Patents by Inventor Gengfeng Zheng

Gengfeng Zheng 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).

  • Publication number: 20240028937
    Abstract: A method for evaluating the health status of a petrochemical atmospheric oil storage tank using data from multiple sources. The health status of an atmospheric oil storage tank is influenced by multiple factors, and is evaluated by: acquiring corresponding sensor data and comprehensively considering the sensor data along with basic data of the oil storage tank, and selecting from a dynamic monitoring parameter-based health status and a basic health status of the oil storage tank, the one having a greater severity level, so as to determine the final health status of the oil storage tank. The method is used to conduct a comprehensive scientific assessment of the health status of an oil storage tank, and improves the use safety of the oil storage tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Honghua Zhang, Qinda Zeng, Yuanyue Zeng, Gengfeng Zheng, Chunrong Huang, Yao Lin, Ning Lin, Ting Xiao
  • Patent number: 10474029
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of printing indicia on a substrate using a tip array comprised of elastomeric, compressible polymers. The tip array can be prepared using conventional photolithographic methods and can be tailored to have any desired number and/or arrangement of tips. Numerous copies (e.g., greater than 15,000, or greater than 11 million) of a pattern can be made in a parallel fashion in as little as 40 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Fengwei Huo, Zijian Zheng, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Publication number: 20190265587
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of printing indicia on a substrate using a tip array comprised of elastomeric, compressible polymers. The tip array can be prepared using conventional photolithographic methods and can be tailored to have any desired number and/or arrangement of tips. Numerous copies (e.g., greater than 15,000, or greater than 11 million) of a pattern can be made in a parallel fashion in as little as 40 minutes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Fengwei Huo, Zijian Zheng, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Patent number: 10222694
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of printing indicia on a substrate using a tip array comprised of elastomeric, compressible polymers. The tip array can be prepared using conventional photolithographic methods and can be tailored to have any desired number and/or arrangement of tips. Numerous copies (e.g., greater than 15,000, or greater than 11 million) of a pattern can be made in a parallel fashion in as little as 40 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Fengwei Huo, Zijian Zheng, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Patent number: 9535063
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides a nanoscale wire that has improved sensitivity, for example, as the carrier concentration in the wire is controlled by an external gate voltage. In one set of embodiments, the nanoscale wire has a Debye screening length that is greater than the average cross-sectional dimension of the nanoscale wire when the nanoscale wire is exposed to a solution suspected of containing an analyte. In certain instances, the Debye screening length associated with the carriers inside nanoscale wire may be adjusted by adjusting the voltage, for example, a gate voltage applied to an FET structure. In some cases, the nanoscale wire can be operated under conditions where the carriers in the nanoscale wire are depleted and the nanoscale wire has a conductance that is not linearly proportional to the voltage applied to the nanoscale wire sensor device, for example, via a gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Xuan Gao, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Publication number: 20160357101
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of printing indicia on a substrate using a tip array comprised of elastomeric, compressible polymers. The tip array can be prepared using conventional photolithographic methods and can be tailored to have any desired number and/or arrangement of tips. Numerous copies (e.g., greater than 15,000, or greater than 11 million) of a pattern can be made in a parallel fashion in as little as 40 minutes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Fengwei Huo, Zijian Zheng, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Patent number: 9372397
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of printing indicia on a substrate using a tip array comprised of elastomeric, compressible polymers. The tip array can be prepared using conventional photolithographic methods and can be tailored to have any desired number and/or arrangement of tips. Numerous copies (e.g., greater than 15,000, or greater than 11 million) of a pattern can be made in a parallel fashion in as little as 40 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Fengwei Huo, Zijian Zheng, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Patent number: 9021611
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of beam pen lithography using a tip array having a plurality of transparent, elastomeric, reversibly-deformable tips coated with a blocking layer and apertures defined in the blocking layer to expose tip ends of the tips in the array. The tip array can be used to perform a photolithography process in which the tips are illuminated with a radiation that is channeled through the tips and out the apertures to expose a photosensitive substrate. Also disclosed are tip arrays formed of polymers and gels, apparatus including the tip arrays and radiation sources, and related apparatus for selectively masking tips in the tip array from radiation emitted from the radiation source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Gengfeng Zheng, Fengwei Huo
  • Patent number: 8961853
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of lithography using a tip array having a plurality of pens attached to a backing layer, where the tips can comprise a metal, metalloid, and/or semi-conducting material, and the backing layer can comprise an elastomeric polymer. The tip array can be used to perform a lithography process in which the tips are coated with an ink (e.g., a patterning composition) that is deposited onto a substrate upon contact of the tip with the substrate surface. The tips can be easily leveled onto a substrate and the leveling can be monitored optically by a change in light reflection of the backing layer and/or near the vicinity of the tips upon contact of the tip to the substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Wooyoung Shim, Adam B. Braunschweig, Xing Liao, Jinan Chai, Jong Kuk Lim, Gengfeng Zheng, Zijian Zheng
  • Publication number: 20140080139
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides a nanoscale wire that has improved sensitivity, for example, as the carrier concentration in the wire is controlled by an external gate voltage. In one set of embodiments, the nanoscale wire has a Debye screening length that is greater than the average cross-sectional dimension of the nanoscale wire when the nanoscale wire is exposed to a solution suspected of containing an analyte. In certain instances, the Debye screening length associated with the carriers inside nanoscale wire may be adjusted by adjusting the voltage, for example, a gate voltage applied to an FET structure. In some cases, the nanoscale wire can be operated under conditions where the carriers in the nanoscale wire are depleted and the nanoscale wire has a conductance that is not linearly proportional to the voltage applied to the nanoscale wire sensor device, for example, via a gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Xuan Gao, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Patent number: 8575663
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates, in some aspects, to nanoscale wire devices and methods for use in determining analytes suspected to be present in a sample. Certain embodiments of the invention provide a nanoscale wire that has improved sensitivity, as the carrier concentration in the wire is controlled by an external gate voltage, such that the nanoscale wire has a Debye screening length that is greater than the average cross-sectional dimension of the nanoscale wire when the nanoscale wire is exposed to a solution suspected of containing an analyte. This Debye screening length (lambda) associated with the carrier concentration (p) inside nanoscale wire is adjusted, in some cases, by adjusting the gate voltage applied to an FET structure, such that the carriers in the nanoscale wire are depleted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Xuan Gao, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Patent number: 8232584
    Abstract: Various aspects of the invention relate to nanoscale wire devices and methods of use for detecting analytes. In one aspect, the invention relates to a nanoscale electrical sensor array device, comprising at least one n-doped semiconductor nanoscale wire and at least one p-doped semiconductor nanoscale wire, each having a reaction entity immobilized thereon. Binding of an analyte to the immobilized reaction entity causes a detectable change in the electrical property of the nanoscale wire. In some embodiments, the reaction entity can be a nucleic acid that may interact with other nucleic acids, proteins, etc. In a specific embodiment, the nucleic acid may interact with an enzyme such as telomerase, which can extend the nucleic acid. In other embodiments, the analyte to be detected can be a toxin, virus or small molecule. Systems and methods of using such nanoscale devices are also disclosed, for example, within a microarray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Fernando Patolsky, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Publication number: 20120167262
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of lithography using a tip array having a plurality of pens attached to a backing layer, where the tips can comprise a metal, metalloid, and/or semi-conducting material, and the backing layer can comprise an elastomeric polymer. The tip array can be used to perform a lithography process in which the tips are coated with an ink (e.g., a patterning composition) that is deposited onto a substrate upon contact of the tip with the substrate surface. The tips can be easily leveled onto a substrate and the leveling can be monitored optically by a change in light reflection of the backing layer and/or near the vicinity of the tips upon contact of the tip to the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Wooyoung Shim, Adam B. Braunschweig, Xing Liao, Jinan Chai, Jong Kuk Lim, Gengfeng Zheng, Zijian Zheng
  • Publication number: 20110305996
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of beam pen lithography using a tip array having a plurality of transparent, elastomeric, reversibly-deformable tips coated with a blocking layer and apertures defined in the blocking layer to expose tip ends of the tips in the array. The tip array can be used to perform a photolithography process in which the tips are illuminated with a radiation that is channeled through the tips and out the apertures to expose a photosensitive substrate. Also disclosed are tip arrays formed of polymers and gels, apparatus including the tip arrays and radiation sources, and related apparatus for selectively masking tips in the tip array from radiation emitted from the radiation source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Gengfeng Zheng, Fengwei Huo
  • Publication number: 20110132220
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of printing indicia on a substrate using a tip array comprised of elastomeric, compressible polymers. The tip array can be prepared using conventional photolithographic methods and can be tailored to have any desired number and/or arrangement of tips. Numerous copies (e.g., greater than 15,000, or greater than 11 million) of a pattern can be made in a parallel fashion in as little as 40 minutes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Fengwei Huo, Zijian Zheng, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Publication number: 20100227382
    Abstract: Various aspects of the present invention generally relate to nanoscale wire devices and methods for use in determining analytes suspected to be present in a sample, and systems and methods of immobilizing entities such as reaction entities relative to nanoscale wires. In one aspect, a nucleic acid, such as DNA, may be immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire, and in some cases, grown from the nanoscale wire. In certain embodiments, the nucleic acid may interact with entities such as other nucleic acids, proteins, etc., and in some cases, such interactions may be reversible. As an example, an enzyme such as telomerase may be allowed to bind to DNA immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire. The telomerase may extend the length of the DNA, for instance, by reaction with free deoxynucleotide triphosphates in solution; additionally, various properties of the nucleic acid may be determined, for example, using electric field interactions between the nucleic acid and the nanoscale wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Fernando Patolsky, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Publication number: 20100152057
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanoscale wire devices and methods for use in determining analytes suspected to be present in a sample. The invention provides a nanoscale wire that has improved sensitivity, as the carrier concentration in the wire is controlled by an external gate voltage, such that the nanoscale wire has a Debye screening length that is greater than the average cross-sectional dimension of the nanoscale wire when the nanoscale wire is exposed to a solution suspected of containing an analyte. This Debye screening length (lambda) associated with the carrier concentration (p) inside nanoscale wire is adjusted by adjusting the gate voltage applied to an FET structure, such that the carriers in the nanoscale wire are depleted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Havard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Xuan Gao, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Publication number: 20100112546
    Abstract: Various aspects of the present invention generally relate to nanoscale wire devices and methods for use in determining analytes suspected to be present in a sample, and systems and methods of immobilizing entities such as reaction entities relative to nanoscale wires. In one aspect, a nucleic acid, such as DNA, may be immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire, and in some cases, grown from the nanoscale wire. In certain embodiments, the nucleic acid may interact with entities such as other nucleic acids, proteins, etc., and in some cases, such interactions may be reversible. As an example, an enzyme such as telomerase may be allowed to bind to DNA immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire. The telomerase may extend the length of the DNA, for instance, by reaction with free deoxynucleotide triphosphates in solution; additionally, various properties of the nucleic acid may be determined, for example, using electric field interactions between the nucleic acid and the nanoscale wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Charles M. Lieber, Fernando Patolsky, Gengfeng Zheng
  • Publication number: 20090166222
    Abstract: A method that combines on-wire-lithography (OWL) nanogaps, an electric field concentrating technique, and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is disclosed for sensitive detection of analytes with small sample sizes in a chip format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Gengfeng Zheng, Lidong Qin
  • Publication number: 20060269927
    Abstract: Various aspects of the present invention generally relate to nanoscale wire devices and methods for use in determining analytes suspected to be present in a sample, and systems and methods of immobilizing entities such as reaction entities relative to nanoscale wires. In one aspect, a nucleic acid, such as DNA, may be immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire, and in some cases, grown from the nanoscale wire. In certain embodiments, the nucleic acid may interact with entities such as other nucleic acids, proteins, etc., and in some cases, such interactions may be reversible. As an example, an enzyme such as telomerase may be allowed to bind to DNA immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire. The telomerase may extend the length of the DNA, for instance, by reaction with free deoxynucleotide triphosphates in solution; additionally, various properties of the nucleic acid may be determined, for example, using electric field interactions between the nucleic acid and the nanoscale wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Charles Lieber, Fernando Patolsky, Gengfeng Zheng