Patents by Inventor Eric W. McFarland
Eric W. McFarland 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).
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Patent number: 6849460Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials using infrared imaging techniques are provided. Typically, each of the individual materials on the array will be screened or interrogated for the same material characteristic. Once screened, the individual materials may be ranked or otherwise compared relative to each other with respect to the material characteristic under investigation. According to one aspect, infrared imaging techniques are used to identify the active sites within an array of compounds by monitoring the temperature change resulting from a reaction. This same technique can also be used to quantify the stability of each new material within an array of compounds. According to another aspect, identification and characterization of condensed phase products is achieved, wherein library elements are activated by a heat source serially, or in parallel.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2002Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, William Archibald
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Publication number: 20040267074Abstract: In a method of converting alkanes to their corresponding alcohols, ethers, olefins, and other hydrocarbons, a vessel comprises a hollow, unsegregated interior defined first, second, and third zones. In a first embodiment of the invention oxygen reacts with metal halide in the first zone to provide gaseous halide; halide reacts with the alkane in the second zone to form alkyl halide; and the alkyl halide reacts with metal oxide in the third zone to form a hydrocarbon corresponding to the original alkane. Metal halide from the third zone is transported through the vessel to the first zone and metal oxide from the first zone is recycled to the third zone. A second embodiment of the invention differs from the first embodiment in that metal oxide is transported through the vessel from the first zone to the third zone and metal halide is recycled from the third zone to the first zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2004Publication date: December 30, 2004Inventors: Philip Grosso, Jeffrey H. Sherman, Eric W. McFarland
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Patent number: 6833921Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In particular, techniques for rapidly characterizing compounds in arrays of materials in order to discover and/or optimize new materials with specific desired properties are provided. The substrate can be screened for materials having useful properties, and/or the resulting materials can be ranked, or otherwise compared, for relative performance with respect to useful properties or other characterizations. In particular, systems and methods are provided for screening a library of magnetic materials for their bulk magnetization, saturation magnetization, and coercivity by imaging their individual optical Kerr rotation, screening a library of dielectric materials for their dielectric coefficients by imaging their individual electro-optical rotation and screening a library of luminescent materials by imaging their individual luminescent properties under a variety of excitation conditions.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2002Date of Patent: December 21, 2004Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Earl Danielson, William Archibald
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Publication number: 20040245594Abstract: Electron-hole production at a Schottky barrier has recently been observed experimentally as a result of chemical processes. This conversion of chemical energy to electronic energy may serve as a basic link between chemistry and electronics and offers the potential for generation of unique electronic signatures for chemical reactions and the creation of a new class of solide state chemical sensors. Detection of the following chemical species was established: hydrogen, deuterium, carbon monoxide, molecular oxygen. The detector (1b) consists of a Schottky diode between an Si layer and an ultrathin metal layer with zero force electrical contacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Applicant: Adrena, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Henry W. Weinberg, Hermann Nienhaus, Howard S. Bergh, Brian Gergen, Arunava Mujumdar
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Publication number: 20040178468Abstract: Electron-hole production at a Schottky barrier has recently been observed experimentally as a result of chemical processes. This conversion of chemical energy to electronic energy may serve as a basic link between chemistry and electronics and offers the potential for generation of unique electronic signatures for chemical reactions and the creation of a new class of solide state chemical sensors. Detection of the following chemical species was established: hydrogen, deuterium, carbon monoxide, molecular oxygen. The detector (1b) consists of a Schottky diode between an Si layer and an ultrathin metal layer with zero force electrical contacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2003Publication date: September 16, 2004Applicant: Adrena, Inc,Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Henry W. Weinberg, Hermann Nienhaus, Howard S. Bergh, Brian Gergen, Arunava Mujumdar
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Publication number: 20040154657Abstract: An apparatus and method for solar energy production comprises a multi-layer solid-state structure including a photosensitive layer, a thin conductor, a charge separation layer, and a back ohmic conductor, wherein light absorption occurs in a photosensitive layer and the charge carriers produced thereby are transported through the thin conductor through the adjacent potential energy barrier. The open circuit voltage of the solar cell can be manipulated by choosing from among a wide selection of materials making up the thin conductor, the charge separation layer, and the back ohmic layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2003Publication date: August 12, 2004Applicant: Adrena, Inc.Inventor: Eric W. McFarland
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Patent number: 6774300Abstract: An apparatus and method for solar energy production comprises a multi-layer solid-state structure including a photosensitive layer, a thin conductor, a charge separation layer, and a back ohmic conductor, wherein light absorption occurs in a photosensitive layer and the charge carriers produced thereby are transported through the thin conductor through the adjacent potential energy barrier. The open circuit voltage of the solar cell can be manipulated by choosing from among a wide selection of materials making up the thin conductor, the charge separation layer, and the back ohmic layer.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2002Date of Patent: August 10, 2004Assignee: Adrena, Inc.Inventor: Eric W. McFarland
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Publication number: 20040016646Abstract: An electrochemical method for generating both mesoporous metal and metal oxide films from dilute surfactant solutions by utilizing self assembly of surfactant-inorganic aggregates in the electric field of the solid-liquid interface at an electrode to specifically direct the morphology of the film. The surface of the working electrode serves as a solid-liquid interface in a plating solution containing surfactant and inorganic ions and salts.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2002Publication date: January 29, 2004Inventors: Galen D. Stucky, Kyoung-Shin Choi, Eric W. McFarland
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Publication number: 20040006246Abstract: A reactant selected from the group consisting of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, dienes, and aromatics is reacted with a halide selected from the group including chlorine, bromine, and iodine to form a first reaction product. The first reaction product is reacted with a solid oxidizer to form a product selected from the group including olefins, alcohols, ethers, and aldehydes, and spent oxidizer. The spent oxidizer is oxidized to form the original solid oxidizer and the second reactant which are recycled.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2003Publication date: January 8, 2004Inventors: Jeffrey H. Sherman, Eric W. McFarland, Michael J. Weiss, Ivan Marc Lorkovic, Leroy E. Laverman, Shouli Sun, Dieter J. Schaefer, Galen Stucky, Peter Ford
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Patent number: 6541271Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials using infrared imaging techniques are provided. Typically, each of the individual materials on the array will be screened or interrogated for the same material characteristic. Once screened, the individual materials may be ranked or otherwise compared relative to each other with respect to the material characteristic under investigation. According to one aspect, infrared imaging techniques are used to identify the active sites within an array of compounds by monitoring the temperature change resulting from a reaction. This same technique can also be used to quantify the stability of each new material within an array of compounds. According to another aspect, identification and characterization of condensed phase products is achieved, wherein library elements are activated by a heat source serially, or in parallel.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1997Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, William Archibald
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Publication number: 20030007152Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In particular, techniques for rapidly characterizing compounds in arrays of materials in order to discover and/or optimize new materials with specific desired properties are provided. The substrate can be screened for materials having useful properties, and/or the resulting materials can be ranked, or otherwise compared, for relative performance with respect to useful properties or other characterizations. In particular, systems and methods are provided for screening a library of magnetic materials for their bulk magnetization, saturation magnetization, and coercivity by imaging their individual optical Kerr rotation, screening a library of dielectric materials for their dielectric coefficients by imaging their individual electro-optical rotation and screening a library of luminescent materials by imaging their individual luminescent properties under a variety of excitation conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2002Publication date: January 9, 2003Applicant: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Earl Danielson, William Archibald
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Publication number: 20020197731Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials using infrared imaging techniques are provided. Typically, each of the individual materials on the array will be screened or interrogated for the same material characteristic. Once screened, the individual materials may be ranked or otherwise compared relative to each other with respect to the material characteristic under investigation. According to one aspect, infrared imaging techniques are used to identify the active sites within an array of compounds by monitoring the temperature change resulting from a reaction. This same technique can also be used to quantify the stability of each new material within an array of compounds. According to another aspect, identification and characterization of condensed phase products is achieved, wherein library elements are activated by a heat source serially, or in parallel.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2002Publication date: December 26, 2002Applicant: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, William Archibald
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Patent number: 6440745Abstract: The present invention relates, inter alia, to methodologies for the synthesis, screening and characterization of organometallic compounds and catalysts (e.g., homogeneous catalysts). The methods of the present invention provide for the combinatorial synthesis, screening and characterization of libraries of supported and unsupported organometallic compounds and catalysts (e.g., homogeneous catalysts). The methods of the present invention can be applied to the preparation and screening of large numbers of organometallic compounds which can be used not only as catalysts (e.g., homogeneous catalysts), but also as additives and therapeutic agents.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 1999Date of Patent: August 27, 2002Assignee: Symyx TechnologiesInventors: W. Henry Weinberg, Eric W. McFarland, Isy Goldwasser, Thomas Boussie, Howard Turner, Johannes A. M. van Beek, Vince Murphy, Tim Powers
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Patent number: 6441901Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In particular, techniques for rapidly characterizing compounds in arrays of materials in order to discover and/or optimize new materials with specific desired properties are provided. The substrate can be screened for materials having useful properties, and/or the resulting materials can be ranked, or otherwise compared, for relative performance with respect to useful properties or other characterizations. In particular, systems and methods are provided for screening a library of magnetic materials for their bulk magnetization, saturation magnetization, and coercivity by imaging their individual optical Kerr rotation, screening a library of dielectric materials for their dielectric coefficients by imaging their individual electro-optical rotation and screening a library of luminescent materials by imaging their individual luminescent properties under a variety of excitation conditions.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2001Date of Patent: August 27, 2002Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Earl Danielson, William Archibald
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Patent number: 6401519Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In one aspect, systems and methods are provided for imaging a library of materials using ultrasonic imaging techniques. In another aspect, systems and methods are provided for generating acoustic waves in a tank filled with a coupling liquid to form a disturbance that is representative of a library of materials. In another aspect of the invention, a mechanical resonator is used to evaluate various properties (e.g., molecular weight, viscosity, specific weight, elasticity, dielectric constant, conductivity, etc.) of the individual liquid elements of a library of materials.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2000Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Leonid Matsiev
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Patent number: 6373570Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In particular, techniques for rapidly characterizing compounds in arrays of materials in order to discover and/or optimize new materials with specific desired properties are provided. The substrate can be screened for materials having useful properties, and/or the resulting materials can be ranked, or otherwise compared, for relative performance with respect to useful properties or other characterizations. In particular, systems and methods are provided for screening a library of magnetic materials for their bulk magnetization, saturation magnetization, and coercivity by imaging their individual optical Kerr rotation, screening a library of dielectric materials for their dielectric coefficients by imaging their individual electro-optical rotation and screening a library of luminescent materials by imaging their individual luminescent properties under a variety of excitation conditions.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 1999Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Earl Danielson, William Archibald
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Publication number: 20010033375Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In particular, techniques for rapidly characterizing compounds in arrays of materials in order to discover and/or optimize new materials with specific desired properties are provided. The substrate can be screened for materials having useful properties, and/or the resulting materials can be ranked, or otherwise compared, for relative performance with respect to useful properties or other characterizations. In particular, systems and methods are provided for screening a library of magnetic materials for their bulk magnetization, saturation magnetization, and coercivity by imaging their individual optical Kerr rotation, screening a library of dielectric materials for their dielectric coefficients by imaging their individual electro-optical rotation and screening a library of luminescent materials by imaging their individual luminescent properties under a variety of excitation conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2001Publication date: October 25, 2001Applicant: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Earl Danielson, William Archibald
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Patent number: 6182499Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In one aspect, systems and methods are provided for imaging a library of materials using ultrasonic imaging techniques. The system includes one or more devices for exciting an element of the library such that acoustic waves are propagated through, and from, the element. The acoustic waves propagated from the element are detected and processed to yield a visual image of the library element. The acoustic wave data can also be processed to obtain information about the elastic properties of the library element. In another aspect, systems and methods are provided for generating acoustic waves in a tank filled with a coupling liquid. The library of materials is then placed in the tank and the surface of the coupling liquid is scanned with a laser beam. The structure of the liquid surface disturbed by the acoustic wave is recorded, the recorded disturbance being representative of the physical structure of the library.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1997Date of Patent: February 6, 2001Assignee: Symyx TechnologiesInventors: Eric W. McFarland, Leonid Matsiev
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Patent number: 6034775Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In particular, techniques for rapidly characterizing compounds in arrays of materials in order to discover and/or optimize new materials with specific desired properties are provided. The substrate can be screened for materials having useful properties, and/or the resulting materials can be ranked, or otherwise compared, for relative performance with respect to useful properties or other characterizations. In particular, systems and methods are provided for screening a library of magnetic materials for their bulk magnetization, saturation magnetization, and coercivity by imaging their individual optical Kerr rotation, screening a library of dielectric materials for their dielectric coefficients by imaging their individual electro-optical rotation and screening a library of luminescent materials by imaging their individual luminescent properties under a variety of excitation conditions.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1997Date of Patent: March 7, 2000Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Earl Danielson, William Archibald
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Patent number: 5959297Abstract: Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. Techniques are provided for rapidly characterizing compounds in combinatorial arrays of materials for discovering and/or optimizing new materials with specific desired properties. A scanning mass spectrometer is used which includes an ionization chamber and a collector that outputs an electrical signal responsive to the quantity of gas ions contacting the collector surface. A conduit system selectively withdraws samples from the array of materials, passing the samples into the ionization chamber. In a specific embodiment, reactants are passed through the conduit system to the selected regions of interest on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1997Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Assignee: Symyx TechnologiesInventors: W. Henry Weinberg, Eric W. McFarland, Peijun Cong, Shenheng Guan