Patents Assigned to Paul Scherrer Institute
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Patent number: 8415086Abstract: A method is provided for achieving low energy states for the study of chirality kagome spin ice structures, the method having the steps of providing a silicon substrate; spin coating a polymethyl acrylate resist on said silicon substrate; providing an electron beam writer; exposing said coated substrate to an electron beam from said electron beam writer; positioning more than one thin island ferromagnetic island structure along a honeycomb lattice of said kagome spin ice component, wherein said positioning being along a determined magnetization direction of said lattice and wherein said island structures providing a mechanism in which chirality is controlled.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2011Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: Laura Heyderman, Elena Mengotti, Danilo Zanin, Rajesh Chopdekar, Hans-Benjamin Braun, Remo Hügli, Gerard Duff
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Patent number: 8397576Abstract: A pressure of a fluid is determined in a vacuum-tight welded housing containing a first membrane enclosing a part of a first inner volume and having a first contact area associated with a first temperature sensor and a heater. A second membrane opposite the first contact area also encloses part of the first inner volume and has a second contact area associated with a second temperature sensor. The first or second membrane is elastic around the contact area. The membranes hermetically seal a second inner volume at a reference pressure. The contact areas determine the mechanical and thermal contact due to the elasticity of one of the membranes when the first inner volume is connected to the fluid. When the volume is connected to the fluid F, the intensity and/or the time gradient of the heat transfer from the first to the second contact area is measured.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Paul Scherrer InstitutInventor: Knud Thomsen
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Patent number: 8383575Abstract: A complex comprising barnase bound with high affinity to barstar, and comprising a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent bound to barnase and/or barstar.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2005Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: Sergey Deyev, Robert Waibel, Andreas Plueckthun
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Patent number: 8374309Abstract: An arrangement and a method are disclosed for projective and/or tomographic phase-contrast imaging using X-ray radiation. In at least one embodiment, one or more phase grids is/are arranged in the beam path such that during a rotation of the at least one X-ray source, the examination object is scanned with different spatial orientations of the grid lines relative to the examination object such that the complete refraction angle, and hence the complete phase shift gradient, can be determined for each X-ray beam from the two scans with differently oriented phase grids in order to be able to show the phase shift of an examination object in terms of projections or in a tomographic image.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2010Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: Tilman Donath, Martin Hoheisel, Christian David, Eckhard Hempel, Franz Pfeiffer, Stefan Popescu
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Publication number: 20120298877Abstract: A single photon counting pixel detector chip has a negligible dead time and consequentially high frame rates. The detector chip contains: a) a layer of photosensitive material; b) an N×M array of photo-detector diodes arranged in the layer of photosensitive material; and c) a N×M array of readout unit cells. The readout unit cell contains an input interface connected to a diode output interface, a high-gain charge to voltage amplifying device and a pixel counter being connected to an output of the high-gain voltage amplifying device. The pixel counter is split into a first number of nibble counters. The basic counter cell contains a counting element, a switch, a temporary storage element and an output stage. Additionally, the detector chip has a side shift register to read out the nibble counters row-wise with a predetermined number of nibble row selections.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2010Publication date: November 29, 2012Applicant: PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTInventors: Roberto Dinapoli, Beat Henrich, Roland Horisberger
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Patent number: 8313544Abstract: In a process for the synthetic generation of methane from a feed gas mixture, a feed gas mixture including carbon monoxide, hydrogen, water vapor, CO2, volatile hydrocarbons comprising C2 and higher, unsaturated C2 components and aromatic hydrocarbons in the range of 1 to 10 vol % is provided. The feed gas mixture is contacted with a fluidized bed catalyst having catalyst particles having a catalytic active component selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metal compound and combinations thereof. The contacting occurs at an elevated temperature in the range of 250 to 450° C., a feed gas pressure in the range of 0.8 to 70 bar, a gas hourly space velocity of 1000 to 50000 h?1, and a concentration of H2/CO in the gas mixture in the range of 0.25 to 5.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2005Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: Martin Seemann, Serge Biollaz, Samuel Stucki
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Patent number: 8309275Abstract: A method for preparing a membrane to be assembled in a membrane, electrode assembly includes the step of swelling an ion-conducting membrane in a liquid containing at least one solvent or to an atmosphere containing the vapor phase of at least one solvent by controlling the content of the solvent in the ion-conducting membrane. A method for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly using an ion conducting membrane includes the steps of: providing an ion-conducting membrane in a pre-swollen state; coating the ion-conducting membrane on both sides with an electrode layer to form a sandwich; and hot-pressing the sandwich to form an ion-conducting bonding of the layers of the sandwich. Furthermore, a membrane electrode assembly is disclosed including a hot pressed sandwich having an electrode layer, a ion-conducting membrane and again an electrode layer, thereby using the ion-conducting membrane in its pre-swollen status prior to the hot-pressing.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2004Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: Hans-Peter Brack, Günther Scherer, Lorenz Gubler
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Publication number: 20120189964Abstract: A method is provided for achieving specific magnetic states with a given vortex chirality in artificial kagome spin ice building block structures containing one or more hexagonal rings of ferromagnetic islands created with electron beam lithography, where a subgroup of the ferromagnetic islands have a smaller width and therefore higher switching field than the other normal (wider) islands and are placed at specific positions in each of the rings. The positioning of the islands determines the magnetic state of the building block structure during magnetization reversal, and determines the chirality of the magnetic vortices that occur in each ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2012Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTInventors: Laura Heyderman, Elena Mengotti, Danilo Zanin, Rajesh Chopdekar, Hans-Benjamin Braun, Remo Huegli, Gerard Duff
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Patent number: 8228044Abstract: A supercapacitors voltage balancing device (2) to be connected to a supercapacitor module (1) having N individual supercapacitors (10) connected in series, for optimizing the voltage of the individual supercapacitors in the module.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2005Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignees: Conception et Developpement Michelin S.A., Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: Rüdiger Kötz, Jean-Claude Sauter
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Publication number: 20120171619Abstract: A method is provided for achieving low energy states for the study of chirality kagome spin ice structures, the method having the steps of providing a silicon substrate; spin coating a polymethyl acrylate resist on said silicon substrate; providing an electron beam writer; exposing said coated substrate to an electron beam from said electron beam writer; positioning more than one thin island ferromagnetic island structure along a honeycomb lattice of said kagome spin ice component, wherein said positioning being along a determined magnetization direction of said lattice and wherein said island structures providing a mechanism in which chirality is controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2011Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTInventors: Laura Heyderman, Elena Mengotti, Danilo Zanin, Rajesh Chopdekar, Hans-Benjamin Braun, Remo Hügli, Gerard Duff
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Publication number: 20120161016Abstract: An X-ray detector contains a layer of photosensitive material and an N×M array of photo-detector diodes disposed in the photosensitive material. Each of the diodes has a bias potential interface and a diode output interface. The bias potential interface is connected to a bias potential. The X-ray detector further has an N×M array of high gain, low noise readout unit cells, one readout unit cell for each diode. Each cell contains an input interface connected to the diode output interface, a high-gain voltage amplifying device having an integration capacitor, a first switch in parallel to the integration capacitor and a sample/hold capacitor disposed between a second switch and third switch. The sample/hold capacitor is connectable to the voltage amplifying device via the second switch and is connectable to a signal output line. A multiplexer contains a row select and a column select circuit allowing access to each readout cell unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2010Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTInventor: Bernd Schmitt
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Patent number: 8202639Abstract: A fuel cell (FC) comprising a stack (A) of bipolar plates and ion exchange membranes arranged alternately, the stack (A) being clamped between two endplates (B and C), the stack (A) comprising feed and return ducts for the fluids required for the operation of the cell, said fluids comprising at least one fuel gas, the ducts communicating with a fluid management system comprising elements for controlling certain operating parameters, elements for recycling gases not consumed by the cell and elements for eliminating the water produced by the cell, said installation comprising connections for feeding gases to the cell, in which the fluid management system is at least partly integrated inside one of the endplates.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2006Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: David Olsommer, Daniel Laurent, Cédric Leroy
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Patent number: 8165270Abstract: In a method for the production of x-ray-optical gratings composed of a first material forming of periodically arranged grating webs and grating openings, a second material is applied by electroplating to fill the grid openings. The electroplating is continued until a cohesive layer of the second material with uniform height is created over the grating webs with this layer having a large absorption coefficient, the absorption properties of the grating structure of the grating are homogenized, so an improvement of the measurement signals that are generated with this grating is improved. Moreover, the mechanical stability of gratings produced in such a manner is improved.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2009Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignees: Paul Scherrer Institut, Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Christian David, Tilman Donath, Eckhard Hempel, Martin Hoheisel, Barbara Matthis, Franz Pfeiffer, Stefan Popescu
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Patent number: 8159379Abstract: A method relates to a technique for reducing the readout time of switched capacitor array circuitries. An implementation is a SCA chip capable of sampling 12 differential input channels at a sampling speed of 10 MSPS to 5 GSPS. The analog waveform can be stored in 1024 sampling cells per channel, and can be read out after sampling via a shift register. The write signal for the sampling cells is generated by a chain of inverters. The domino wave runs continuously until stopped. A read shift register clocks the contents of the sampling cells to outputs, where it can be digitized. It is possible to read out only a part of the waveform for reducing the digitization time. The high channel density, high analog bandwidth of 450 MHz, and low noise of 0.35 mV makes this chip suited for low power, high speed, high precision waveform digitizing.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2008Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: Stefan Ritt, Roberto Dinapoli
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Patent number: 8142665Abstract: In a method of fast reduction of all iodine species, exclusively, including all volatile iodine species, into non-volatile iodide ions in an aqueous solution, a reducing agent and a co-agent with phase transfer catalyst—ion-exchanger property are simultaneously added to the aqueous solution and concurrently, thermal and radiolytic oxidation of iodide ions, otherwise yielding to revolatilzation, is suppressed producing an efficient retention of all iodide species in the aqueous solution.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2006Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: Horst Bruchertseifer, Salih Guentay
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Publication number: 20120056109Abstract: A method for evaluating radiation model data in particle beam radiation applications, in particular in proton beam therapy of a determined target volume of malignant tissue within a patient, includes the following steps: a) gaining diagnostic data for a determined target volume to be irradiated; b) calculating a particle range in the predetermined target volume based on the diagnostic data for the determined target volume; c) designing a radiation model with particle beam characteristics based on the calculated particle range and optionally on a calculated dose depth distribution; d) applying a single pencil beam shot to the determined target volume at an elevated beam energy as compared to the particle beam characteristics of the radiation model; e) measuring the beam range of the single pencil beam shot downstream of the determined target volume; and f) comparing the measured beam range to a reference beam range calculated on the basis of the radiation model.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2010Publication date: March 8, 2012Applicant: PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTInventor: Antony Lomax
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Publication number: 20120041679Abstract: Phase sensitive X-ray imaging methods provide substantially increased contrast over conventional absorption based imaging, and therefore new and otherwise inaccessible information. The use of gratings as optical elements in hard X-ray phase imaging overcomes some of the problems impairing the wider use of phase contrast in X-ray radiography and tomography. To separate the phase information from other contributions detected with a grating interferometer, a phase-stepping approach has been considered, which implies the acquisition of multiple radiographic projections. Here, an innovative, highly sensitive X-ray tomographic phase contrast imaging approach is presented based on grating interferometry, which extracts the phase contrast signal without the need of phase stepping. Compared to the existing phase step approach, the main advantage of this new method dubbed “reverse projection” is the significantly reduced delivered dose, without degradation of the image quality.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2010Publication date: February 16, 2012Applicant: PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTInventors: Marco Stampanoni, Ziyu Wu, Peiping Zhu
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Patent number: 8105820Abstract: An assay chip for investigation the functionality of membrane proteins and their interactions with molecules includes a nanopore array having a plurality of nanopores in a suitable support layer deposited on the nanopore substrate and being a substantially planar support layer having a plurality of nanopores corresponding to the nanopores of the nanopore substrate. The chip includes further a biologically effective layer capable to host at least a non-lipid molecule or functional molecule, deposited on the support layer and covering the plurality of nanopores, resulting in accesible nanopores from both sides of the biologically effective layer for measurement or imaging. The structured support allows generating a biologically effective membrane, such as a lipid bilayer membrane, having high and reliable stability in a manner that its fluidity is sustained in order to keep integrated membrane proteins in the lipid bilayer in its full biological functionality.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2004Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignees: Paul Scherrer Institut, Leister Process TechnologiesInventors: Karl Brander, Louis Tiefenauer
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Publication number: 20120019217Abstract: A method and a device control a magnetic supply device. The method includes the steps of executing a base structure of a control as a two-loop control having a voltage control loop for a magnetic voltage and a current control loop for the magnetic current, wherein the two control loops or circuits are preferably combined into one controller. The voltage control loop is executed as a status controller, wherein the return parameters for the status controller are adaptively adjusted as necessary to the behavior of a current converter, an output filter and a load. The behavior of the current converter, the output filter and the load are modeled by an observer (e.g. Luenberger observer, Kaiman filter) and the observer adapted to the effective behavior of the current converter, the output filter and the load is tracked. Finally, the current control loop is implemented as an adaptive PI controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2010Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUTInventor: Felix Jenni
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Patent number: 8085578Abstract: A method and a system for coding and reading out information in a microscopic cluster formed with coupled functional islands includes: generating the cluster by forming a regular microscopic pattern for locating the functional islands; making use of a physical or chemical property of each individual island and making use of the coupling between the functional islands; assigning different information to different energy levels of the cluster; effecting a change of the physical or chemical property of at least one functional island in order to change the energy level of the cluster to the energy level equivalent to the information content to be coded; and reading out the information. These measures allow forming a cluster having distinct energy levels, each being assigned to a distinct information content.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2009Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Paul Scherrer InstitutInventors: Laura J. Heyderman, Thomas Jung, Elena Mengotti, André Bisig, Arantxa Fraile Rodríguez, Frithjof Nolting, Hans-Benjamin Braun, Thomas Schrefl