Patents Represented by Attorney Michael J. Higgins
  • Patent number: 4799249
    Abstract: A self-cleaning rotating anode x-ray source comprising an evacuable housing, a rotatable cylindrical anode within the housing, a source of electrons within the housing which electrons are caused to impinge upon the anode to produce x-rays, and means for ionizing residual particles within the housing and accelerating such ions so as to impinge upon the anode to sputter impurities from the surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Arvydas P. Paulikas
  • Patent number: 4733085
    Abstract: In an ionization type detector for high energy radiation wherein the energy of incident radiation is absorbed through the ionization of a liquid noble gas and resulting free charge is collected to form a signal indicative of the energy of the incident radiation, an improvement comprising doping the liquid noble gas with photosensitive molecules to convert scintillation light due to recombination of ions, to additional free charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1988
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: David F. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4721539
    Abstract: New alloys of Cu.sub.x Ag.sub.(1-x) InSe.sub.2 (where x ranges between 0 and 1 and preferably has a value of about 0.75) and CuIn.sub.y Ga.sub.(1-y) Se.sub.2 (where y ranges between 0 and 1 and preferably has a value of about 0.90) in the form of single crystals with enhanced structure perfection, which crystals are substantially free of fissures are disclosed. Processes are disclosed for preparing the new alloys of Cu.sub.x Ag.sub.(1-x) InSe.sub.2. The process includes placing stoichiometric quantities of a Cu, Ag, In, and Se reaction mixture or stoichiometric quantities of a Cu, In, Ga, and Se reaction mixture in a refractory crucible in such a manner that the reaction mixture is surrounded by B.sub.2 O.sub.3, placing the thus loaded crucible in a chamber under a high pressure atmosphere of inert gas to confine the volatile Se to the crucible, and heating the reaction mixture to its melting point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1988
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Theodore F. Ciszek
  • Patent number: 4697080
    Abstract: A method and modified analytical electron microscope for determining the concentration of elements in a multielement sample by exposing samples with differing thicknesses for each element to a beam of electrons, simultaneously measuring the electron dosage and x-ray intensities for each sample of element to determine a "K.sub.AB " value to be used in the equation ##EQU1## where I is intensity and C is concentration for elements A and B, and exposing the multielement sample to determine the concentrations of the elements in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Wayne E. King
  • Patent number: 4667059
    Abstract: A multijunction (cascade) tandem photovoltaic solar cell device is fabricated of a Ga.sub.x In.sub.1-x P (0.505.ltoreq.X.ltoreq.0.515) top cell semiconductor lattice matched to a GaAs bottom cell semiconductor at a low-resistance heterojunction, preferably a p+/n+ heterojunction between the cells. The top and bottom cells are both lattice matched and current matched for high efficiency solar radiation conversion to electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Jerry M. Olson
  • Patent number: 4654183
    Abstract: A process for selectively neutralizing H.sup.- ions in a magnetic field to produce an intense negative hydrogen ion beam with spin polarized protons. Characteristic features of the process include providing a multi-ampere beam of H.sup.- ions that are intersected by a beam of laser light. Photodetachment is effected in a uniform magnetic field that is provided around the beam of H.sup.- ions to spin polarize the H.sup.- ions and produce first and second populations or groups of ions, having their respective proton spin aligned either with the magnetic field or opposite to it. The intersecting beam of laser light is directed to selectively neutralize a majority of the ions in only one population, or given spin polarized group of H.sup.- ions, without neutralizing the ions in the other group thereby forming a population of H.sup.- ions each of which has its proton spin down, and a second group or population of H.sup.o atoms having proton spin up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Ady Hershcovitch
  • Patent number: 4652332
    Abstract: A process for preparing CuInSe.sub.2 crystals includes melting a sufficient quantity of B.sub.2 O.sub.3 along with stoichiometric quantities of Cu, In, and Se in a crucible in a high pressure atmosphere of inert gas to encapsulate the CuInSe.sub.2 melt and confine the Se to the crucible. Additional Se in the range of 1.8 to 2.2 percent over the stoichiometric quantity is preferred to make up for small amounts of Se lost in the process. The crystal is grown by inserting a seed crystal through the B.sub.2 O.sub.3 encapsulate into contact with the CuInSe.sub.2 melt and withdrawing the seed upwardly to grow the crystal thereon from the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Theodore F. Ciszek
  • Patent number: 4634641
    Abstract: A superlattice or multiple-quantum-well semiconductor is used as a photoelectrode in a photoelectrochemical process for converting solar energy into useful fuels or chemicals. The quantum minibands of the superlattice or multiple-quantum-well semiconductor effectively capture hot-charge carriers at or near their discrete quantum energies and deliver them to drive a chemical reaction in an electrolyte. The hot-charge carries can be injected into the electrolyte at or near the various discrete multiple energy levels quantum minibands, or they can be equilibrated among themselves to a hot-carrier pool and then injected into the electrolyte at one average energy that is higher than the lowest quantum band gap in the semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Arthur J. Nozik
  • Patent number: 4633084
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for trace and other quantitative analysis with high efficiency of a component in a sample, with the analysis involving the removal by ion or other bombardment of a small quantity of ion and neutral atom groups from the sample, the conversion of selected neutral atom groups to photoions by laser initiated resonance ionization spectroscopy, the selective deflection of the photoions for separation from original ion group emanating from the sample, and the detection of the photoions as a measure of the quantity of the component. In some embodiments, the original ion group is accelerated prior to the RIS step for separation purposes. Noise and other interference are reduced by shielding the detector from primary and secondary ions and deflecting the photoions sufficiently to avoid the primary and secondary ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Dieter M. Gruen, Michael J. Pellin, Charles E. Young
  • Patent number: 4624113
    Abstract: A radiative cooling system for use with an ice-making system having a radiating surface aimed at the sky for radiating energy at one or more wavelength bands for which the atmosphere is transparent and a cover thermally isolated from the radiating surface and transparent at least to the selected wavelength or wavelengths, the thermal isolation reducing the formation of condensation on the radiating surface and/or cover and permitting the radiation to continue when the radiating surface is below the dewpoint of the atmosphere, and a housing supporting the radiating surface, cover and heat transfer means to an ice storage reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: John R. Hull, William W. Schertz
  • Patent number: 4620795
    Abstract: A flexible whip or a system of whips with novel attachments is suspended in a hopper and is caused to impact against fibrous and irregularly shaped particulates in the hopper to fluidize the particulates and facilitate the flow of the particulates through the hopper. The invention provides for the flow of particulates at a substantially constant mass flow rate and uses a minimum of energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: James P. Diebold, John W. Scahill
  • Patent number: 4607963
    Abstract: A device for measuring the two-dimensional temperature profile of a surface comprises imaging optics for generating an image of the light radiating from the surface; an infrared detector array having a plurality of detectors; and a light pipe array positioned between the imaging optics and the detector array for sampling, transmitting, and distributing the image over the detector surfaces. The light pipe array includes one light pipe for each detector in the detector array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Michael A. Ulrickson
  • Patent number: 4606030
    Abstract: Transitions from the 2p.sup.4 (.sup.1 S.sub.0)3s .sup.2 S.sub.1/2 state of atomic fluorine to all allowed lower states produces laser emission at six new wavelengths: 680.7 .ANG., 682.6 .ANG., 3592.7 .ANG., 3574.1 .ANG., 6089.2 .ANG., and 6046.8 .ANG.. Coherent radiation at these new wavelengths can be generated in an atomic fluorine laser operated as an amplifier or as an oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Joseph Berkowitz, Branko M. Ruscic, John P. Greene
  • Patent number: H313
    Abstract: A monochromator for use with synchrotron x-ray radiation comprises two diffraction means which can be rotated independently and independent means for translationally moving one diffraction means with respect to the other. The independence of the rotational and translational motions allows Bragg angles from 3.5.degree. to 86.5.degree., and facilitates precise and high-resolution monochromatization over a wide energy range. The diffraction means are removably mounted so as to be readily interchangeable, which allows the monochromator to be used for both non-dispersive and low dispersive work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Staudenmann, Gerald L. Liedl