Patents by Inventor Benjamin J. Aleman

Benjamin J. Aleman 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: 11862265
    Abstract: A method of tuning a resonant frequency of a nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS) drum device is performed by applying a gate voltage between the drum membrane [100] and a back gate [104] to alter the resonant frequency of the membrane to a desired frequency; photoionizing the drum membrane with a laser to detune the membrane resonant frequency to a ground state frequency; and releasing the gate voltage to set the membrane to the desired resonant frequency. The method provides the basis for various applications including NEMS memory and photodetection techniques. The NEMS device may be implemented as a graphene/hBN membrane [100] suspended on a SiO2 layer [102] deposited on a Si substrate [104].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: University of Oregon
    Inventors: Benjamín J. Alemán, David J. Miller
  • Publication number: 20220238172
    Abstract: A method of timing a resonant frequency of a nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) drum device is performed by applying a gate voltage between the drum membrane [100] and a back gate [104] to alter the resonant frequency of the membrane to a desired frequency; photoionizing the drum membrane with a laser to detune the membrane resonant frequency to a ground state frequency; and releasing the gate voltage to set the membrane to the desired resonant frequency. The method provides the basis for various applications including NEMS memory and photodetection techniques. The NEMS device may be implemented as a graphene/hBN membrane [100] suspended on a Si02 layer [102] deposited on a Si substrate [104].
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Benjamín J. Alemán, David J. Miller
  • Patent number: 11099076
    Abstract: A thermo-mechanical resonating microbolometer has a graphene absorber suspended above a metallic silicon substrate to form a mechanical resonator. Microelectronic circuitry electrically connected to the graphene resonator and the metallic silicon substrate drives electronically the motion of the graphene absorber. Shifts in the mechanical resonant frequency of the graphene layer due to the absorption of incident radiation is measured electronically or using optical interferometry. A bolometer sensor array may be fabricated using such graphene microbolometer elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: University of Oregon
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Alemán, Andrew D. Blaikie, David J. Miller
  • Patent number: 10879445
    Abstract: A quantum emitter device is composed of a hole milled in a layer of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) on a substrate made of silicon dioxide. The hole preferably has a side wall angle 1.1°±0.28° from the horizontal, has an oval shape with minor axis 516 nm±20 nm and major axis 600 nm±20 nm, and/or has a depth 4 nm±1 nm. The hBN layer preferably has a total thickness of 5-10 nm. The holes may be fabricated using a gallium focused ion beam, a helium focused ion beam, electron beam directed etching, or photolithography and reactive ion etch (RIE) with sidewall tapering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: University of Oregon
    Inventors: Benjamín J. Alemán, Joshua E. Ziegler
  • Publication number: 20200259065
    Abstract: A quantum emitter device is composed of a hole milled in a layer of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) on a substrate made of silicon dioxide. The hole preferably has a side wall angle 1.1°±0.28° from the horizontal, has an oval shape with minor axis 516 nm±20 nm and major axis 600 nm±20 nm, and/or has a depth 4 nm±1 nm. The hBN layer preferably has a total thickness of 5-10 nm. The holes may be fabricated using a gallium focused ion beam, a helium focused ion beam, electron beam directed etching, or photolithography and reactive ion etch (RIE) with sidewall tapering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Benjamín J. Alemán, Joshua E. Ziegler
  • Publication number: 20190277702
    Abstract: A thermo-mechanical resonating microbolometer has a graphene absorber suspended above a metallic silicon substrate to form a mechanical resonator. Microelectronic circuitry electrically connected to the graphene resonator and the metallic silicon substrate drives electronically the motion of the graphene absorber. Shifts in the mechanical resonant frequency of the graphene layer due to the absorption of incident radiation is measured electronically or using optical interferometry. A bolometer sensor array may be fabricated using such graphene microbolometer elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Alemán, Andrew D. Blaikie, David J. Miller
  • Publication number: 20110200787
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of preparing a support structure suitable for use, e.g., in microscopic studies, comprising a free standing atomically thin film (e.g. graphene) suspended across an opening in the support structure. The method in one aspect comprises the steps of preparing a thin film which is an atomically thin film (e.g., graphene) on a surface of a solid substrate to form a graphene-layered substrate; attaching the graphene layer to a hole-containing support mesh; removing the solid support, thereby transferring the graphene layer from the substrate to the carbonaceous hole-containing layer on the support mesh; and then removing contaminants to obtain said structure. In another aspect, the present method does not involve a transfer, but comprises a lithography and etching process in which the atomically thin layer is applied to a support which is marked with a lithographic pattern and selectively etched, leaving the free standing film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: William R. Regan, Alexander Zettl, Benjamin J. Aleman