Patents Assigned to Sandia
  • Patent number: 9934469
    Abstract: A method for preparing an entangled quantum state of an atomic ensemble is provided. The method includes loading each atom of the atomic ensemble into a respective optical trap; placing each atom of the atomic ensemble into a same first atomic quantum state by impingement of pump radiation; approaching the atoms of the atomic ensemble to within a dipole-dipole interaction length of each other; Rydberg-dressing the atomic ensemble; during the Rydberg-dressing operation, exciting the atomic ensemble with a Raman pulse tuned to stimulate a ground-state hyperfine transition from the first atomic quantum state to a second atomic quantum state; and separating the atoms of the atomic ensemble by more than a dipole-dipole interaction length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Yuan Yu Jau, Grant Biedermann, Ivan Deutsch
  • Patent number: 9929293
    Abstract: In a superlattice (SL) photodetector, each period of the SL includes first and second semiconductor layers having different compositions, at least one of which comprises indium arsenide (InAs). At least one of these two semiconductor layers has a graded composition. In embodiments, the first semiconductor layer comprises InAs and the second semiconductor layer is a graded layer comprising indium arsenide antimonide (InAsSb), wherein the antimony (Sb) concentration is varied. In examples, the Sb concentration in the second layer gradually increases from the top and bottom toward the middle of the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Jin K. Kim, John F. Klem, Eric A. Shaner, Benjamin Varberg Olson, Emil Andrew Kadlec, Anna Tauke-Pedretti, Torben Ray Fortune
  • Patent number: 9928827
    Abstract: A quantum device includes a phononic crystal defined on a semiconductor substrate. Phononic cavities are defined in the phononic crystal, wherein each phononic cavity contains an implanted acceptor atom. Phononic waveguides are defined in the phononic crystal, wherein each waveguide is coupled to at least one phononic cavity. At least some phononic waveguides are arranged to provide coupling between phononic cavities and ultrasonic transducers. At least some phononic waveguides are arranged to provide coupling between different phononic cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Ihab Fathy El-Kady, Edward S. Bielejec, Charles M. Reinke, Susan M. Clark
  • Patent number: 9927549
    Abstract: Born Scattering Inversion (BSI) systems and methods are disclosed. A BSI system may be incorporated in a well system for accessing natural gas, oil and geothermal reserves in a geologic formation beneath the surface of the Earth. The BSI system may be used to generate a three-dimensional image of a proppant-filled hydraulically-induced fracture in the geologic formation. The BSI system may include computing equipment and sensors for measuring electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the fracture before and after the fracture is generated, adjusting the parameters of a first Born approximation model of a scattered component of the surface electromagnetic fields using the measured electromagnetic fields, and generating the image of the proppant-filled fracture using the adjusted parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: CARBO Ceramics Inc., Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: David F. Aldridge, Lewis C. Bartel
  • Patent number: 9923284
    Abstract: The various embodiments presented herein relate to extraordinary electromagnetic transmission (EEMT) to enable multiple inefficient (un-matched) but coupled radiators and/or apertures to radiate and/or pass electromagnetic waves efficiently. EEMT can be utilized such that signal transmission from a plurality of antennas and/or apertures occurs at a transmission frequency different to transmission frequencies of the individual antennas and/or aperture elements. The plurality of antennas/apertures can comprise first antenna/aperture having a first radiating area and material(s) and second antenna/aperture having a second radiating area and material(s), whereby the first radiating/aperture area and second radiating/aperture area can be co-located in a periodic compound unit cell. Owing to mutual coupling between the respective antennas/apertures in their arrayed configuration, the transmission frequency of the array can be shifted from the transmission frequencies of the individual elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Hung Loui, Bernd H. Strassner, II
  • Publication number: 20180072572
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel solution or route for metal phosphide (MPx) nanomaterials from the thermal decomposition of metal bis[bis(diisopropylphosphino)amide], M[N(PPri2)2]2, and/or single-source precursors. Synthetic routes to MPx nanomaterials may be used in energy applications including batteries, semiconductors, magnets, catalyst, lasers, inks, electrocatalysts and photodiodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicants: STC.UNM, Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Alan Kemp, Diane Dickie, Bernadette A. Hernandez-Sanchez, Timothy N. Labert
  • Patent number: 9915740
    Abstract: An ionizing radiation detector or scintillator system includes a scintillating material comprising an organic crystalline compound selected to generate photons in response to the passage of ionizing radiation. The organic compound has a crystalline symmetry of higher order than monoclinic, for example an orthorhombic, trigonal, tetragonal, hexagonal, or cubic symmetry. A photodetector is optically coupled to the scintillating material, and configured to generate electronic signals having pulse shapes based on the photons generated in the scintillating material. A discriminator is coupled to the photon detector, and configured to discriminate between neutrons and gamma rays in the ionizing radiation based on the pulse shapes of the output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick L. Feng
  • Patent number: 9917149
    Abstract: A diode includes a second semiconductor layer over a first semiconductor layer. The diode further includes a third semiconductor layer over the second semiconductor layer, where the third semiconductor layer includes a first semiconductor element over the second semiconductor layer. The third semiconductor layer additionally includes a second semiconductor element over the second semiconductor layer, wherein the second semiconductor element surrounds the first semiconductor element. Further, the third semiconductor layer includes a third semiconductor element over the second semiconductor element. Furthermore, a hole concentration of the second semiconductor element is less than a hole concentration of the first semiconductor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Jeramy Ray Dickerson, Jonathan Wierer, Jr., Robert Kaplar, Andrew A. Allerman
  • Patent number: 9907496
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a biological probe structure, as well as apparatuses, systems, and methods employing this structure. In particular embodiments, the structure includes a hermetically sealed unit configured to receive and transmit one or more optical signals. Furthermore, the structure can be implanted subcutaneously and interrogated externally. In this manner, a minimally invasive method can be employed to detect, treat, and/or assess the biological target. Additional methods and systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Murat Okandan, Gregory N. Nielson
  • Patent number: 9911871
    Abstract: A photovoltaic module includes colorized reflective photovoltaic cells that act as pixels. The colorized reflective photovoltaic cells are arranged so that reflections from the photovoltaic cells or pixels visually combine into an image on the photovoltaic module. The colorized photovoltaic cell or pixel is composed of a set of 100 to 256 base color sub-pixel reflective segments or sub-pixels. The color of each pixel is determined by the combination of base color sub-pixels forming the pixel. As a result, each pixel can have a wide variety of colors using a set of base colors, which are created, from sub-pixel reflective segments having standard film thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony L. Lentine, Gregory N. Nielson, Jose Luis Cruz-Campa, Murat Okandan, Ronald S. Goeke
  • Patent number: 9912420
    Abstract: Various technologies for isolating a signal of interest from signals received contemporaneously by an antenna are described herein. A time period for which a signal of interest is present in a second signal can be identified based upon ratios of values of the second signal to the mean value of the second signal. When the ratio of the value of the second signal at a particular time to the mean of the second signal exceeds a threshold value, the signal of interest is considered to be present in the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Cameron H. Musgrove, Douglas Thompson
  • Patent number: 9909233
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to the use of mobile coherent interfaces in a ferroelectric material to interact with optical phonons and, ultimately, to affect the material's optical properties. In altering the optical phonon properties, the optical properties of the ferroelectric material in the spectral range near-to the phonon mode frequency can dramatically change. This can result in a facile means to change to the optical response of the ferroelectric material in the infrared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Jon F. Ihlefeld, Michael B. Sinclair, Thomas E. Beechem, III
  • Patent number: 9909549
    Abstract: Various technologies presented herein relate to enhancing mixing inside a combustion chamber to form one or more locally premixed mixtures comprising fuel and charge-gas with low peak fuel to charge-gas ratios to enable minimal, or no, generation of soot and other undesired emissions during ignition and subsequent combustion of the locally premixed mixtures. To enable sufficient mixing of the fuel and charge-gas, a jet of fuel can be directed to pass through a bore of a duct causing charge-gas to be drawn into the bore creating turbulence to mix the fuel and the drawn charge-gas. The duct can be located proximate to an opening in a tip of a fuel injector. The duct can comprise of one or more holes along its length to enable charge-gas to be drawn into the bore, and further, the duct can cool the fuel and/or charge-gas prior to combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Charles J. Mueller
  • Patent number: 9911981
    Abstract: An air-cathode battery includes a porous cathode current collector with an air interface, an ionic liquid electrolyte disposed in pores of the porous cathode current collector; a metal anode, and a separator in contact with the ionic liquid electrolyte and coupled between the porous cathode current collector and the metal anode. The porous cathode current collector is an ionogel formed from a silica sol-gel or a carbonized resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel and the pores are functionalized with a thiol group-containing species that is functionalized with one or more catalytic nanoparticles or the pores are electroplated with catalytic metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Marie C. Kane
  • Patent number: 9911039
    Abstract: Various technologies pertaining to identifying objects of interest in remote sensing images by searching over geospatial-temporal graph representations are described herein. Graphs are constructed by representing objects in remote sensing images as nodes, and connecting nodes with undirected edges representing either distance or adjacency relationships between objects and directed edges representing changes in time. Geospatial-temporal graph searches are made computationally efficient by taking advantage of characteristics of geospatial-temporal data in remote sensing images through the application of various graph search techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Randolph Brost, David Nikolaus Perkins
  • Patent number: 9903001
    Abstract: A system and methods for detection of a nucleic acid including forming a plurality of nucleic acid detection complexes are described, each of the complexes including a nucleic acid analyte, a detection agent and a functionalized probe. The method further including binding the nucleic acid detection complexes to a plurality of functionalized particles in a fluid sample and separating the functionalized particles having the nucleic acid detection complexes bound thereto from the fluid sample using a density media. The nucleic acid analyte is detected by detecting the detection agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Chung-Yan Koh, Ulrich Y. Schaff, Gregory Jon Sommer
  • Patent number: 9906311
    Abstract: Various technologies for performing continuous-variable (CV) and discrete-variable (DV) quantum key distribution (QKD) with integrated electro-optical circuits are described herein. An integrated DV-QKD system uses Mach-Zehnder modulators to modulate a polarization of photons at a transmitter and select a photon polarization measurement basis at a receiver. An integrated CV-QKD system uses wavelength division multiplexing to send and receive amplitude-modulated and phase-modulated optical signals with a local oscillator signal while maintaining phase coherence between the modulated signals and the local oscillator signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher DeRose, Mohan Sarovar, Daniel B. S. Soh, Anthony Lentine, Paul Davids, Ryan Camacho
  • Patent number: 9897642
    Abstract: The present invention relates to photovoltaic systems capable of identifying the location of an arc-fault. In particular, such systems include a unique filter connected to each photovoltaic (PV) string, thereby providing a unique filtered noise profile associated with a particular PV string. Also described herein are methods for identifying and isolating such arc-faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Jay Johnson
  • Patent number: 9897556
    Abstract: Technologies related to determining elemental composition of a sample that comprises fissile material are described herein. In a general embodiment, a pulsed neutron generator periodically emits bursts of neutrons, and is synchronized with an analyzer circuit. The bursts of neutrons are used to interrogate the sample, and the sample outputs gamma rays based upon the neutrons impacting the sample. A detector outputs pulses based upon the gamma rays impinging upon the material of the detector, and the analyzer circuit assigns the pulses to temporally-based bins based upon the analyzer circuit being synchronized with the pulsed neutron generator. A computing device outputs data that is indicative of elemental composition of the sample based upon the binned pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Sudeep Mitra
  • Patent number: 9886645
    Abstract: Technologies pertaining to registering a target image with a base image are described. In a general embodiment, the base image is selected from a set of images, and the target image is an image in the set of images that is to be registered to the base image. A set of disjoint regions of the target image is selected, and a transform to be applied to the target image is computed based on the optimization of a metric over the selected set of disjoint regions. The transform is applied to the target image so as to register the target image with the base image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Todd Pitts, Simon Hathaway, David B. Karelitz, John Sandusky, Mark Richard Laine