Patents by Inventor Hans M. Christen

Hans M. Christen 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: 7759713
    Abstract: A tunneling element includes a thin film layer of ferroelectric material and a pair of dissimilar electrically-conductive layers disposed on opposite sides of the ferroelectric layer. Because of the dissimilarity in composition or construction between the electrically-conductive layers, the electron transport behavior of the electrically-conductive layers is polarization dependent when the tunneling element is below the Curie temperature of the layer of ferroelectric material. The element can be used as a basis of compact 1R type non-volatile random access memory (RAM). The advantages include extremely simple architecture, ultimate scalability and fast access times generic for all ferroelectric memories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Sergei V. Kalinin, Hans M. Christen, Arthur P. Baddorf, Vincent Meunier, Ho Nyung Lee
  • Patent number: 6959481
    Abstract: A probe for non-destructive determination of complex permittivity of a material and for near field optical microscopy is based on a balanced multi-conductor transmission line structure created on a dielectric substrate member which confines the probing field within a sharply defined sampling volume in the material under study. A method for manufacturing dielectric support member based probes includes anisotropically depositing a 50-100 ? thick underlayer of Cr, Ni, W or Ta onto the dielectric support member, anisotropically depositing conductive material onto the Cr, Ni, W or Ta underlayer, and removing the unwanted conductive material at the sides of the dielectric support member to electrically isolate the created conductive strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Neocera, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Moreland, Hans M. Christen, Vladimir V. Talanov, Andrew R. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 6856140
    Abstract: A method for measuring a material's complex permittivity is provided where a near-field microwave probe is positioned a predetermined distance from a first and a second standard sample for measuring a relative resonant frequency shift of the near-field microwave probe for standard samples. Based on measurements, calibration coefficients are calculated. A relative resonant frequency shift of the near-field microwave probe for a sample under study is measured by fast frequency sweep technique while the distance between the tip of the probe and the sample under the study is maintained nominally at the distance between the tip of the probe and each standard sample during a calibration procedure by a shear-force based distance control mechanism. Also, the change in the quality factor of the probe for unloaded and loaded resonator is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Neocera, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir V. Talanov, Robert L. Moreland, Andrew R. Schwartz, Hans M. Christen
  • Publication number: 20040079281
    Abstract: There is provided a deposition system (1) for yielding substantially uniform deposition of an evaporant material onto a substrate. The deposition system (1) comprises: a source (10) for generating a coherent energy beam; a substantially planar target (60) containing the evaporant material and disposed in spaced relation to the substrate; a focusing element (30) optically coupled to the source for focusing the coherent energy beam onto the target (60); and, an actuator (40) coupled to the focusing element (30) for reversibly translating the focusing element (30) along a scanning path directed substantially parallel to a target plane defined by the target (60). The focused coherent energy beam defines an impingement spot (14) on the target (60). The impingement spot (14) is displaced responsive to the translation of the focusing element (30) along the scanning path. The focus of the coherent energy beam on the target (60) thus remains substantially preserved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Applicant: NEOCERA, INC.
    Inventor: Hans M. Christen
  • Patent number: 6680617
    Abstract: A probe for non-destructive determination of complex permittivity of a material and for near field optical microscopy is based on a balanced multi-conductor transmission line structure created on a dielectric substrate member which confines the probing field within a sharply defined sampling volume in the material under study.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Neocera, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Moreland, Hans M. Christen, Vladimir V. Talanov, Andrew R. Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20040004484
    Abstract: A method for measuring a material's complex permittivity is provided where a near-field microwave probe is positioned a predetermined distance from a first and a second standard sample for measuring a relative resonant frequency shift of the near-field microwave probe for standard samples. Based on measurements, calibration coefficients are calculated. A relative resonant frequency shift of the near-field microwave probe for a sample under study is measured by fast frequency sweep technique while the distance between the tip of the probe and the sample under the study is maintained nominally at the distance between the tip of the probe and each standard sample during a calibration procedure by a shear-force based distance control mechanism. Also, the change in the quality factor of the probe for unloaded and loaded resonator is measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventors: Vladimir V. Talanov, Robert L. Moreland, Andrew R. Schwartz, Hans M. Christen
  • Publication number: 20030155934
    Abstract: A probe for non-destructive determination of complex permittivity of a material and for near field optical microscopy is based on a balanced multi-conductor transmission line structure created on a dielectric substrate member which confines the probing field within a sharply defined sampling volume in the material under study. A method for manufacturing dielectric support member based probes includes anisotropically depositing a 50-100 Å thick underlayer of Cr, Ni, W or Ta onto the dielectric support member, anisotropically depositing conductive material onto the Cr, Ni, W or Ta underlayer, and removing the unwanted conductive material at the sides of the dielectric support member to electrically isolate the created conductive strips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Robert L. Moreland, Hans M. Christen, Vladimir V. Talanov, Andrew R. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 6597185
    Abstract: An apparatus for localized measurements of complex permittivity of a material is provided. A probe (10) analyzes the complex permittivity of a sample (11), the probe (10) having a balanced two conductor transmission line (12) formed of conductive segments (13 and 14). A probing end (15) of the transmission line (12) is brought within close proximity of sample (11) and an opposite end (16) of the transmission line is connected to a terminating plate (17) to form a resonator structure (18) for measurement of the complex permittivity of sample (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Neocera, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Vladimirovich Talanov, Hans M. Christen, Robert Moreland
  • Publication number: 20030030449
    Abstract: A probe for non-destructive determination of complex permittivity of a material and for near field optical microscopy is based on a balanced multi-conductor transmission line structure created on a dielectric substrate member which confines the probing field within a sharply defined sampling volume in the material under study. A method for manufacturing dielectric support member based probes includes anisotropically depositing a 50-100 Å thick underlayer of Cr, Ni, W or Ta onto the dielectric support member, anisotropically depositing conductive material onto the Cr, Ni, W or Ta underlayer, and removing the unwanted conductive material at the sides of the dielectric support member to electrically isolate the created conductive strips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Robert L. Moreland, Hans M. Christen, Vladimir V. Talanov, Andrew R. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 6497193
    Abstract: There is provided a deposition system (1) for yielding substantially uniform deposition of an evaporant material onto a substrate. The deposition system (1) comprises: a source (10) for generating a coherent energy beam; a substantially planar target (60) containing the evaporant material and disposed in spaced relation to the substrate; a focusing element (30) optically coupled to the source for focusing the coherent energy beam onto the target (60); and, an actuator (40) coupled to the focusing element (30) for reversibly translating the focusing element (30) along a scanning path directed substantially parallel to a target plane defined by the target (60). The focused coherent energy beam defines an impingement spot (14) on the target (60). The impingement spot (14) is displaced responsive to the translation of the focusing element (30) along the scanning path. The focus of the coherent energy beam on the target (60) thus remains substantially preserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Neocera, Inc.
    Inventor: Hans M. Christen
  • Patent number: 6491759
    Abstract: A combinatorial synthesis system is provided which combines pulsed laser deposition techniques with the continuous composition spread technique in which a plurality of targets made of different ingredient materials are arranged in a predetermined relationship and are ablated by an energetic beam focused on the surface of a particular target. By maintaining the energetic beam in a stationary state, the target carousel is rotated so as to bring a particular target in engagement with the energetic beam. The targets are brought into engagement with the energetic beam in a predetermined sequence so that different materials are deposited onto the substrate in a predetermined sequence. Distributed deposition areas surround each deposition center and overlap each with the other to form a continuous compositional spread on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Neocera, Inc.
    Inventors: Hans M. Christen, Sherwood D. Silliman
  • Publication number: 20010035128
    Abstract: There is provided a deposition system (1) for yielding substantially uniform deposition of an evaporant material onto a substrate. The deposition system (1) comprises: a source (10) for generating a coherent energy beam; a substantially planar target (60) containing the evaporant material and disposed in spaced relation to the substrate; a focusing element (30) optically coupled to the source for focusing the coherent energy beam onto the target (60); and, an actuator (40) coupled to the focusing element (30) for reversibly translating the focusing element (30) along a scanning path directed substantially parallel to a target plane defined by the target (60). The focused coherent energy beam defines an impingement spot (14) on the target (60). The impingement spot (14) is displaced responsive to the translation of the focusing element (30) along the scanning path. The focus of the coherent energy beam on the target (60) thus remains substantially preserved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Inventor: HANS M. CHRISTEN