacrificial layer and a structural layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Corporation for National Research Initiatives
    Inventor: Michael A. Huff