Patents by Inventor Brian G. Willis

Brian G. Willis 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: 11695084
    Abstract: An antenna electrode including a first electrode that includes a core and a first conductive surface; a second electrode that includes a second conductive surface; and an electrical tunnel junction between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, the tunnel junction having a gap width greater than about 0.1 nm and less than about 10 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: University of Connecticut
    Inventor: Brian G. Willis
  • Publication number: 20210226074
    Abstract: An antenna electrode including a first electrode that includes a core and a first conductive surface; a second electrode that includes a second conductive surface; and an electrical tunnel junction between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, the tunnel junction having a gap width greater than about 0.1 nm and less than about 10 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventor: Brian G. Willis
  • Patent number: 10978598
    Abstract: An antenna electrode including a first electrode that includes a core and a first conductive surface; a second electrode that includes a second conductive surface; and an electrical tunnel junction between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, the tunnel junction having a gap width greater than about 0.1 nm and less than about 10 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: University of Connecticut
    Inventor: Brian G. Willis
  • Publication number: 20180331239
    Abstract: An antenna electrode including a first electrode that includes a core and a first conductive surface; a second electrode that includes a second conductive surface; and an electrical tunnel junction between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, the tunnel junction having a gap width greater than about 0.1 nm and less than about 10 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventor: Brian G. Willis
  • Patent number: 7868426
    Abstract: A monolithic pair of nanoscale probes, including: a substrate having a cavity that extends from a surface of the substrate into its body; a dielectric layer formed on the substrate; a pair of nanoscale probe precursors formed over the dielectric layer; a plurality of sub-monolayers of electrode material selectively atomic layer deposited over the pair of nanoscale probe precursors. The dielectric layer includes a window that extends through it to the cavity of the substrate such that a portion of the dielectric layer adjacent to the window extends over the cavity. The pair of nanoscale probe precursors includes a pair of edges facing each other across the window. These edges correspond to tips of the pair of nanoscale probes. The sub-monolayers of electrode material include the pair of edges, so that a distance between the tips of the nanoscale probes is between about 0.1 nm and about 20 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: University of Delaware
    Inventors: Brian G. Willis, Rahul Gupta
  • Publication number: 20090085556
    Abstract: A monolithic pair of nanoscale probes, including: a substrate having a cavity that extends from a surface of the substrate into its body; a dielectric layer formed on the substrate; a pair of nanoscale probe precursors formed over the dielectric layer; a plurality of sub-monolayers of electrode material selectively atomic layer deposited over the pair of nanoscale probe precursors. The dielectric layer includes a window that extends through it to the cavity of the substrate such that a portion of the dielectric layer adjacent to the window extends over the cavity. The pair of nanoscale probe precursors includes a pair of edges facing each other across the window. These edges correspond to tips of the pair of nanoscale probes. The sub-monolayers of electrode material include the pair of edges, so that a distance between the tips of the nanoscale probes is between about 0.1 nm and about 20 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: University of Delaware
    Inventors: Brian G. Willis, Rahul Gupta