Patents Assigned to Jefferson Science Associates, LLC
  • Patent number: 9463433
    Abstract: A cryosorber panel having nanomaterials used for the cryosorption material, with nanomaterial either grown directly on the cryopanel or freestanding nanomaterials attached to the cryopanel mechanically without the use of adhesives. Such nanomaterial cryosorber materials can be used in place of conventional charcoals that are attached to cryosorber panels with special low outgassing, low temperature capable adhesives. Carbon nanotubes and other nanomaterials could serve the same purpose as conventional charcoal cryosorbers, providing a large surface area for cryosorption without the need for adhesive since the nanomaterials can be grown directly on a metallic substrate or mechanically attached. The nanomaterials would be capable of being fully baked by heating above 100° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignees: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC, BNNT, LLC
    Inventors: Marcy Stutzman, Kevin Jordan, R. Roy Whitney
  • Patent number: 9440882
    Abstract: A lightweight concrete containing polyethylene terephthalate in an amount of 20% by total volume. The concrete is enriched with hydrogen and is therefore highly effective at thermalizing neutrons. The concrete can be used independently or as a component of an advanced neutron radiation shielding system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Daniel Brindza, Bert Clayton Metzger
  • Patent number: 9408289
    Abstract: A method for maximizing the brightness of the bunches in a particle injector by converting a highly space-charged beam to a relativistic and emittance-dominated beam. The method includes 1) determining the bunch charge and the initial kinetic energy of the highly space-charge dominated input beam; 2) applying the bunch charge and initial kinetic energy properties of the highly space-charge dominated input beam to determine the number of accelerator cavities required to accelerate the bunches to relativistic speed; 3) providing the required number of accelerator cavities; and 4) setting the gradient of the radio frequency (RF) cavities; and 5) operating the phase of the accelerator cavities between ?90 and zero degrees of the sinusoid of phase to simultaneously accelerate and bunch the charged particles to maximize brightness, and until the beam is relativistic and emittance-dominated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventor: Fay Hannon
  • Patent number: 9408290
    Abstract: A method for controlling beam quality degradation from ISR and CSR and stabilizing the microbunching instability (?BI) in a high brightness electron beam. The method includes providing a super-periodic second order achromat line with each super period being individually linearly achromatic and isochronous, setting individual superperiod tunes to rational fractions of an integer (such as 4th or 6th integers), setting individual bend angles to be as small as practical to reduce driving terms due to dispersion and dispersive angle, and setting bend radii as large enough to suppress ISR but not negatively affect the radial dependence of CSR. The method includes setting the structure of the individual superperiods to minimize bend plane beam envelope values in the dipoles to reduce betatron response to a CSR event at a dispersed location, increasing beam angular divergence, and creating dispersion nodes in the dipoles to similarly reduce response to CSR events, and limit R56 modulation in order to mitigate ?BI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Douglas, Christopher Tennant
  • Patent number: 9362802
    Abstract: A system for energizing, operating and manipulating apparatuses in high voltage systems. The system uses a dielectric gas such as SF6 as a driving power supply for a pneumatic motor which ultimately charges a battery or other energy storage device. The stored energy can then be used for instrumentation equipment, or to power any electrical equipment, in the high voltage deck. The accompanying method provides for the use of the SF6 system for operating an electrical device in a high-voltage environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin Jordan
  • Patent number: 9325145
    Abstract: A method for improving the output beam quality of a free electron laser (FEL) by reducing the amount of emission at wavelengths longer than the electron pulse length and reducing the amount of edge radiation. A mirror constructed of thermally conductive material and having an aperture therein is placed at an oblique angle with respect to the beam downstream of the bending magnet but before any sensitive use of the FEL beam. The aperture in the mirror is sized to deflect emission longer than the wavelength of the FEL output while having a minor impact on the FEL output beam. A properly sized aperture will enable the FEL radiation, which is coherent and generally at a much shorter wavelength than the bending radiations, to pass through the aperture mirror. The much higher divergence bending radiations will subsequently strike the aperture mirror and be reflected safely out of the way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: George Neil, Michelle D. Shinn, Joseph Gubeli
  • Patent number: 9290838
    Abstract: A method for inhibiting diffusion of gases and/or transmission of photons through elastomeric seals and a diffusion inhibiting elastomeric seal wherein at least a portion of the surface of a diffusion inhibiting elastomeric seal is coated with a compatibly-deformable, malleable metal coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: George Herman Biallas, James Reid Boyce
  • Patent number: 9217744
    Abstract: A method to dynamically image the actual translocation of molecular compounds of interest in a plant root, root system, and rhizosphere without disturbing the root or the soil. The technique makes use of radioactive isotopes as tracers to label molecules of interest and to image their distribution in the plant and/or soil. The method allows for the study and imaging of various biological and biochemical interactions in the rhizosphere of a plant, including, but not limited to, mycorrhizal associations in such regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Weisenberger, Gregory M. Bonito, Chantal D. Reid, Mark Frederick Smith
  • Patent number: 9209587
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing the degradation of power in a free electron laser (FEL) generating terahertz (THz) radiation. The method includes inserting an absorber ring in the FEL beam path for absorbing any irregular THz radiation and thus minimizes the degradation of downstream optics and the resulting degradation of the FEL output power. The absorber ring includes an upstream side, a downstream side, and a plurality of wedges spaced radially around the absorber ring. The wedges form a scallop-like feature on the innermost edges of the absorber ring that acts as an apodizer, stopping diffractive focusing of the THz radiation that is not intercepted by the absorber. Spacing between the scallop-like features and the shape of the features approximates the Bartlett apodization function. The absorber ring provides a smooth intensity distribution, rather than one that is peaked on-center, thereby eliminating minor distortion downstream of the absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: George Herman Biallas, Cornelis Apeldoorn, Gwyn P. Williams, Stephen V. Benson, Michelle D. Shinn, John D. Heckman
  • Patent number: 9184022
    Abstract: A modulated-bending recirculating system that avoids CSR-driven breakdown in emittance compensation by redistributing the bending along the beamline. The modulated-bending recirculating system includes a) larger angles of bending in initial FODO cells, thereby enhancing the impact of CSR early on in the beam line while the bunch is long, and 2) a decreased bending angle in the final FODO cells, reducing the effect of CSR while the bunch is short. The invention describes a method for controlling the effects of CSR during recirculation and bunch compression including a) correcting chromatic aberrations, b) correcting lattice and CSR-induced curvature in the longitudinal phase space by compensating T566, and c) using lattice perturbations to compensate obvious linear correlations x-dp/p and x?-dp/p.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Douglas, Christopher Tennant
  • Patent number: 9125287
    Abstract: A separated-orbit bisected energy-recovered linear accelerator apparatus and method. The accelerator includes a first linac, a second linac, and a plurality of arcs of differing path lengths, including a plurality of up arcs, a plurality of downgoing arcs, and a full energy arc providing a path independent of the up arcs and downgoing arcs. The up arcs have a path length that is substantially a multiple of the RF wavelength and the full energy arc includes a path length that is substantially an odd half-integer multiple of the RF wavelength. Operation of the accelerator includes accelerating the beam utilizing the linacs and up arcs until the beam is at full energy, at full energy executing a full recirculation to the second linac using a path length that is substantially an odd half-integer of the RF wavelength, and then decelerating the beam using the linacs and downgoing arcs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC
    Inventor: David R. Douglas
  • Patent number: 9123611
    Abstract: A method for designing a completely passive bias compensation circuit to stabilize the gain of multiple pixel avalanche photo detector devices. The method includes determining circuitry design and component values to achieve a desired precision of gain stability. The method can be used with any temperature sensitive device with a nominally linear coefficient of voltage dependent parameter that must be stabilized. The circuitry design includes a negative temperature coefficient resistor in thermal contact with the photomultiplier device to provide a varying resistance and a second fixed resistor to form a voltage divider that can be chosen to set the desired slope and intercept for the characteristic with a specific voltage source value. The addition of a third resistor to the divider network provides a solution set for a set of SiPM devices that requires only a single stabilized voltage source value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: John E. McKisson, Fernando Barbosa
  • Patent number: 9067385
    Abstract: Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), boron nitride nanoparticles (BNNPs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphites, or combinations, are incorporated into matrices of polymer, ceramic or metals. Fibers, yarns, and woven or nonwoven mats of BNNTs are used as toughening layers in penetration resistant materials to maximize energy absorption and/or high hardness layers to rebound or deform penetrators. They can be also used as reinforcing inclusions combining with other polymer matrices to create composite layers like typical reinforcing fibers such as Kevlar®, Spectra®, ceramics and metals. Enhanced wear resistance and usage time are achieved by adding boron nitride nanomaterials, increasing hardness and toughness. Such materials can be used in high temperature environments since the oxidation temperature of BNNTs exceeds 800° C. in air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignees: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Jin Ho Kang, Cheol Park, Godfrey Sauti, Michael W. Smith, Kevin C. Jordan, Sharon E. Lowther, Robert George Bryant
  • Patent number: 9059361
    Abstract: A method to fabricate boron nitride nanotubes incorporating magnesium diboride in their structure. In a first embodiment, magnesium wire is introduced into a reaction feed bundle during a BNNT fabrication process. In a second embodiment, magnesium in powder form is mixed into a nitrogen gas flow during the BNNT fabrication process. MgB2 yarn may be used for superconducting applications and, in that capacity, has considerably less susceptibility to stress and has considerably better thermal conductivity than these conventional materials when compared to both conventional low and high temperature superconducting materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Legg, Kevin Jordan
  • Publication number: 20150160351
    Abstract: A compact radiation tolerant and magnetic field immune radiation detector including a detector front-end having an electro-optical coupling detector (EOCD) capable of operating within high radiation and strong magnetic fields and a back-end that can be located a substantial distance from the front-end and thus away from the high radiation and strong magnetic fields The back-end of the detector includes a multi-wavelength light source and at least one optical receiver. The EOCD in the front-end simultaneously modulates and multiplexes pulses from light sensors by transferring them to the optical domain and then transmitting them through a single-mode fiber to an optical receiver in the back-end. During the fiber transmission, relative phase, amplitude and timing information among multiplexed signals is maintained. High-index silica planar AWGs and electro-optical conversion modulators minimize the effects of radiation damage and ASICs contribute to the compactness of the front-end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventor: Wenze Xi
  • Patent number: 9040936
    Abstract: A method of bunch length compression method for a free electron laser (FEL) that avoids parasitic compressions by 1) applying acceleration on the falling portion of the RF waveform, 2) compressing using a positive momentum compaction (R56>0), and 3) compensating for aberration by using nonlinear magnets in the compressor beam line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignees: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC, LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Douglas, Stephen Benson, Dinh Cong Nguyen, Christopher Tennant, Guy Wilson
  • Patent number: 9023765
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing method for forming nearly monolithic SRF niobium cavities and end group components of arbitrary shape with features such as optimized wall thickness and integral stiffeners, greatly reducing the cost and technical variability of conventional cavity construction. The additive manufacturing method for forming an SRF cavity, includes atomizing niobium to form a niobium powder, feeding the niobium powder into an electron beam melter under a vacuum, melting the niobium powder under a vacuum in the electron beam melter to form an SRF cavity; and polishing the inside surface of the SRF cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Rimmer, Pedro E. Frigola, Alex Y. Murokh
  • Patent number: 8986513
    Abstract: A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz. The process utilizes a combination of laser light and nitrogen gas flow to support a boron ball target during heating of the boron ball target and production of a boron vapor plume which reacts with nitrogen or nitrogen and carbon to produce boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignees: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, The United States of America as Represented by the Administration of NASA
    Inventors: R. Roy Whitney, Kevin Jordan, Michael W. Smith
  • Patent number: 8903464
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for the production of a niobium cavity exhibiting high quality factors at high gradients is provided. The apparatus comprises a first chamber positioned within a second chamber, an RF generator and vacuum pumping systems. The process comprises placing the niobium cavity in a first chamber of the apparatus; thermally treating the cavity by high temperature in the first chamber while maintaining high vacuum in the first and second chambers; and applying a passivating thin film layer to a surface of the cavity in the presence of a gaseous mixture and an RF field. Further a niobium cavity exhibiting high quality factors at high gradients produced by the method of the invention is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Ganapati Rao Myneni, John P. Wallace
  • Patent number: 8863568
    Abstract: A device and method for characterizing quality of a conducting surface. The device including a gaseous ionizing chamber having centrally located inside the chamber a conducting sample to be tested to which a negative potential is applied, a plurality of anode or “sense” wires spaced regularly about the central test wire, a plurality of “field wires” at a negative potential are spaced regularly around the sense, and a plurality of “guard wires” at a positive potential are spaced regularly around the field wires in the chamber. The method utilizing the device to measure emission currents from the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Mac Mestayer, Steve Christo, Mark Taylor