Patents by Inventor Oleg D. Lavrentovich
Oleg D. Lavrentovich 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).
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Patent number: 11586075Abstract: A method for aligning molecular orientations of liquid crystals and/or polymeric materials into spatially variant patterns uses metamasks. When non-polarized or circularly polarized light is transmitted through or reflected by the metamasks, spatially varied polarization direction and intensity patterns of light can be generated. By projecting the optical patterns of the metamasks onto substrates coated with photoalignment materials, spatially variant molecular orientations encoded in the polarization and intensity patterns are induced in the photoalignment materials, and transfer into the liquid crystals. Possible designs for the metamask use nanostructures of metallic materials (e.g., rectangular nanocuboids of metallic materials arrayed on a transparent substrate).Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2018Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: KENT STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Qi-Huo Wei, Hao Yu, Yubing Guo, Miao Jiang, Oleg D. Lavrentovich
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Patent number: 11444427Abstract: A lasing device includes an active layer comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal material and a laser dye, and a liquid crystal cell including spaced apart substrates defining a cell gap in which the active layer is disposed. The substrates include electrodes arranged to bias the active layer into an oblique helicoidal (ChOH) state. At least one substrate of the liquid crystal cell is optically transparent for a lasing wavelength range of the device.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2016Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignees: Kent State University, The University Court of the University of AberdeenInventors: Jie Xiang, Andrii Varanytsia, Fred Minkowski, Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Peter Palffy-Muhoray, Corrie T. Imrie, Daniel E. Paterson, John M. Storey
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Patent number: 11136632Abstract: A method for controlling self-propelled particles includes providing the particles to a liquid crystalline medium having predesigned local ordering. The method may control at least one of: a local concentration, trajectory, and net flow of self-propelled particles.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: KENT STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Chenhui Peng, Taras Turiv, Yubing Guo, Qi-Huo Wei
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Publication number: 20190377213Abstract: A method for aligning molecular orientations of liquid crystals and/or polymeric materials into spatially variant patterns uses metamasks. When non-polarized or circularly polarized light is transmitted through or reflected by the metamasks, spatially varied polarization direction and intensity patterns of light can be generated. By projecting the optical patterns of the metamasks onto substrates coated with photoalignment materials, spatially variant molecular orientations encoded in the polarization and intensity patterns are induced in the photoalignment materials, and transfer into the liquid crystals. Possible designs for the metamask use nanostructures of metallic materials (e.g., rectangular nanocuboids of metallic materials arrayed on a transparent substrate).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2018Publication date: December 12, 2019Inventors: Qi-Huo Wei, Hao Yu, Yubing Guo, Miao Jiang, Oleg D. Lavrentovich
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Patent number: 10350597Abstract: A transport device comprises: a fluid cell comprising parallel substrates; an anisotropic electrolyte disposed in the fluid cell; and electrodes configured to apply an AC electric field to the anisotropic electrolyte disposed in the fluid cell. A substrate of the fluid cell includes a pattern that induces a director distortion pattern in the anisotropic electrolyte disposed in the fluid cell. The director distortion pattern has a gradient configured to induce electrokinetic flow of the anisotropic electrolyte in the fluid cell in response to the AC electric field applied by the electrodes. Cargo, such as particles, gas bubbles, or fluid, is dispersed in the anisotropic electrolyte and transported in the fluid cell by the induced electrokinetic flow of the anisotropic electrolyte. The induced electrokinetic flow may be linear, curvilinear, circular so as to induce mixing, depending on the predesigned director pattern.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Kent State UniversityInventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Qi-Huo Wei, Sergij V. Shiyanovskii, Chenhui Peng, Yubing Guo
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Publication number: 20190048426Abstract: A method for controlling self-propelled particles includes providing the particles to a liquid crystalline medium having predesigned local ordering. The method may control at least one of: a local concentration, trajectory, and net flow of self-propelled particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2018Publication date: February 14, 2019Applicant: Kent State UniversityInventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Chenhui Peng, Taras Turiv, Yubing Guo, Qi-Huo Wei
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Publication number: 20180323570Abstract: A lasing device includes an active layer comprising a cholesteric liquid crystal material and a laser dye, and a liquid crystal cell including spaced apart substrates defining a cell gap in which the active layer is disposed. The substrates include electrodes arranged to bias the active layer into an oblique helicoidal (ChOH) state. At least one substrate of the liquid crystal cell is optically transparent for a lasing wavelength range of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2016Publication date: November 8, 2018Applicant: Kent State UniversityInventors: Jie Xiang, Andrii Varanytsia, Fred Minkowski, Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Peter Palffy-Muhoray, Corrie T. Imrie, Daniel E. Paterson, John M. Storey
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Patent number: 9732277Abstract: A liquid crystal cell includes substrates defining a gap and electrodes having one of (i) an in-plane geometry generating an electric field parallel with the substrates and (ii) a top-down geometry generating an electric field across the gap between the two spaced apart substrates. A liquid crystal material disposed in the gap between the substrates comprises a chiral nematic material formed by a mixture of: 1-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4?-yl)-6-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4?-yloxy)hexane (CB6OCB) or ?,?-bis(4,4-cyanobiphenyl)nonane (CB9CB) dimeric liquid crystal material; at least one additional dimeric liquid crystal material; and a chiral dopant.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2016Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignees: KENT STATE UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEENInventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Jie V. Xiang, Sergij V. Shiyanovskii, Corrie T. Imrie, Daniel A. Paterson, John M. Storey
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Patent number: 9690161Abstract: A diffraction grating comprises a liquid crystal (LC) cell configured to apply an electric field through a cholesteric LC material that induces the cholesteric LC material into a heliconical state with an oblique helicoid director. The applied electric field produces diffracted light from the cholesteric LC material within the visible, infrared or ultraviolet. The axis of the heliconical state is in the plane of the liquid crystal cell or perpendicular to the plane, depending on the application. A color tuning device operates with a similar heliconical state liquid crystal material but with the heliconical director axis oriented perpendicular to the plane of the cell. A power generator varies the strength of the applied electric field to adjust the wavelength of light reflected from the cholesteric liquid crystal material within the visible, infrared or ultraviolet.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2015Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: KENT STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Sergij V. Shiyanovsii, Jie Xiang, Young-Ki Kim
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Publication number: 20170144148Abstract: A transport device comprises: a fluid cell comprising parallel substrates; an anisotropic electrolyte disposed in the fluid cell; and electrodes configured to apply an AC electric field to the anisotropic electrolyte disposed in the fluid cell. A substrate of the fluid cell includes a pattern that induces a director distortion pattern in the anisotropic electrolyte disposed in the fluid cell. The director distortion pattern has a gradient configured to induce electrokinetic flow of the anisotropic electrolyte in the fluid cell in response to the AC electric field applied by the electrodes. Cargo, such as particles, gas bubbles, or fluid, is dispersed in the anisotropic electrolyte and transported in the fluid cell by the induced electrokinetic flow of the anisotropic electrolyte. The induced electrokinetic flow may be linear, curvilinear, circular so as to induce mixing, depending on the predesigned director pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2016Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Qi-Huo Wei, Sergij V. Shiyanovskii, Chenhui Peng, Yubing Guo
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Publication number: 20160252755Abstract: A liquid crystal cell includes substrates defining a gap and electrodes having one of (i) an in-plane geometry generating an electric field parallel with the substrates and (ii) a top-down geometry generating an electric field across the gap between the two spaced apart substrates. A liquid crystal material disposed in the gap between the substrates comprises a chiral nematic material formed by a mixture of: 1-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4?-yl)-6-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4?-yloxy)hexane (CB6OCB) or ?,?-bis(4,4-cyanobiphenyl)nonane (CB9CB) dimeric liquid crystal material; at least one additional dimeric liquid crystal material; and a chiral dopant.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Jie V. Xiang, Sergij V. Shiyanovskii, Corrie T. Imrie, Daniel A. Paterson
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Patent number: 9400412Abstract: An optical modulator includes a liquid crystal cell containing liquid crystal material having liquid crystal molecules oriented along a quiescent director direction in the unbiased state, and a voltage source configured to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal material wherein the direction of the applied electric field does not cause the quiescent director direction to change. An optical source is arranged to transmit light through or reflect light off the liquid crystal cell with the light passing through the liquid crystal material at an angle effective to undergo phase retardation in response to the voltage source applying the electric field. The liquid crystal material may have negative dielectric anisotropy, and the voltage source configured to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal material whose electric field vector is transverse to the quiescent director direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2014Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: KENT STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Volodymyr Borshch, Sergij V. Shiyanovskii, Oleg D. Lavrentovich
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Patent number: 9324473Abstract: A nanoparticle composition, a device including the nanoparticle composition, and a method thereof are provided. The composition comprises nanoparticles such as Gold nanorods (NR) and electrically charged self-assembled molecular aggregates such as disodium chromoglycate (DSCG) in a common solvent such as water. The nanoparticles are assembled as, for example, side-by-side and end-to-end assemblies of nanorods, through a non-covalent interaction such as anisotropic electrostatic interaction with the electrically charged self-assembled molecular aggregates.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2009Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: KENT STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Heung-Shik Park
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Publication number: 20160103351Abstract: A phase retarder includes a liquid crystal cell and electrical switching circuitry. The liquid crystal cell contains electrodes and an active layer comprising liquid crystal material stabilized by a polymer network that is shaped by a blue phase using a washout/refill procedure. The electrical switching circuitry is configured to operate the phase retarder at a switching speed of less than 500 microseconds for both rise time and decay time, and in some embodiments is configured to operate the phase retarder at a switching speed of 200 microseconds or less for both rise time and decay time. The polymer network typically has pores of less than or about 200 nm. The liquid crystal material may be a nonchiral nematic liquid crystal material, a chiral nematic liquid crystal material, or a chiral smectic liquid crystal material. In some embodiments the liquid crystal cell does not include an alignment layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2014Publication date: April 14, 2016Inventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Jie Xiang
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Publication number: 20160033806Abstract: A diffraction grating comprises a liquid crystal (LC) cell configured to apply an electric field through a cholesteric LC material that induces the cholesteric LC material into a heliconical state with an oblique helicoid director. The applied electric field produces diffracted light from the cholesteric LC material within the visible, infrared or ultraviolet. The axis of the heliconical state is in the plane of the liquid crystal cell or perpendicular to the plane, depending on the application. A color tuning device operates with a similar heliconical state liquid crystal material but with the heliconical director axis oriented perpendicular to the plane of the cell. A power generator varies the strength of the applied electric field to adjust the wavelength of light reflected from the cholesteric liquid crystal material within the visible, infrared or ultraviolet.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2015Publication date: February 4, 2016Inventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Sergij V. Shiyanovsii, Jie Xiang, Young-Ki Kim
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Publication number: 20160018679Abstract: An optical modulator includes a liquid crystal cell containing liquid crystal material having liquid crystal molecules oriented along a quiescent director direction in the unbiased state, and a voltage source configured to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal material wherein the direction of the applied electric field does not cause the quiescent director direction to change. An optical source is arranged to transmit light through or reflect light off the liquid crystal cell with the light passing through the liquid crystal material at an angle effective to undergo phase retardation in response to the voltage source applying the electric field. The liquid crystal material may have negative dielectric anisotropy, and the voltage source configured to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal material whose electric field vector is transverse to the quiescent director direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2014Publication date: January 21, 2016Applicant: KENT STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Sergij V. Shiyanovskii, Volodymyr Borshch, Oleg D. Lavrentovich
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Patent number: 9182618Abstract: A method of electrophoretic movement of liquid droplets/gas bubbles through a liquid crystal utilizes a direct (DC) or alternating (AC) electric field that is applied along the liquid crystal director (for liquid crystals with a positive dielectric anisotropy) or perpendicular to the director (for liquid crystals with a negative dielectric anisotropy). A perpendicular or tilted orientation of the liquid crystal molecules at the surface of the liquid droplet/gas bubble causes distortions, such that the fore-aft (or left-right) symmetry of the liquid droplet/gas bubble is broken. The asymmetric orientation of the liquid crystal around the liquid droplet/gas bubble allows both charged and neutral particles to be transported, even when the liquid droplets/gas bubbles themselves are perfectly symmetric (spherical).Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2015Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: Kent State UniversityInventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Israel Esteban Lazo-Martinez, Oleg P. Pishnyak
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Publication number: 20150261023Abstract: A method of electrophoretic movement of liquid droplets/gas bubbles through a liquid crystal utilizes a direct (DC) or alternating (AC) electric field that is applied along the liquid crystal director (for liquid crystals with a positive dielectric anisotropy) or perpendicular to the director (for liquid crystals with a negative dielectric anisotropy). A perpendicular or tilted orientation of the liquid crystal molecules at the surface of the liquid droplet/gas bubble causes distortions, such that the fore-aft (or left-right) symmetry of the liquid droplet/gas bubble is broken. The asymmetric orientation of the liquid crystal around the liquid droplet/gas bubble allows both charged and neutral particles to be transported, even when the liquid droplets/gas bubbles themselves are perfectly symmetric (spherical).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2015Publication date: September 17, 2015Inventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Israel Esteban Lazo-Martinez, Oleg P. Pishnyak
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Patent number: 9052562Abstract: A method of electrophoretic movement of particles through a liquid crystal utilizes a direct (DC) or alternating (AC) electric field that is applied along the liquid crystal director (for liquid crystals with a positive dielectric anisotropy) or perpendicular to the director (for liquid crystals with a negative dielectric anisotropy). A perpendicular or tilted orientation of the liquid crystal molecules at the surface of the particle causes distortions, such that the fore-aft (or left-right) symmetry of the particle is broken. The asymmetric orientation of the liquid crystal around the particle allows both charged and neutral particles to be transported, even when the particles themselves are perfectly symmetric (spherical).Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2011Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Kent State UniversityInventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Israel Esteban Lazo-Martinez, Oleg P. Pishnyak
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Patent number: 8867121Abstract: Electrically reconfigurable metamaterial with spatially varied refractive index is proposed for applications such as optical devices and lenses. The apparatus and method comprises a metamaterial in which the refractive indices are modified in space and time by applying one or more electric fields. The metamaterials are electrically controllable and reconfigurable, and consist of metal (gold, silver, etc.) particles of different shapes, such as rods, with dimension much smaller than the wavelength of light, dispersed in a dielectric medium. The metamaterial is controlled by applying a non-uniform electric field that causes two effects: (1) It aligns the metallic anisometric particles with respect to the direction of the applied electric field and (2) It redistributes particles in space, making their local concentration position dependent.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2009Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Kent State UniversityInventors: Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Andrii B. Golovin