Patents Assigned to America, as Represented by the Secretary of Commerce
  • Patent number: 9627406
    Abstract: A memory cell includes: a polarizable member including an electret to store a plurality of bits; a thermal electrode to heat the polarizable member; and a program electrode opposing the thermal electrode to program the polarizable member in a bit comprising a polarized state or a non-polarized state, the polarizable member being interposed between the thermal electrode and the program electrode. A random access memory includes: a plurality of addressable memory cells, the memory cell including: a thermal electrode; a program electrode opposing the thermal electrode; a polarizable member interposed between the thermal electrode and the program electrode, the polarizable member including an electret to store a plurality of bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventor: Kim P. Cheung
  • Patent number: 9627199
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating micro- and nanostructures comprise top-down etching of lithographically patterned GaN layer to form an array of micro- or nanopillar structures, followed by selective growth of GaN shells over the pillar structures via selective epitaxy. Also provided are methods of forming micro- and nanodisk structures and microstructures formed from thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: University of Maryland, College Park, Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: Abhishek Motayed, Sergiy Krylyuk, Albert V. Davydov, Matthew King, Jong-Yoon Ha
  • Patent number: 9625313
    Abstract: An optical meter includes a force member to receive a force and a reflector disposed on the force member to receive radiation and to communicate a pressure of the radiation to the force member. The reflector includes a reflective surface, and the force member is configured to be displaced in response to receiving the force comprising the pressure. The optical meter is configured to measure a power of the radiation, an energy of the radiation, or a combination thereof based on the pressure. A process for measuring a property of radiation includes receiving radiation by the reflector, reflecting radiation from the reflective surface, communicating a pressure from the reflector to the force member, and displacing the force member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, SCIENTECH INCORPORATED
    Inventors: John Lehman, Paul Williams, Robert Lee, Frank Maring
  • Patent number: 9580809
    Abstract: An article includes a substrate; and a coating disposed on the substrate that includes a microporous layer; a gradient in a density of a volume of the microporous layer, and a plurality of dendritic veins that are anisotropically disposed in the coating. A process for forming a coating includes disposing an activating catalyst on a substrate; introducing an activatable etchant; introducing an etchant oxidizer, performing an oxidation-reduction reaction between the substrate, the activatable etchant, and the etchant oxidizer in a presence of the activating catalyst, the oxidation-reduction reaction occurring in a liquid medium including the activatable etchant; and the etchant oxidizer, forming an etchant product comprising atoms from the substrate; removing a portion of the etchant product from the substrate; and forming a dendritic vein in the substrate to form the coating, the dendritic vein being anisotropically disposed in the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventor: Owen Hildreth
  • Patent number: 9580828
    Abstract: A self-terminating rapid process for controlled growth of platinum or platinum alloy monolayer films from a K2PtCl4—NaCl—NaBr electrolyte. Using the present process, platinum deposition may be quenched at potentials just negative of proton reduction by an alteration of the double layer structure induced by a saturated surface coverage of underpotential deposited hydrogen. The surface may be reactivated for platinum deposition by stepping the potential to more positive values where underpotential deposited hydrogen is oxidized and fresh sites for absorption of platinum chloride become available. Periodic pulsing of the potential enables sequential deposition of two dimensional platinum layers to fabricate films of desired thickness relevant to a range of advanced technologies, from catalysis to magnetics and electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce (NIST)
    Inventors: Thomas P. Moffat, Yihua Liu
  • Patent number: 9577175
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a base layer; and a superconducting nanowire disposed on the base layer in a continuous meander pattern and including an amorphous metal-metalloid alloy such that the apparatus is configured to detect single photons, and the continuous meander pattern includes: a plurality of parallel line segments; and a plurality of curved segments, wherein adjacent parallel line segments are joined by a curved segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventors: Sae Woo Nam, Burm Baek, Francesco Marsili, Varun Verma
  • Publication number: 20170038326
    Abstract: A nanostructure sensing device comprises a semiconductor nanostructure having an outer surface, and at least one of metal or metal-oxide nanoparticle clusters functionalizing the outer surface of the nanostructure and forming a photoconductive nanostructure/nanocluster hybrid sensor enabling light-assisted sensing of a target analyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicants: University of Maryland, College Park, United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of Commerce, George Mason University, The George Washington University
    Inventors: Abhishek Motayed, Geetha Aluri, Albert V. Davydov, Mulpuri V. Rao, Vladimir P. Oleshko, Ritu Bajpai, Mona E. Zaghloul
  • Patent number: 9562292
    Abstract: A photoactive article includes a substrate including a semiconductor to absorb light and to produce a plurality of charge carriers; a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate; a conductive member disposed on the dielectric layer and opposing the substrate such that the dielectric layer is exposed by the conductive member, the conductive member to receive a portion of the plurality of charge carriers from the substrate; and an electrolyte disposed on the dielectric layer and the conductive member. Making a photoactive article includes forming a dielectric layer on a substrate by rapid thermal oxidation, the dielectric layer comprising an oxide of a semiconductor; and forming a conductive member disposed on the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventors: Daniel V. Esposito, Thomas P. Moffat, Albert Alec Talin
  • Patent number: 9556482
    Abstract: A multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay that targets nine tetranucleotide short tandem repeat (STR) markers in the mouse genome. Unique profiles were obtained from seventy-two mouse samples that were used to determine the allele distribution for each STR marker. Correlations between allele fragment length and repeat number were determined with DNA Sanger sequencing. Genotypes for L929 and NIH3T3 cell lines were shown to be stable with increasing passage numbers as there were no significant differences in fragment length with samples of low passage when compared to high passage samples. In order to detect cell line contaminants, primers for two human STR markers were incorporated into the multiplex assay to facilitate detection of human and African green monkey DNA. This multiplex assay is the first of its kind to provide a unique STR profile for each individual mouse sample and can be used to authenticate mouse cell lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventors: Jamie L. Almeida, Kenneth D. Cole
  • Patent number: 9558907
    Abstract: A cold cathode field emission electron source capable of emission at levels comparable to thermal sources is described. Emission in excess of 6 A/cm2 at 7.5 V/?m is demonstrated in a macroscopic emitter array. The emitter has a monolithic and rigid porous semiconductor nanostructure with uniformly distributed emission sites, and is fabricated through a room temperature process which allows for control of emission properties. These electron sources can be used in a wide range of applications, including microwave electronics and x-ray imaging for medicine and security.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
    Inventors: Fred Sharifi, Henry Lezec, Myung-Gyu Kang
  • Patent number: 9557625
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a frequency comb article includes an oscillator; a fiber amplifier; a frequency doubler; a nonlinear fiber; and an interferometer, wherein the fiber amplifier and the nonlinear fiber include a polarization maintaining fiber, and the oscillator, frequency doubler, and interferometer are entirely polarization maintaining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERISTY OF COLORADO
    Inventors: Ian Coddington, Laura Sinclair, Nathan R. Newbury, Lindsay Sonderhouse, William C Swann
  • Patent number: 9557219
    Abstract: A method of comb-based spectroscopy for measuring a CW source at time-bandwidth limited resolution by using frequency combs with a high degree of mutual coherence (<1 radian phase noise).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, William C. Swann
  • Patent number: 9548092
    Abstract: A spin transport channel includes a dielectric layer contacting a conductive layer. The dielectric layer includes at least one of a tantalum oxide, hafnium oxide, titanium oxide, and nickel oxide. An intermediate spin layer contacts the dielectric layer. The intermediate spin layer includes at least one of copper and silver. The conductive layer is more electrochemically inert than the intermediate spin layer. A polarizer layer contacts the intermediate spin layer. The polarizer layer includes one of a nickel-iron based material, iron, and cobalt based material. The conductive layer and intermediate layer are disposed on opposite sides of the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer and the polarizer layer are disposed on opposite sides of the intermediate spin layer. The intermediate spin layer is arranged to form a conducting path through the dielectric layer configured to transport a plurality of electrons. Each of the plurality of electrons maintains a polarized electron spin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: The National Institute of Standards and Technology, The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventors: Curt Andrew Richter, Hyuk-Jae Jang
  • Patent number: 9545584
    Abstract: A process for fractionating a nanoparticle composition, the process includes combining a first polymer, a second polymer, and a solvent to form a fluid and contacting the nanoparticle composition with the fluid. The nanoparticle composition includes a plurality of first nanoparticles, a plurality of second nanoparticles, and a dispersant disposed on an exterior surface of the first nanoparticles and the second nanoparticles. Fractionating the nanoparticle composition also includes forming a multiphase composition that includes a first phase and a second phase by partitioning the first polymer and the second polymer such that a concentration of the first polymer is greater than a concentration of the second polymer in the first phase, and the concentration of the second polymer is greater than the first polymer in the second phase, wherein the solvent is present in the first phase and the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventors: Constantine Y. Khripin, Ming Zheng
  • Patent number: 9535085
    Abstract: An intermittent contact atomic force microscope includes: a cantilever configured to receive a contact resonance modulation; a sample disposed proximate to the cantilever; a contact resonance modulator in communication with the cantilever and configured to provide the contact resonance modulation to the cantilever; and a scan modulator in mechanical communication with the sample to provide a scan modulation to the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignees: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
    Inventors: Gheorghe Stan, Richard S. Gates
  • Patent number: 9534243
    Abstract: A process for making a nucleotide analog includes combining a first substrate that includes a linker and a base with a second substrate to form a substrate composition. An enzyme contacts the substrate composition and catalyzes formation of the nucleotide analog from the first substrate and the second substrate. Additionally, a composition includes the first substrate, second substrate, the enzyme, the nucleotide analog, and optional additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignees: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
    Inventors: John P. Marino, Zvi Kelman, Jerard Hurwitz, Gary G. Giulian
  • Patent number: 9530606
    Abstract: An articles includes: an ion source configured to provide a first ion beam that has a first brightness; and a cooler configured to receive the first ion beam and to produce a second ion beam from the first ion beam, the second ion beam including a second brightness that is greater than the first brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventors: Jabez McClelland, Truman Wilson
  • Patent number: 9507004
    Abstract: An electron spin resonance spectrometer includes a bridge to transmit an excitation frequency and to receive a signal frequency; a probe electrically connected to the bridge and comprising: a first conductor in electrical communication with the bridge to transmit the signal frequency to the bridge; a shorting member electrically connected to the first conductor to transmit the excitation frequency to a sample, to produce the signal frequency, and to transmit the signal frequency to the first conductor; and a second conductor electrically connected to the shorting member; and a magnet disposed proximate to the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignees: THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, THE PENN STATE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jason P. Campbell, Kin P. Cheung, Jason T Ryan, Patrick M. Lenahan
  • Patent number: 9506149
    Abstract: A process for depositing a metal includes disposing a liquid deposition composition on a substrate, the liquid deposition composition including a metal cation; a reducing anion; and a solvent; evaporating the solvent; increasing a concentration of the reducing anion increases in the liquid deposition composition due to evaporating the solvent; performing an oxidation-reduction reaction between the metal cation and the reducing anion in response to increasing the concentration of the reducing anion when the reducing anion is present at a critical concentration; and forming a metal from the metal cation to deposit the metal on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventor: Owen J. Hildreth
  • Patent number: 9507993
    Abstract: A contactless, three-dimensional fingerprint scanner apparatus, method, and system are described. The contactless fingerprint scanner can provide either, or both, topographical contrast of three-dimensional fingerprint features and optical contrast of a three-dimensional fingerprint surface. Data captured from scanning of a target with known geometric features mimicking fingerprint features can be examined as images or surface plots and analyzed for fidelity against the known target feature specifications to evaluate or validate device capture performance as well as interoperability. The target can be used by scanner vendors and designers to validate their devices, as well as to perform type certification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, The National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: Shahram Orandi, Fred Byers, Stephen Harvey, Michael D. Garris, Stephen S. Wood, John M. Libert, Jin Chu Wu