Patents by Inventor Douglas Natelson

Douglas Natelson 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: 9129676
    Abstract: In various embodiments, electronic devices containing switchably conductive silicon oxide as a switching element are described herein. The electronic devices are two-terminal devices containing a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact in which at least one of the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact is deposed on a substrate to define a gap region therebetween. A switching layer containing a switchably conductive silicon oxide resides in the gap region between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. The electronic devices exhibit hysteretic current versus voltage properties, enabling their use in switching and memory applications. Methods for configuring, operating and constructing the electronic devices are also presented herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Jun Yao, Douglas Natelson, Lin Zhong, Tao He
  • Publication number: 20140036576
    Abstract: In various embodiments, electronic devices containing switchably conductive silicon oxide as a switching element are described herein. The electronic devices are two-terminal devices containing a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact in which at least one of the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact is deposed on a substrate to define a gap region therebetween. A switching layer containing a switchably conductive silicon oxide resides in the gap region between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. The electronic devices exhibit hysteretic current versus voltage properties, enabling their use in switching and memory applications. Methods for configuring, operating and constructing the electronic devices are also presented herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Jun Yao, Douglas Natelson, Lin Zhong, Tao He
  • Patent number: 8592791
    Abstract: In various embodiments, electronic devices containing switchably conductive silicon oxide as a switching element are described herein. The electronic devices are two-terminal devices containing a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact in which at least one of the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact is deposed on a substrate to define a gap region therebetween. A switching layer containing a switchably conductive silicon oxide resides in the gap region between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. The electronic devices exhibit hysteretic current versus voltage properties, enabling their use in switching and memory applications. Methods for configuring, operating and constructing the electronic devices are also presented herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Jun Yao, Douglas Natelson, Lin Zhong, Tao He
  • Patent number: 8223330
    Abstract: A method for producing planar extended electrodes with nanoscale spacings that exhibit very large SERS signals, with each nanoscale gap having one well-defined hot spot. The resulting highly sensitive substrate has extended metal electrodes separated by a nanoscale gap. The electrodes act as optical antennas to enhance dramatically the local electromagnetic field for purposes of spectroscopy or nonlinear optics. SERS response is consistent with a very small number of molecules in the hotspot, showing blinking and wandering of Raman lines. Sensitivity is sufficiently high that SERS from physisorbed atmospheric contaminants may be detected after minutes of exposure to ambient conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Douglas Natelson, Daniel Robert Ward, Zachary Kyle Keane
  • Publication number: 20120154800
    Abstract: A method for producing planar extended electrodes with nanoscale spacings that exhibit very large SERS signals, with each nanoscale gap having one well-defined hot spot. The resulting highly sensitive substrate has extended metal electrodes separated by a nanoscale gap. The electrodes act as optical antennas to enhance dramatically the local electromagnetic field for purposes of spectroscopy or nonlinear optics. SERS response is consistent with a very small number of molecules in the hotspot, showing blinking and wandering of Raman lines. Sensitivity is sufficiently high that SERS from physisorbed atmospheric contaminants may be detected after minutes of exposure to ambient conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Douglas Natelson, Daniel Robert Ward, Zachary Kyle Keane
  • Publication number: 20110038196
    Abstract: In various embodiments, electronic devices containing switchably conductive silicon oxide as a switching element are described herein. The electronic devices are two-terminal devices containing a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact in which at least one of the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact is deposed on a substrate to define a gap region therebetween. A switching layer containing a switchably conductive silicon oxide resides in the gap region between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. The electronic devices exhibit hysteretic current versus voltage properties, enabling their use in switching and memory applications. Methods for configuring, operating and constructing the electronic devices are also presented herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: James M. Tour, Jun Yao, Douglas Natelson, Lin Zhong, Tao He