Patents Represented by Attorney Judson R. Hightower

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  • Techniques for optically compressing light intensity ranges
    Patent number: 4815828
    Abstract: A pin hole camera assembly for use in viewing an object having a relatively large light intensity range, for example a crucible containing molten uranium in an atomic vapor laser isotope separator (AVLIS) system is disclosed herein. The assembly includes means for optically compressing the light intensity range appearing at its input sufficient to make it receivable and decipherable by a standard video camera. A number of different means for compressing the intensity range are disclosed. These include the use of photogray glass, the use of a pair of interference filters, and the utilization of a new liquid crystal notch filter in combination with an interference filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Michael C. Rushford
  • Heterodyne laser spectroscopy system
    Patent number: 4817101
    Abstract: A heterodyne laser spectroscopy system utilizes laser heterodyne techniques for purposes of laser isotope separation spectroscopy, vapor diagnostics, processing of precise laser frequency offsets from a reference frequency and the like, and provides spectral analysis of a laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Richard W. Wyeth, Jeffrey A. Paisner, Thomas Story
  • Planarization of metal films for multilevel interconnects
    Patent number: 4814578
    Abstract: In the fabrication of multilevel integrated circuits, each metal layer is anarized by heating to momentarily melt the layer. The layer is melted by sweeping laser pulses of suitable width, typically about 1 microsecond duration, over the layer in small increments. The planarization of each metal layer eliminates irregular and discontinuous conditions between successive layers. The planarization method is particularly applicable to circuits having ground or power planes and allows for multilevel interconnects. Dielectric layers can also be planarized to produce a fully planar multilevel interconnect structure. The method is useful for the fabrication of VLSI circuits, particularly for wafer-scale integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy
    Inventor: David B. Tuckerman
  • Process to separate transuranic elements from nuclear waste
    Patent number: 4814046
    Abstract: A process for removing transuranic elements from a waste chloride electrolytic salt containing transuranic elements in addition to rare earth and other fission product elements so the salt waste may be disposed of more easily and the valuable transuranic elements may be recovered for reuse. The salt is contacted with a cadmium-uranium alloy which selectively extracts the transuranic elements from the salt. The waste salt is generated during the reprocessing of nuclear fuel associated with the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Terry R. Johnson, John P. Ackerman, Zygmunt Tomczuk, Donald F. Fischer
  • Downhole pulse radar
    Patent number: 4814768
    Abstract: A borehole logging tool generates a fast rise-time, short duration, high peak-power radar pulse having broad energy distribution between 30 MHz and 300 MHz through a directional transmitting and receiving antennas having barium titanate in the electromagnetically active region to reduce the wavelength to within an order of magnitude of the diameter of the antenna. Radar returns from geological discontinuities are sampled for transmission uphole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Hsi-Tien Chang
  • Microchannel plate streak camera
    Patent number: 4814599
    Abstract: An improved streak camera in which a microchannel plate electron multiplier is used in place of or in combination with the photocathode used in prior streak cameras. The improved streak camera is far more sensitive to photons (UV to gamma-rays) than the conventional x-ray streak camera which uses a photocathode. The improved streak camera offers gamma-ray detection with high temporal resolution. It also offers low-energy x-ray detection without attenuation inside the cathode. Using the microchannel plate in the improved camera has resulted in a time resolution of about 150 ps, and has provided a sensitivity sufficient for 1000 KeV x-rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Ching L. Wang
  • Process for removing metals from water
    Patent number: 4814091
    Abstract: A process for removing metals from water including the steps of prefiltering solids from the water, adjusting the pH to between about 2 and 3, reducing the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, increasing the pH to between about 6 and 8, adding water-soluble sulfide to precipitate insoluble sulfide- and hydroxide-forming metals, adding a flocculating agent, separating precipitate-containing floc, and postfiltering the resultant solution. The postfiltered solution may optionally be eluted through an ion exchange resin to remove residual metal ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: John M. Napier, Charles M. Hancher, Gail D. Hackett
  • Membrane reference electrode
    Patent number: 4814062
    Abstract: A reference electrode utilizes a small thin, flat membrane of a highly conductive glass placed on a small diameter insulator tube having a reference material inside in contact with an internal voltage lead. When the sensor is placed in a non-aqueous ionic electrolytic solution, the concentration difference across the glass membrane generates a low voltage signal in precise relationship to the concentration of the species to be measured with high spatial resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Laszlo Redey, Ira D. Bloom
  • Measuring electrode assembly
    Patent number: 4814058
    Abstract: A pH measuring electrode assembly for immersion in a solution includes an enclosed cylindrical member having an aperture at a lower end thereof. An electrolyte is located in the cylindrical member above the level of the aperture and an electrode is disposed in this electrolyte. A ring formed of an ion porous material is mounted relative to the cylindrical member so that a portion of this ring is rotatable relative to and is covering the aperture in the cylindrical member. A suitable mechanism is also provided for indicating which one of a plurality of portions of the ring is covering the aperture and to keep track of which portions of the ring have already been used and become clogged. Preferably, the electrode assembly also includes a glass electrode member in the center thereof including a second electrolyte and electrode disposed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: John E. Bordenick
  • Process for fabrication of large titanium diboride ceramic bodies
    Patent number: 4812280
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing large, fully dense, high purity TiB.sub.2 articles by pressing powders with a sintering aid at relatively low temperatures to reduce grain growth. The process requires stringent temperature and pressure applications in the hot-pressing step to ensure maximum removal of sintering aid and to avoid damage to the fabricated article or the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy
    Inventors: Arthur J. Moorhead, E. S. Bomar, Paul F. Becher
  • Method for the preparation of novel polyacetylene-type polymers
    Patent number: 4812520
    Abstract: Polymerization of acetylenic monomers is achieved by using a catalyst which is the reaction product of a tungsten compound and a reducing agent effective to reduce W(VI) to W(III) and/or IV), e.g., WCl.sub.6.(organo-Li, organo-Mg or polysilane). The resultant silylated polymers are of heretofore unachievable high molecular weight and can be used as precursors to a wide variety of new acetylenic polymers by application of substitution reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: The Unites States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: John M. Zeigler
  • Functional relationship-based alarm processing system
    Patent number: 4812819
    Abstract: A functional relationship-based alarm processing system and method analyzes each alarm as it is activated and determines its relative importance with other currently activated alarms and signals in accordance with the functional relationships that the newly activated alarm has with other currently activated alarms. Once the initial level of importance of the alarm has been determined, that alarm is again evaluated if another related alarm is activated or deactivated. Thus, each alarm's importance is continuously updated as the state of the process changes during a scenario.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Daniel R. Corsberg
  • Measuring surfactant concentration in plating solutions
    Patent number: 4812210
    Abstract: An arrangement for measuring the concentration of surfactants in a electrolyte containing metal ions includes applying a DC bias voltage and a modulated voltage to a counter electrode. The phase angle between the modulated voltage and the current response to the modulated voltage at a working electrode is correlated to the surfactant concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: The United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: William D. Bonivert, Joseph C. Farmer, John T. Hachman
  • Process for the preparation of benozotriazoles and their polymers, and 2(2-hydroxy-5-isopropenylphenyl)2H-benzotriazole produced thereby
    Patent number: 4812575
    Abstract: The compound 2(2-hydroxy-5-isopropenylphenyl)2H-benzotriazole (2H5P) is produced by azo coupling of o-nitrophenyl diazonium chloride with p-hydroxyacetophenone, subjecting the resulting isolated azo compound to reductive cyclization with zinc in the presence of sodium hydroxide at a temperature of about 50.degree.-70.degree. C., acidifying the resulting mixture so as to produce (2(2-hydroxy-5-acetylphenyl)2H-benzotriazole (2H5A), acetylating the isolated 2(2-hydroxy-5-acetylphenyl)2H-benzotriazole (2H5A), so as to produce 2(2-acetoxy-5-acetylphenyl)2H-benzotriazole (2A5A), methylating the isolated 2(2-acetoxy-5-acetylphenyl(2H-benzotriazole (2A5A) with a methyl Grignard reagent and dehydrating the isolated reaction product with potassium hydrogen sulfate so as to produce 2(2-hydroxy-5-isopropenylphenyl)2H-benzotriazole (2H5P). The compound is used as a polymerizable ultra violet light stabilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Otto Vogl, Zohar Nir
  • Motorized control for mirror mount apparatus
    Patent number: 4811619
    Abstract: A motorized control and automatic braking system for adjusting mirror mount apparatus is disclosed. The motor control includes a planetary gear arrangement to provide improved pitch adjustment capability while permitting a small packaged design. The motor control for mirror mount adjustment is suitable for laser beam propagation applications. The brake is a system of constant contact, floating detents which engage the planetary gear at selected between-teeth increments to stop rotation instantaneously when the drive motor stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Ronald W. Cutburth
  • Current-level triggered plasma-opening switch
    Patent number: 4812715
    Abstract: An opening switch for very high power electrical pulses uses a slow magnetic field to confine a plasma across a gap between two electrodes. The plasma conducts the electric pulse across the gap while the switch is closed. A magnetic field generated by the pulse repels the slow magnetic field from the negative electrode to push the plasma from the electrode, opening the switch. A plurality of radial vanes may be used to enhance the slow magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: The United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Clifford W. Mendel
  • Mercuric acetate phenyl maleimide useful for preparing radiohalogenated maleimides
    Patent number: 4812577
    Abstract: A mercuric maleimide is utilized as a pharmaceutical kit for preparing radiohalogenated maleimides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Prem C. Srivastava
  • Cr.sup.3+ -doped colquiriite solid state laser material
    Patent number: 4811349
    Abstract: Chromium doped colquiriite, LiCaAlF.sub.6 :Cr.sup.3+, is useful as a tunable laser crystal that has a high intrinsic slope efficiency, comparable to or exceeding that of alexandrite, the current leading performer of vibronic sideband Cr.sup.3+ lasers. The laser output is tunable from at least 720 nm to 840 nm with a measured slop efficiency of about 60% in a Kr laser pumped laser configuration. The intrinsic slope efficiency (in the limit of large output coupling) may approach the quantum defect limited value of 83%. The high slope efficiency implies that excited state absorption (ESA) is negligible. The potential for efficiency and the tuning range of this material satisfy the requirements for a pump laser for a high density storage medium incorporating Nd.sup.3+ or Tm.sup.3+ for use in a multimegajoule single shot fusion research facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Stephen A. Payne, Lloyd L. Chase, Herbert W. Newkirk, William F. Krupke
  • Container for heat treating materials in microwave ovens
    Patent number: 4810846
    Abstract: The efficiency of a microwave oven of a conventional two-source configuration and energy level is increased by providing the oven with a container for housing a refractory material to be treated. The container is formed of top and bottom walls transparent to microwaves while the sidewalls, in a circular configuration, are formed of a nonmetallic material opaque to microwave radiation reflecting the radiation penetrating the top and bottom walls radially inwardly into the center of the container wherein a casket of heat-insulating material is provided for housing the material to be heat treated. The reflection of the microwave radiation from the sidewalls increases the concentration of the microwaves upon the material being heat treated while the casket retains the heat to permit the heating of the material to a substantially higher temperature than achieveable in the oven without the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Cressie E. Holcombe, Norman L. Dykes, Harold D. Kimrey, Jr., James E. Mills
  • Method of removing nitrogen monoxide from a nitrogen monoxide-containing gas using a water-soluble iron ion-dithiocarbamate, xanthate or thioxanthate
    Patent number: 4810474
    Abstract: A method of removing nitrogen monoxide from a nitrogen monoxide-containing gas, which method comprises:(a) contacting a nitrogen oxide-containing gas with an aqueous solution of water soluble organic compound-iron ion chelate of the formula: ##STR1## wherein the water-soluble organic compound is selected from compounds of the formula: ##STR2## wherein: R is selected from hydrogen or an organic moiety having at least one polar functional group;Z is selected from oxygen, sulfur, or --N--A wherein N is nitrogen and A is hydrogen or lower alkyl having from one to four carbon atoms; andM is selected from hydrogen, sodium or potassium; andn is 1 or 2, in a contacting zone for a time and at a temperature effective to reduce the nitrogen monoxide. These mixtures are useful to provide an unexpensive method of removing NO from gases, thus reducing atmospheric pollution from flue gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: David K. Liu, Shih-Ger Chang