Patents by Inventor Akos Vertes

Akos Vertes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10816556
    Abstract: The production and use of semiconducting nanopost arrays made by nanofabrication is described herein. These nanopost arrays (NAPA) provide improved laser ionization yields and controllable fragmentation with switching or modulation capabilities for mass spectrometric detection and identification of samples deposited on them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignees: The George Washington University, UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Bennett N. Walker, Jessica A. Stolee, Scott T. Retterer
  • Patent number: 10585104
    Abstract: The production and use of semiconducting nanopost arrays made by nanofabrication is described herein. These nanopost arrays (NAPA) provide improved laser ionization yields and controllable fragmentation with switching or modulation capabilities for mass spectrometric detection and identification of samples deposited on them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignees: The George Washington University, UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Bennett N. Walker, Jessica A. Stolee, Scott T. Retterer
  • Publication number: 20170227546
    Abstract: The production and use of semiconducting nanopost arrays made by nanofabrication is described herein. These nanopost arrays (NAPA) provide improved laser ionization yields and controllable fragmentation with switching or modulation capabilities for mass spectrometric detection and identification of samples deposited on them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Bennett N. Walker, Jessica A. Stolee, Scott T. Retterer
  • Patent number: 9490113
    Abstract: The production and use of semiconducting nanopost arrays made by nanofabrication is described herein. These nanopost arrays (NAPA) provide improved laser ionization yields and controllable fragmentation with switching or modulation capabilities for mass spectrometric detection and identification of samples deposited on them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Bennett N. Walker, Jessica A. Stolee, Scott T. Retterer
  • Patent number: 9362101
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a device may generally comprise a capillary having a first end and a second end; a laser to emit energy at a sample in the capillary to ablate the sample and generate an ablation plume in the capillary; an electrospray apparatus to generate an electrospray plume to intercept the ablation plume to produce ions; and a mass spectrometer having an ion transfer inlet to capture the ions. The ablation plume may comprise a collimated ablation plume. The device may comprise a flow cytometer. Methods of making and using the same are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Jessica A. Stolee
  • Patent number: 9000361
    Abstract: The production and use of silicon microcolumn arrays that harvest light from a laser pulse to produce ions are described. The systems of the present invention seem to behave like a quasi-periodic antenna array with ion yields that show profound dependence on the plane of laser light polarization and the angle of incidence. By providing photonic ion sources, this enables enhanced control of ion production on a micro/nano scale and direct integration with miniaturized analytical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Bennett N. Walker
  • Publication number: 20150053853
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a device may generally comprise a capillary having a first end and a second end; a laser to emit energy at a sample in the capillary to ablate the sample and generate an ablation plume in the capillary; an electrospray apparatus to generate an electrospray plume to intercept the ablation plume to produce ions; and a mass spectrometer having an ion transfer inlet to capture the ions. The ablation plume may comprise a collimated ablation plume. The device may comprise a flow cytometer. Methods of making and using the same are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Jessica A. Stolee
  • Patent number: 8901487
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a method of laser ablation electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LAESI-MS) may generally comprise micro-dissecting a cell comprising at least one of a cell wall and a cell membrane to expose at least one subcellular component therein, ablating the at least one subcellular component by an infrared laser pulse to form an ablation plume, intercepting the ablation plume by an electrospray plume to form ions, and detecting the ions by mass spectrometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Jessica A. Stolee, Bindesh Shrestha
  • Patent number: 8829426
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a device may generally comprise a capillary having a first end and a second end; a laser to emit energy at a sample in the capillary to ablate the sample and generate an ablation plume in the capillary; an electrospray apparatus to generate an electrospray plume to intercept the ablation plume to produce ions; and a mass spectrometer having an ion transfer inlet to capture the ions. The ablation plume may comprise a collimated ablation plume. The device may comprise a flow cytometer. Methods of making and using the same are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Jessica A. Stolee
  • Patent number: 8809774
    Abstract: The field of the invention is atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry (MS), and more specifically a process and apparatus which combine infrared laser ablation with electrospray ionization (ESI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Peter Nemes
  • Patent number: 8530833
    Abstract: The production and use of silicon microcolumn arrays that harvest light from a laser pulse to produce ions are described. The systems of the present invention seem to behave like a quasi-periodic antenna array with ion yields that show profound dependence on the plane of laser light polarization and the angle of incidence. By providing photonic ion sources, this enables enhanced control of ion production on a micro/nano scale and direct integration with miniaturized analytical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Bennett N. Walker
  • Patent number: 8487244
    Abstract: The field of the invention is atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry (MS), and more specifically a process and apparatus which combine infrared laser ablation with electrospray ionization (ESI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Peter Nemes
  • Patent number: 8487246
    Abstract: The field of the invention is atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry (MS), and more specifically a process and apparatus which combine infrared laser ablation with electrospray ionization (ESI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Peter Nemes
  • Publication number: 20130015345
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a device may generally comprise a capillary having a first end and a second end; a laser to emit energy at a sample in the capillary to ablate the sample and generate an ablation plume in the capillary; an electrospray apparatus to generate an electrospray plume to intercept the ablation plume to produce ions; and a mass spectrometer having an ion transfer inlet to capture the ions. The ablation plume may comprise a collimated ablation plume. The device may comprise a flow cytometer. Methods of making and using the same are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: THE GEORGE WASHINTON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Jessica A. Stolee
  • Publication number: 20120298857
    Abstract: The field of the invention is atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry (MS), and more specifically a process and apparatus which combine infrared laser ablation with electrospray ionization (ESI).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Peter Nemes
  • Patent number: 8299429
    Abstract: The field of the invention is atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry (MS), and more specifically a process and apparatus which combine infrared laser ablation with electrospray ionization (ESI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Peter Nemes
  • Patent number: 8286260
    Abstract: A system and method for analyzing and imaging a sample containing molecules of interest combines modified MALDI mass spectrometer and SNOM devices and techniques and includes: (A) an atmospheric pressure or near-atmospheric pressure ionization region; (B) a sample holder for holding the sample; (C) a laser for illuminating said sample; (D) a mass spectrometer having at least one evacuated chamber; (E) an atmospheric pressure interface for connecting said ionization region and said mass spectrometer; (F) a scanning near-field optical microscopy instrument; (G) a recording device for recording topography and mass spectrum measurements made during scanning of the sample with the near-field probe; (H) a plotting device for plotting said topography and mass spectrum measurements as separate x-y mappings; and (I) an imaging device for providing images of the x-y mappings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Mark E. Reeves, Fatah Kashanchi
  • Patent number: 8110796
    Abstract: The production and use of silicon microcolumn arrays that harvest light from a laser pulse to produce ions are described. The systems of the present invention seem to behave like a quasi-periodic antenna array with ion yields that show profound dependence on the plane of laser light polarization and the angle of incidence. By providing photonic ion sources, this enables enhanced control of ion production on a micro/nano scale and direct integration with miniaturized analytical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Bennett N. Walker
  • Publication number: 20120025069
    Abstract: The field of the invention is atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry (MS), and more specifically a process and apparatus which combine infrared laser ablation with electrospray ionization (ESI)
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Peter Nemes
  • Patent number: 8084734
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a laser-patterned silicon surface, especially silicon wafers for use in laser desorption ionization (LDI-MS) (including MALDI-MS and SELDI-MS), devices containing the same, and methods of testing samples employing the same. The surface is prepared by subjecting a silicon substrate to multiple laser shots from a high-power picosecond or femtosecond laser while in a processing environment, e.g., underwater, and generates a remarkable homogenous microcolumn array capable of providing an improved substrate for LDI-MS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: The George Washington University
    Inventors: Akos Vertes, Yong Chen