Patents by Inventor Noel C. MacDonald
Noel C. MacDonald 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: 20220228811Abstract: Titanium-based thermal ground planes are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2012Publication date: July 21, 2022Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAInventors: Payam Bozorgi, Carl D. Meinhart, Marin Sigurdson, Noel C. MacDonald, David Bothman, Yu-Wei Liu
-
Publication number: 20200025462Abstract: Titanium-based thermal ground planes are described. A thermal ground plane in accordance with the present invention comprises a titanium substrate comprising a plurality of pillars, wherein the plurality of Ti pillars can be optionally oxidized to form nanostructured titania coated pillars, and a vapor cavity, in communication with the plurality of titanium pillars, for transporting thermal energy from one region of the thermal ground plane to another region of the thermal ground plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2019Publication date: January 23, 2020Applicant: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Noel C. MacDonald, Carl D. Meinhart, Changsong Ding, Payam Bozorgi, Gaurav Soni, Brian D. Piorek
-
Patent number: 10309728Abstract: Titanium-based thermal ground planes are described. A thermal ground plane in accordance with the present invention comprises a titanium substrate comprising a plurality of pillars, wherein the plurality of Ti pillars can be optionally oxidized to form nanostructured titania coated pillars, and a vapor cavity, in communication with the plurality of titanium pillars, for transporting thermal energy from one region of the thermal ground plane to another region of the thermal ground plane.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2014Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Noel C. MacDonald, Carl D. Meinhart, Changsong Ding, Payam Bozorgi, Gaurav Soni, Brian D. Piorek
-
Patent number: 9688533Abstract: A new packaging method for a wide range of MEMS for application on both the wafer and device scale. Titanium is used as the packaging material and both silicon and titanium MEMS devices are integrated on to a titanium substrate. A Nd:YAG pulsed laser is used to micro-weld the titanium cap to the substrate. A three-dimensional time dependent model of heat flow during laser beam welding is presented. The heat transfer and parametric design capabilities of COMSOL were employed for this purpose. Model calculations are compared and calibrated with experimental results of pulsed laser welds. The functionality and hermiticity of the proposed packaging was evaluated by packaging a self actuated Veeco Instrument AFM cantilever tip. The experimental measurements show that the resonance frequency and quality factor of the device stay the same before and after packaging and the applied technique has no effect on the device.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2012Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Payam Bozorgi, Noel C. MacDonald
-
Publication number: 20140332187Abstract: Titanium-based thermal ground planes are described. A thermal ground plane in accordance with the present invention comprises a titanium substrate comprising a plurality of pillars, wherein the plurality of Ti pillars can be optionally oxidized to form nanostructured titania coated pillars, and a vapor cavity, in communication with the plurality of titanium pillars, for transporting thermal energy from one region of the thermal ground plane to another region of the thermal ground plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAInventors: Noel C. MacDonald, Carl D. Meinhart, Changsong Ding, Payam Bozorgi, Gaurav Soni, Brian D. Piorek
-
Patent number: 8807203Abstract: Titanium-based thermal ground planes are described. A thermal ground plane in accordance with the present invention comprises a titanium substrate comprising a plurality of pillars, wherein the plurality of Ti pillars can be optionally oxidized to form nanostructured titania coated pillars, and a vapor cavity, in communication with the plurality of titanium pillars, for transporting thermal energy from one region of the thermal ground plane to another region of the thermal ground plane.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2009Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Noel C. MacDonald, Carl D. Meinhart, Changsong Ding, Payam Bozorgi, Gaurav Soni, Brian D. Piorek
-
Publication number: 20140126167Abstract: A new packaging method for a wide range of MEMS for application on both the wafer and device scale. Titanium is used as the packaging material and both silicon and titanium MEMS devices are integrated on to a titanium substrate. A Nd:YAG pulsed laser is used to micro-weld the titanium cap to the substrate. A three-dimensional time dependent model of heat flow during laser beam welding is presented. The heat transfer and parametric design capabilities of COMSOL were employed for this purpose. Model calculations are compared and calibrated with experimental results of pulsed laser welds. The functionality and hermiticity of the proposed packaging was evaluated by packaging a self actuated Veeco Instrument AFM cantilever tip. The experimental measurements show that the resonance frequency and quality factor of the device stay the same before and after packaging and the applied technique has no effect on the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2012Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Payam Bozorgi, Noel C. MacDonald
-
Patent number: 8685266Abstract: Monocyclic chlorine based inductively coupled plasma deep etching processes for the rapid micromachining of titanium substrates and titanium devices so produced are disclosed. The method parameters are adjustable to simultaneously vary etch rate, mask selectivity, and surface roughness and can be applied to titanium substrates having a wide variety of thicknesses to produce high aspect ratio features, smooth sidewalls, and smooth surfaces. The titanium microdevices so produced exhibit beneficially high fracture toughness, biocompatibility and are robust and able to withstand harsh environments making them useful in a wide variety of applications including microelectronics, micromechanical devices, MEMS, and biological devices that may be used in vivo.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2006Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Emily R. Parker, Brian J. Thibeault, Marco F. Aimi, Masa P. Rao, Noel C. MacDonald
-
Publication number: 20130327504Abstract: Titanium-based thermal ground planes are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2012Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAInventors: Payam Bozorgi, Carl D. Meinhart, Marin Sigurdson, Noel C. MacDonald, David Bothman, Yu-Wei Liu
-
Publication number: 20110120674Abstract: Titanium-based thermal ground planes are described. A thermal ground plane in accordance with the present invention comprises a titanium substrate comprising a plurality of pillars, wherein the plurality of Ti pillars can be optionally oxidized to form nanostructured titania coated pillars, and a vapor cavity, in communication with the plurality of titanium pillars, for transporting thermal energy from one region of the thermal ground plane to another region of the thermal ground plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2009Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAInventors: Noel C. MacDonald, Carl D. Meinhart, Changsong Ding, Payam Bozorgi, Gaurav Soni, Brian D. Piorek
-
Publication number: 20100125254Abstract: Monocyclic chlorine based inductively coupled plasma deep etching processes for the rapid micromachining of titanium substrates and titanium devices so produced are disclosed. The method parameters are adjustable to simultaneously vary etch rate, mask selectivity, and surface roughness and can be applied to titanium substrates having a wide variety of thicknesses to produce high aspect ratio features, smooth sidewalls, and smooth surfaces. The titanium microdevices so produced exhibit beneficially high fracture toughness, biocompatibility and are robust and able to withstand harsh environments making them useful in a wide variety of applications including microelectronics, micromechanical devices, MEMS, and biological devices that may be used in vivo.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2006Publication date: May 20, 2010Applicant: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Emily R. Parker, B. J. Thibeault, Marco F. Aimi, Masa P. Rao, Noel C. MacDonald
-
Patent number: 7718552Abstract: A method and device of nanostructured titania that is crack free. A method in accordance with the present invention comprises depositing a Ti film on a surface, depositing a masking layer on the Ti film, etching said masking layer to expose a limited region of the Ti film, the limited region being of an area less than a threshold area, oxidizing the exposed limited region of the Th.ucsbi film, and annealing the exposed limited region of the Ti film.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2006Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Zuruzi Abu Samah, Noel C. MacDonald, Marcus Ward, Martin Moskovits, Andrei Kolmakov, Cyrus R. Safinya
-
Publication number: 20100086734Abstract: A method and device of nanostructured titania that is crack free. A method in accordance with the present invention comprises depositing a Ti film on a surface, depositing a masking layer on the Ti film, etching said masking layer to expose a limited region of the Ti film, the limited region being of an area less than a threshold area, oxidizing the exposed limited region of the Th.ucsbi film, and annealing the exposed limited region of the Ti film.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2006Publication date: April 8, 2010Inventors: Zuruzi Abu Samah, Noel C. MacDonald, Marcus Ward, Martin Moskovits, Andrei Kolmakov, Cyrus R. Safinya
-
Patent number: 7682956Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to a method for three-dimensional (3D) microfabrication of complex, high aspect ratio structures with arbitrary surface height profiles in metallic materials, and to devices fabricated in accordance with this process. The method builds upon anisotropic deep etching methods for metallic materials previously developed by the inventors by enabling simplified realization of complex, non-prismatic structural geometries composed of multiple height levels and sloping and/or non-planar surface profiles. The utility of this approach is demonstrated in the fabrication of a sloping electrode structure intended for application in bulk micromachined titanium micromirror devices, however such a method could find use in the fabrication of any number of other microactuator, microsensor, microtransducer, or microstructure devices as well.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Masaru P. Rao, Marco F. Aimi, Noel C. MacDonald
-
Patent number: 7569411Abstract: Metal MEMS structures are fabricated from metal substrates, preferably titanium, utilizing micromachining processes with a new deep etching procedure to provide released microelectromechanical devices. The deep etch procedure includes metal anisotropic reactive ion etching utilizing repetitive alternating steps of etching and side wall protection. Variations in the timing of the etching and protecting steps produces walls of different roughness and taper. The metal wafers can be macomachined before forming the MEMS structures, and the resulting wafers can be stacked and bonded in packages.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2007Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Noel C. MacDonald, Marco F. Aimi
-
Patent number: 7504757Abstract: Multi-level structures are formed in a semiconductor substrate by first forming a pattern of lines or structures of different widths. Width information on the pattern is decoded by processing steps into level information to form a MEMS structure. The pattern is etched to form structures having a first floor. The structures are oxidized until structures of thinner width are substantially fully oxidized. A portion of the oxide is then etched to expose the first floor. The first floor is then etched to form a second floor. The oxide is then optionally removed, leaving a multi-level structure. In one embodiment, high aspect ratio comb actuators are formed using the multi-level structure process.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2006Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.Inventors: Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, Xiaojun T. Huang, Noel C. MacDonald
-
Patent number: 7457033Abstract: A MEMS-tunable semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). A device in accordance with the present invention comprises a substrate, a first mirror, coupled to the substrate, a second mirror, an active region, coupled between the first and second mirror, and a microelectromechanical actuator, coupled to the second mirror, wherein a voltage is applied to the microelectromechanical actuator to tune the SOA.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2006Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Garrett D. Cole, E. Staffan Björlin, Qi Chen, Noel C. MacDonald, John E. Bowers
-
Patent number: 7339244Abstract: A process cycles between etching and passivating chemistries to create rough sidewalls that are converted into small structures. In one embodiment, a mask is used to define lines in a single crystal silicon wafer. The process creates ripples on sidewalls of the lines corresponding to the cycles. The lines are oxidized in one embodiment to form a silicon wire corresponding to each ripple. The oxide is removed in a further embodiment to form structures ranging from micro sharp tips to photonic arrays of wires. Fluidic channels are formed by oxidizing adjacent rippled sidewalls. The same mask is also used to form other structures for MEMS devices.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2006Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.Inventors: Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, Noel C. MacDonald
-
Patent number: 7166488Abstract: Metal MEMS structures are fabricated from metal substrates, preferably titanium, utilizing micromachining processes with a new deep etching procedure to provide released microelectromechanical devices. The deep etch procedure includes metal anisotropic reactive ion etching utilizing repetitive alternating steps of etching and side wall protection. Variations in the timing of the etching and protecting steps produces walls of different roughness and taper. The metal wafers can be macomachined before forming the MEMS structures, and the resulting wafers can be stacked and bonded in packages.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2004Date of Patent: January 23, 2007Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Noel C. MacDonald, Marco F. Aimi
-
Patent number: 7045466Abstract: Multi-level structures are formed in a semiconductor substrate by first forming a pattern of lines or structures of different widths. Width information on the pattern is decoded by processing steps into level information to form a MEMS structure. The pattern is etched to form structures having a first floor. The structures are oxidized until structures of thinner width are substantially fully oxidized. A portion of the oxide is then etched to expose the first floor. The first floor is then etched to form a second floor. The oxide is then optionally removed, leaving a multi-level structure. In one embodiment, high aspect ratio comb actuators are formed using the multi-level structure process.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2003Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.Inventors: Kanakasabapathi Subramanian, Xiaojun T. Huang, Noel C. MacDonald