Patents Assigned to Sandia Corporation
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Patent number: 9646874Abstract: Thermally isolated devices may be formed by performing a series of etches on a silicon-based substrate. As a result of the series of etches, silicon material may be removed from underneath a region of an integrated circuit (IC). The removal of the silicon material from underneath the IC forms a gap between remaining substrate and the integrated circuit, though the integrated circuit remains connected to the substrate via a support bar arrangement that suspends the integrated circuit over the substrate. The creation of this gap functions to release the device from the substrate and create a thermally-isolated integrated circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2013Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Kenneth Wojciechowski, Roy H. Olsson, Peggy J. Clews, Todd Bauer
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Patent number: 9645228Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to generation of a desired waveform profile in the form of a spectrum of apparently random noise (e.g., white noise or colored noise), but with precise spectral characteristics. Hence, a waveform profile that could be readily determined (e.g., by a spoofing system) is effectively obscured. Obscuration is achieved by dividing the waveform into a series of chips, each with an assigned frequency, wherein the sequence of chips are subsequently randomized. Randomization can be a function of the application of a key to the chip sequence. During processing of the echo pulse, a copy of the randomized transmitted pulse is recovered or regenerated against which the received echo is correlated. Hence, with the echo energy range-compressed in this manner, it is possible to generate a radar image with precise impulse response.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2013Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Armin W. Doerry, Brandeis Marquette
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Patent number: 9641154Abstract: A single crystal micromechanical resonator includes a suspended plate of lithium niobate or lithium tantalate. The suspended plate and a support structure are formed from a single crystal.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2016Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Roy H. Olsson, Thomas A. Friedmann, Sara Jensen Homeijer, Michael Wiwi, Khalid Mikhiel Hattar, Blythe Clark, Todd Bauer, Stuart B. Van Deusen
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Patent number: 9632261Abstract: An optoelectronic device package and a method for its fabrication are provided. The device package includes a lid die and an active die that is sealed or sealable to the lid die and in which one or more optical waveguides are integrally defined. The active die includes one or more active device regions, i.e. integral optoelectronic devices or etched cavities for placement of discrete optoelectronic devices. Optical waveguides terminate at active device regions so that they can be coupled to them. Slots are defined in peripheral parts of the active dies. At least some of the slots are aligned with the ends of integral optical waveguides so that optical fibers or optoelectronic devices inserted in the slots can optically couple to the waveguides.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2015Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: William A. Zortman, Michael David Henry, Robert L. Jarecki, Jr.
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Patent number: 9624793Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a cascaded recompression closed Brayton cycle (CRCBC) system and method of operation thereof, where the CRCBC system includes a compressor for compressing the system fluid, a separator for generating fluid feed streams for each of the system's turbines, and separate segments of a heater that heat the fluid feed streams to different feed temperatures for the system's turbines. Fluid exiting each turbine is used to preheat the fluid to the turbine. In an embodiment, the amount of heat extracted is determined by operational costs.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2014Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: James Jay Pasch
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Patent number: 9624482Abstract: The present invention provides for a composition comprising a polypeptide comprising a first amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity with the amino acid sequence of Csac GH5 wherein said first amino acid sequence has a thermostable or thermophilic cellobiohydrolase (CBH) or exoglucanase activity.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2010Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Rajat Sapra, Joshua I. Park, Supratim Datta, Blake A. Simmons
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Patent number: 9625785Abstract: A photonic device is provided for impressing a modulation pattern on an optical carrier. The device includes a unit in which a photodetector and an optical microresonator are monolithically integrated. The device further includes an optical waveguide evanescently coupled to the optical microresonator and having at least an upstream portion configured to carry at least one optical carrier toward the microresonator. The optical microresonator is tunable so as to resonate with the optical carrier frequency. The optical microresonator and the photodetector are mutually coupled such that in operation, charge carriers photogenerated in the photodetector are injected into the microresonator, where the photocurrent changes the resonant conditions. In some embodiments the device is operable as an optical-to-optical frequency converter. In other embodiments the device is operable as an oscillator.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2014Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: William A. Zortman, Anthony L. Lentine
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Patent number: 9628339Abstract: Embodiments of network testbed creation and validation processes are described herein. A “network testbed” is a replicated environment used to validate a target network or an aspect of its design. Embodiments describe a network testbed that comprises virtual testbed nodes executed via a plurality of physical infrastructure nodes. The virtual testbed nodes utilize these hardware resources as a network “fabric,” thereby enabling rapid configuration and reconfiguration of the virtual testbed nodes without requiring reconfiguration of the physical infrastructure nodes. Thus, in contrast to prior art solutions which require a tester manually build an emulated environment of physically connected network devices, embodiments receive or derive a target network description and build out a replica of this description using virtual testbed nodes executed via the physical infrastructure nodes. This process allows for the creation of very large (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Tan Q. Thai, Vincent Urias, Brian P. Van Leeuwen, Kristopher K. Watts, Andrew John Sweeney
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Patent number: 9620596Abstract: A method including forming a diamond material on the surface of a substrate; forming a first contact and a separate second contact; and patterning the diamond material to form a nanowire between the first contact and the second contact. An apparatus including a first contact and a separate second contact on a substrate; and a nanowire including a single crystalline or polycrystalline diamond material on the substrate and connected to each of the first contact and the second contact.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Alfredo M. Morales, Richard J. Anderson, Nancy Y. C. Yang, Jack L. Skinner, Michael J. Rye
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Patent number: 9612458Abstract: A resonant photonic device is provided. The device comprises an optical waveguiding element, such as an optical resonator, that includes a diode junction region, two signal terminals configured to apply a bias voltage across the junction region, and a heater laterally separated from the optical waveguiding element. A semiconductor electrical barrier element is juxtaposed to the heater. A metallic strip is electrically and thermally connected at one end to a signal terminal of the optical waveguiding element and thermally connected at another end to the barrier element.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2014Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Anthony L. Lentine, Christopher DeRose
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Patent number: 9612316Abstract: A method and system for tracking at least one object using a plurality of pointing sensors and a tracking system are disclosed herein. In a general embodiment, the tracking system is configured to receive a series of observation data relative to the at least one object over a time base for each of the plurality of pointing sensors. The observation data may include sensor position data, pointing vector data and observation error data. The tracking system may further determine a triangulation point using a magnitude of a shortest line connecting a line of sight value from each of the series of observation data from each of the plurality of sensors to the at least one object, and perform correlation processing on the observation data and triangulation point to determine if at least two of the plurality of sensors are tracking the same object. Observation data may also be branched, associated and pruned using new incoming observation data.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2014Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: J. Michael Griesmeyer
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Patent number: 9614273Abstract: Various technologies presented herein relate to constructing and/or operating an antenna having an omnidirectional electrical field of constant phase. The antenna comprises an upper plate made up of multiple conductive rings, a lower ground-plane plate, a plurality of grounding posts, a conical feed, and a radio frequency (RF) feed connector. The upper plate has a multi-ring configuration comprising a large outer ring and several smaller rings of equal size located within the outer ring. The large outer ring and the four smaller rings have the same cross-section. The grounding posts ground the upper plate to the lower plate while maintaining a required spacing/parallelism therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2015Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: Matthew Sena
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Patent number: 9600386Abstract: Embodiments of network testbed creation and validation processes are described herein. A “network testbed” is a replicated environment used to validate a target network or an aspect of its design. Embodiments describe a network testbed that comprises virtual testbed nodes executed via a plurality of physical infrastructure nodes. The virtual testbed nodes utilize these hardware resources as a network “fabric,” thereby enabling rapid configuration and reconfiguration of the virtual testbed nodes without requiring reconfiguration of the physical infrastructure nodes. Thus, in contrast to prior art solutions which require a tester manually build an emulated environment of physically connected network devices, embodiments receive or derive a target network description and build out a replica of this description using virtual testbed nodes executed via the physical infrastructure nodes. This process allows for the creation of very large (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Tan Q. Thai, Vincent Urias, Brian P. Van Leeuwen, Kristopher K. Watts, Andrew John Sweeney
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Patent number: 9599667Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to utilizing visible light in conjunction with a thinned structure to enable characterization of operation of one or more features included in an integrated circuit (IC). Short wavelength illumination (e.g., visible light) is applied to thinned samples (e.g., ultra-thinned samples) to achieve a spatial resolution for laser voltage probing (LVP) analysis to be performed on smaller technology node silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and bulk devices. Thinning of a semiconductor material included in the IC (e.g., backside material) can be controlled such that the thinned semiconductor material has sufficient thickness to enable operation of one or more features comprising the IC during LVP investigation.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2015Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Joshua Beutler, John Joseph Clement, Mary A. Miller, Jeffrey Stevens, Edward I. Cole, Jr.
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Patent number: 9599328Abstract: Solid state lighting devices and methods for heat dissipation with rotary cooling structures are described. An example solid state lighting device includes a solid state light source, a rotating heat transfer structure in thermal contact with the solid state light source, and a mounting assembly having a stationary portion. The mounting assembly may be rotatably coupled to the heat transfer structure such that at least a portion of the mounting assembly remains stationary while the heat transfer structure is rotating. Examples of methods for dissipating heat from electrical devices, such as solid state lighting sources are also described. Heat dissipation methods may include providing electrical power to a solid state light source mounted to and in thermal contact with a heat transfer structure, and rotating the heat transfer structure through a surrounding medium.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2012Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: Jeffrey P. Koplow
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Patent number: 9602087Abstract: A linear transformer driver includes at least one ferrite ring positioned to accept a load. The linear transformer driver also includes a first, second, and third power delivery module. The first power delivery module sends a first energy in the form of a first pulse to the load. The second power delivery module sends a second energy in the form of a second pulse to the load. The third power delivery module sends a third energy in the form of a third pulse to the load. The linear transformer driver is configured to form a flat-top pulse by the superposition of the first, second, and third pulses. The first, second, and third pulses have different frequencies.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Michael G. Mazarakis, Alexander A. Kim, Vadim A. Sinebryukhov, Sergey N. Volkov, Sergey S. Kondratiev, Vitaly M. Alexeenko, Frederic Bayol, Gauthier Demol, William A. Stygar, Joshua Leckbee, Bryan V. Oliver, Mark L. Kiefer
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Patent number: 9599781Abstract: The present invention relates to optical vias to optically connect multilevel optical circuits. In one example, the optical via includes a surface plasmon polariton waveguide, and a first optical waveguide formed on a first substrate is coupled to a second optical waveguide formed on a second substrate by the surface plasmon polariton waveguide. In some embodiments, the first optical waveguide includes a transition region configured to convert light from an optical mode to a surface plasmon polariton mode or from a surface plasmon polariton mode to an optical mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2015Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Erik J. Skogen, Gregory A. Vawter, Anna Tauke-Pedretti
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Patent number: 9603210Abstract: Various technologies presented herein relate to driving a LED such that the LED emits short duration pulses of light. This is accomplished by driving the LED with short duration, high amplitude current pulses. When the LED is driven by short duration, high amplitude current pulses, the LED emits light at a greater amplitude compared to when the LED is driven by continuous wave current.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2015Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: Christopher R. Carlen
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Patent number: 9595628Abstract: A radiation detector comprises a silicon body in which are defined vertical pores filled with a converter material and situated within silicon depletion regions. One or more charge-collection electrodes are arranged to collect current generated when secondary particles enter the silicon body through walls of the pores. The pores are disposed in low-density clusters, have a majority pore thickness of 5 ?m or less, and have a majority aspect ratio, defined as the ratio of pore depth to pore thickness, of at least 10.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2014Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Murat Okandan, Mark S. Derzon, Bruce L. Draper
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Patent number: 9594266Abstract: A photonic apparatus includes a metamaterial resonator array overlying and electromagnetically coupled to a vertically stacked plurality of quantum wells defined in a semiconductor body. An arrangement of electrical contact layers is provided for facilitating the application of a bias voltage across the quantum well stack. Those portions of the semiconductor body that lie between the electrical contact layers are conformed to provide an electrically conductive path between the contact layers and through the quantum well stack.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2014Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Igal Brener, Michael Wanke, Alexander Benz