Patents by Inventor Babak Nikoobakht

Babak Nikoobakht 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: 11271137
    Abstract: A light article includes: a substrate; a truncated cuboidal fin disposed on the substrate and including: a laterally-grown nanocrystal including a longitudinal length and a lateral length that are different; a charge injection facet arranged along a longitudinal fin axis of the truncated cuboidal fin; and a truncation facet disposed opposing the charge injection facet and arranged parallel to the longitudinal fin axis; a side-injector disposed on the charge injection facet of the truncated cuboidal fin and that provides electrons to an active layer; and the active layer interposed between the side-injector and the substrate and that: receives electrons from the side-injector; receives holes from the substrate; and produces light in response to combining the electrons and the holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
    Inventors: Babak Nikoobakht, Robin Paul Hansen
  • Publication number: 20210119081
    Abstract: A light article includes: a substrate; a truncated cuboidal fin disposed on the substrate and including: a laterally-grown nanocrystal including a longitudinal length and a lateral length that are different; a charge injection facet arranged along a longitudinal fin axis of the truncated cuboidal fin; and a truncation facet disposed opposing the charge injection facet and arranged parallel to the longitudinal fin axis; a side-injector disposed on the charge injection facet of the truncated cuboidal fin and that provides electrons to an active layer; and the active layer interposed between the side-injector and the substrate and that: receives electrons from the side-injector; receives holes from the substrate; and produces light in response to combining the electrons and the holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Babak Nikoobakht, Robin Paul Hansen
  • Patent number: 9809452
    Abstract: A process for making a nanoduct includes: disposing an etchant catalyst on a semiconductor substrate including a single crystal structure; heating the semiconductor substrate to an etching temperature; introducing an oxidant; contacting the semiconductor substrate with the oxidant in a presence of the etchant catalyst; anisotropically etching the semiconductor substrate by the etchant catalyst in a presence of the oxidant in an etch direction that is coincident along a crystallographic axis of the semiconductor substrate; and forming the nanoduct as the etchant catalyst propagates along a surface of the semiconductor substrate during anisotropically etching the semiconductor substrate, the nanoduct being crystallographically aligned with the crystallographic axis of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht, IV
  • Publication number: 20170253479
    Abstract: A process for making a nanoduct includes: disposing an etchant catalyst on a semiconductor substrate including a single crystal structure; heating the semiconductor substrate to an etching temperature; introducing an oxidant; contacting the semiconductor substrate with the oxidant in a presence of the etchant catalyst; anisotropically etching the semiconductor substrate by the etchant catalyst in a presence of the oxidant in an etch direction that is coincident along a crystallographic axis of the semiconductor substrate; and forming the nanoduct as the etchant catalyst propagates along a surface of the semiconductor substrate during anisotropically etching the semiconductor substrate, the nanoduct being crystallographically aligned with the crystallographic axis of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventor: BABAK NIKOOBAKHT, IV
  • Patent number: 9403678
    Abstract: This disclosure provides methods to use nanoparticles as non-optical tags for detecting a change in mass. chemical sensing or bio-sensing events or reaction upon conjugation of nanoparticles onto a thermoresistor heat sensor. Particularly described is the use of metal nanoparticles in thermal sensors, thermal bio-sensors, and sensing pixel arrays for multiple analyte sensing. In addition, an asymmetric filter is disclosed that allows size separation of molecules from nanoparticles. The asymmetric filter is a porous membrane that is designed to have a small pore size in one size and a large pore size on the other side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Patent number: 9372283
    Abstract: This invention provides application of noble metal nanoparticles for devices with controlled light transmission, absorption and detection. Particularly described is the use of noble metal nanoparticles in photoconductive detectors, optical filters, optical switches, pixel arrays, and electrochromic windows for controlling the transmission and absorption of incident and transmitted light. In addition, the use of noble metal nanoparticles in an electrochromic display is described in which color of the transmitted light from a nanoparticle-based pixel is adjusted and controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Publication number: 20150038578
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and series of compositions for surface functionalization of nanoparticles that eliminates the possibility of ligand loss in alien environments. In particular, the present disclosure provides method and compositions for production of highly-stable surface-functionalized nanorods of noble metals for in-vivo applications as well as use in composite materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Patent number: 8618481
    Abstract: This disclosure provides methods to integrate heat generating nanoparticles to microelectromechanical (MEMs) and photonic devices such as microbolometers and thermopiles for better photodetection and electrical energy generation. Nanoparticles include noble metal and semiconductor nanocrystals of different shapes, as light sensing and heat generating materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Patent number: 8449673
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and an apparatus for making nanomaterials. In particular, the present innovation provides an apparatus that can be used to produce nanocrystals and/or nanorods of noble metals. The disclosure also provides methods that can be advantageously used to produce gold nanocrystals/nanorods with aspect ratios higher than 4.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Publication number: 20120292255
    Abstract: This disclosure provides methods to use nanoparticles as non-optical tags for detecting a change in mass. chemical sensing or bio-sensing events or reaction upon conjugation of nanoparticles onto a thermoresistor heat sensor. Particularly described is the use of metal nanoparticles in thermal sensors, thermal bio-sensors, and sensing pixel arrays for multiple analyte sensing. In addition, an asymmetric filter is disclosed that allows size separation of molecules from nanoparticles. The asymmetric filter is a porous membrane that is designed to have a small pore size in one size and a large pore size on the other side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Patent number: 7968433
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating nanowire structures and nanodevices are provided. The methods involve photolithographically depositing a nucleation center on a crystalline surface of a substrate, generating a nanoscale seed from the nucleation center, and epitaxially growing a nanowire across at least a portion of the crystalline surface starting at a nucleation site where the nanoscale seed is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Publication number: 20110116168
    Abstract: This invention provides application of noble metal nanoparticles for devices with controlled light transmission, absorption and detection. Particularly described is the use of noble metal nanoparticles in photoconductive detectors, optical filters, optical switches, pixel arrays, and electrochromic windows for controlling the transmission and absorption of incident and transmitted light. In addition, the use of noble metal nanoparticles in an electrochromic display is described in which color of the transmitted light from a nanoparticle-based pixel is adjusted and controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Publication number: 20100127172
    Abstract: This disclosure provides methods to integrate heat generating nanoparticles to microelectromechanical (MEMs) and photonic devices such as microbolometers and thermopiles for better photodetection and electrical energy generation. Nanoparticles include noble metal and semiconductor nanocrystals of different shapes, as light sensing and heat generating materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Publication number: 20100058978
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and an apparatus for making nanomaterials. In particular, the present innovation provides an apparatus that can be used to produce nanocrystals and/or nanorods of noble metals. The disclosure also provides methods that can be advantageously used to produce gold nanocrystals/nanorods with aspect ratios higher than 4.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Publication number: 20090124053
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating nanowire structures and nanodevices are provided. The methods involve photolithographically depositing a nucleation center on a crystalline surface of a substrate, generating a nanoscale seed from the nucleation center, and epitaxially growing a nanowire across at least a portion of the crystalline surface starting at a nucleation site where the nanoscale seed is located.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventor: Babak NIKOOBAKHT