Patents Assigned to Sandia
  • Patent number: 7983517
    Abstract: Optical ring resonator devices are disclosed that can be used for optical filtering, modulation or switching, or for use as photodetectors or sensors. These devices can be formed as microdisk ring resonators, or as open-ring resonators with an optical waveguide having a width that varies adiabatically. Electrical and mechanical connections to the open-ring resonators are made near a maximum width of the optical waveguide to minimize losses and thereby provide a high resonator Q. The ring resonators can be tuned using an integral electrical heater, or an integral semiconductor junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Watts, Douglas C. Trotter, Ralph W. Young, Gregory N. Nielson
  • Patent number: 7972410
    Abstract: A method for controlling the size of chemically synthesized magnetic nanoparticles that employs magnetic interaction between particles to control particle size and does not rely on conventional kinetic control of the reaction to control particle size. The particles are caused to reversibly agglomerate and precipitate from solution; the size at which this occurs can be well controlled to provide a very narrow particle size distribution. The size of particles is controllable by the size of the surfactant employed in the process; controlling the size of the surfactant allows magnetic control of the agglomeration and precipitation processes. Agglomeration is used to effectively stop particle growth to provide a very narrow range of particle sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: Dale L. Huber
  • Patent number: 7955945
    Abstract: A process for making a dielectric material where a precursor polymer selected from poly(phenylene vinylene) polyacetylene, poly(p-phenylene), poly(thienylene vinylene), poly(1,4-naphthylene vinylene), and poly(p-pyridine vinylene) is energized said by exposure by radiation or increase in temperature to a level sufficient to eliminate said leaving groups contained within the precursor polymer, thereby transforming the dielectric material into a conductive polymer. The leaving group in the precursor polymer can be a chloride, a bromide, an iodide, a fluoride, an ester, an xanthate, a nitrile, an amine, a nitro group, a carbonate, a dithiocarbamate, a sulfonium group, an oxonium group, an iodonium group, a pyridinium group, an ammonium group, a borate group, a borane group, a sulphinyl group, or a sulfonyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn M. Dirk, Ross S. Johnson, David R. Wheeler, Gregory R. Bogart
  • Patent number: 7951747
    Abstract: Transition Metal Sulfides (TMS), such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), are the petroleum industry's “workhorse” catalysts for upgrading heavy petroleum feedstocks and removing sulfur, nitrogen and other pollutants from fuels. We have developed an improved synthesis technique to produce SLTMS catalysts, such as molybdenum disulfide, with potentially greater activity and specificity than those currently available. Applications for this technology include heavy feed upgrading, in-situ catalysis, bio-fuel conversion and coal liquefaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: Steven G. Thoma
  • Patent number: 7947397
    Abstract: A battery component structure employing inorganic-silicate binders. In some embodiments, casting or coating of components may be performed using aqueous slurries of silicates and electrode materials or separator materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Frank M. Delnick, Frederick W. Reinhardt, Judy G. Odinek
  • Patent number: 7948153
    Abstract: Embodiments of energy harvesters have a plurality of piezoelectric planform-tapered, interdigitated cantilevered beams anchored to a common frame. The plurality of beams can be arranged as two or more sets of beams with each set sharing a common sense mass affixed to their free ends. Each set thus defined being capable of motion independent of any other set of beams. Each beam can comprise a unimorph or bimorph piezoelectric configuration bonded to a conductive or non-conductive supporting layer and provided with electrical contacts to the active piezoelectric elements for collecting strain induced charge (i.e. energy). The beams are planform tapered along the entirety or a portion of their length thereby increasing the effective stress level and power output of each piezoelectric element, and are interdigitated by sets to increase the power output per unit volume of a harvester thus produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Rick A. Kellogg, Hartono Sumali
  • Patent number: 7942097
    Abstract: A slapper detonator which integrally incorporates an optical wavequide structure for determining whether there has been degradation of the explosive in the explosive device that is to be initiated by the detonator. Embodiments of this invention take advantage of the barrel-like character of a typical slapper detonator design. The barrel assembly, being in direct contact with the energetic material, incorporates an optical diagnostic device into the barrel assembly whereby one can monitor the state of the explosive material. Such monitoring can be beneficial because the chemical degradation of the explosive plays an important in achieving proper functioning of a detonator/initiator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: M. Kathleen Alam, Randal L. Schmitt, Eric J. Welle, Sean P. Madden
  • Patent number: 7943116
    Abstract: A method for forming non-agglomerated brookite TiO2 nanoparticles without the use of expensive organic surfactants or high temperature processing. Embodiments of this invention use titanium isopropoxide as the titanium precursor and isopropanol as both the solvent and ligand for ligand-stabilized brookite-phase titania. Isopropanol molecules serve as the ligands interacting with the titania surfaces that stabilize the titania nanoparticles. The isopropanol ligands can be exchanged with other alcohols and other ligands during or after the nanoparticle formation reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Dale L. Huber, Todd C. Monson
  • Patent number: 7942568
    Abstract: An active micromixer uses a surface acoustic wave, preferably a Rayleigh wave, propagating on a piezoelectric substrate to induce acoustic streaming in a fluid in a microfluidic channel. The surface acoustic wave can be generated by applying an RF excitation signal to at least one interdigital transducer on the piezoelectric substrate. The active micromixer can rapidly mix quiescent fluids or laminar streams in low Reynolds number flows. The active micromixer has no moving parts (other than the SAW transducer) and is, therefore, more reliable, less damaging to sensitive fluids, and less susceptible to fouling and channel clogging than other types of active and passive micromixers. The active micromixer is adaptable to a wide range of geometries, can be easily fabricated, and can be integrated in a microfluidic system, reducing dead volume. Finally, the active micromixer has on-demand on/off mixing capability and can be operated at low power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Darren W. Branch, Grant D. Meyer, Harold G. Craighead
  • Patent number: 7941014
    Abstract: Optical waveguide devices are disclosed which utilize an optical waveguide having a waveguide bend therein with a width that varies adiabatically between a minimum value and a maximum value of the width. One or more connecting members can be attached to the waveguide bend near the maximum value of the width thereof to support the waveguide bend or to supply electrical power to an impurity-doped region located within the waveguide bend near the maximum value of the width. The impurity-doped region can form an electrical heater or a semiconductor junction which can be activated with a voltage to provide a variable optical path length in the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide devices can be used to form a tunable interferometer (e.g. a Mach-Zehnder interferometer) which can be used for optical modulation or switching. The optical waveguide devices can also be used to form an optical delay line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Watts, Gregory N. Nielson
  • Patent number: 7938707
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for batch fabrication of vacuum switch tubes that reduce manufacturing costs and improve tube to tube uniformity. The disclosed methods comprise creating a stacked assembly of layers containing a plurality of adjacently spaced switch tube sub-assemblies aligned and registered through common layers. The layers include trigger electrode layer, cathode layer including a metallic support/contact with graphite cathode inserts, trigger probe sub-assembly layer, ceramic (e.g. tube body) insulator layer, and metallic anode sub-assembly layer. Braze alloy layers are incorporated into the stacked assembly of layers, and can include active metal braze alloys or direct braze alloys, to eliminate costs associated with traditional metallization of the ceramic insulator layers. The entire stacked assembly is then heated to braze/join/bond the stack-up into a cohesive body, after which individual switch tubes are singulated by methods such as sawing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Walker, Frank R. Trowbridge
  • Patent number: 7940377
    Abstract: A method for passive background correction during spatially or angularly resolved detection of emission that is based on the simultaneous acquisition of both the passive background spectrum and the spectrum of the target of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Randal L. Schmitt, Philip J. Hargis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7931792
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for separating and concentrating particles suspended in a fluid stream by using dielectrophoresis (DEP) to trap and/or deflect those particles as they migrate through a fluid channel. The method uses fluid channels designed to constrain a liquid flowing through it to uniform electrokinetic flow velocities. This behavior is achieved by connecting deep and shallow sections of channels, with the channel depth varying abruptly along an interface. By careful design of abrupt changes in specific permeability at the interface, an abrupt and spatially uniform change in electrokinetic force can be selected. Because these abrupt interfaces also cause a sharp gradient in applied electric fields, a DEP force also can be established along the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory J. Fiechtner, Eric B. Cummings, Anup K. Singh
  • Patent number: 7928375
    Abstract: An array of microfabricated linear Paul-Straubel ion traps can be used for mass spectrometric applications. Each ion trap comprises two parallel inner RF electrodes and two parallel outer DC control electrodes symmetric about a central trap axis and suspended over an opening in a substrate. Neighboring ion traps in the array can share a common outer DC control electrode. The ions confined transversely by an RF quadrupole electric field potential well on the ion trap axis. The array can trap a wide array of ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Mangan, Matthew G. Blain, Chris P. Tigges, Kevin L. Linker
  • Patent number: 7929439
    Abstract: A network interface controller and network interface control method comprising providing a single integrated circuit as a network interface controller and employing a plurality of network interface cores on the single integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Keith D. Underwood, Karl Scott Hemmert
  • Patent number: 7922931
    Abstract: A low-melting point, heat transfer fluid comprising a mixture of LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3, NaNO2 and KNO2 salts where the Li, Na and K cations are present in amounts of about 20-33.5 mol % Li, about 18.6-40 mol % Na, and about 40-50.3 mol % K and where the nitrate and nitrite anions are present in amounts of about 36-50 mol % NO3, and about 50-62.5 mol % NO2. These compositions can have liquidus temperatures between 70° C. and 80° C. for some compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph G. Cordaro, Robert W. Bradshaw
  • Publication number: 20110073805
    Abstract: The present invention provides for novel compositions and methods for recycling or recovering ionic liquid used in IL pretreated cellulose and/or lignocellulosic biomass (LBM).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicants: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dean C. Dibble, Aurelia Cheng, Anthe George
  • Patent number: 7913534
    Abstract: A microfabricated field calibration assembly for use in calibrating analytical instruments and sensor systems. The assembly comprises a circuit board comprising one or more resistively heatable microbridge elements, an interface device that enables addressable heating of the microbridge elements, and, in some embodiments, a means for positioning the circuit board within an inlet structure of an analytical instrument or sensor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Alex L. Robinson, Ronald P. Manginell, Matthew W. Moorman, Philip J. Rodacy, Robert J. Simonson
  • Patent number: 7915626
    Abstract: A denticulated Group III nitride structure that is useful for growing AlxGa1-xN to greater thicknesses without cracking and with a greatly reduced threading dislocation (TD) density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew A. Allerman, Mary H. Crawford, Daniel D. Koleske, Stephen R. Lee
  • Patent number: 7917757
    Abstract: A method and system to authenticate electronic communications, such as email. A trusted third party records information of each of sender's communications, such as date, time and recipients. Recipients are allowed to verify if their incoming messages match the data of their senders' outgoing communications. Mismatches can be used to filter out fake messages assuming stolen identities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: Alejandro Backer