Patents by Inventor Jeffrey W. Elam

Jeffrey W. Elam 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: 9598769
    Abstract: A system and method for continuous atomic layer deposition. The system and method includes a housing, a moving bed which passes through the housing, a plurality of precursor gases and associated input ports and the amount of precursor gases, position of the input ports, and relative velocity of the moving bed and carrier gases enabling exhaustion of the precursor gases at available reaction sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Angel Yanguas-Gil, Joseph A. Libera
  • Publication number: 20160379828
    Abstract: A conformal thermal ALD film having a combination of elements containing a dopant, such as boron (or phosphorus), and an oxide (or nitride), in intimate contact with a semiconductor substrate said combination having stable ambient and thermal annealing properties providing a shallow (less than ˜100 A) diffused (or recoil implanted) dopant, such as boron (or phosphorus) profile, into the underlying semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Anil U. Mane, Thomas E. Seidel, Michael I. Current, Alexander Goldberg, Jeffrey W. Elam
  • Publication number: 20160340602
    Abstract: A lubricant composition includes an oil including a plurality of long-chain hydrocarbon molecules. A quantity of a catalytically active metal-organic additive is mixed with the oil. The metal-organic additive is formulated to fragment the long-chain hydrocarbon molecules of the oil into at least one of dimers and trimers under the influence of at least one of a mechanical loading and a thermal loading. In some embodiments, the metal-organic additive includes a compound of formula II: where: X is Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, Rf, Db, Sg, Bh, Hs, Mt, Ds, Rg or Cn, and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are alkyl or alkyl halide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Ali Erdemir, Anil U. Mane, Jeffrey W. Elam, Giovanni Ramirez, Osman Eryilmaz
  • Publication number: 20160314947
    Abstract: Scalable electron amplifier devices and methods of fabricating the devices an atomic layer deposition (“ALD”) fabrication process are described. The ALD fabrication process allows for large area (e.g., eight inches by eight inches) electron amplifier devices to be produced at reduced costs compared to current fabrication processes. The ALD fabrication process allows for nanostructure functional coatings, to impart a desired electrical conductivity and electron emissivity onto low cost borosilicate glass micro-capillary arrays to form the electron amplifier devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Anil U. Mane, Jeffrey W. Elam
  • Publication number: 20160308209
    Abstract: A cathode for a lithium-sulfur battery includes a copper-containing current collector, over which an active material layer is disposed. A method of producing the cathode is provided. A lithium-sulfur battery including the cathode provides improved capacity and cycleability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Xiangbo Meng
  • Publication number: 20160260962
    Abstract: The fabrication of robust interfaces between transition metal oxides and non-aqueous electrolytes is one of the great challenges of lithium ion batteries. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of aluminum tungsten fluoride (AlWxFy) improves the electrochemical stability of LiCoO2. AlWxFy thin films were deposited by combining trimethylaluminum and tungsten hexafluoride. in-situ quartz crystal microbalance and transmission electron microscopy studies show that the films grow in a layer-by-layer fashion and are amorphous nature. Ultrathin AlWxFy coatings (<10 ?) on LiCoO2 significantly enhance stability relative to bare LiCoO2 when cycled to 4.4 V. The coated LiCoO2 exhibited superior rate capability (up to 400 mA/g) and discharge capacities at a current of 400 mA/g were 51% and 92% of the first cycle capacities for the bare and AlWxFy coated materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Anil U. Mane, Jeffrey W. Elam, Joong Sun Park, Jason R. Croy
  • Publication number: 20160253441
    Abstract: Transport and surface chemistry of certain deposition techniques is modeled. Methods provide a model of the transport inside nanostructures as a single-particle discrete Markov chain process. This approach decouples the complexity of the surface chemistry from the transport model, thus allowing its application under general surface chemistry conditions, including atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Methods provide for determination of determine statistical information of the trajectory of individual molecules, such as the average interaction time or the number of wall collisions for molecules entering the nanostructures as well as to track the relative contributions to thin-film growth of different independent reaction pathways at each point of the feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Yanguas-Gil, Jeffrey W. Elam
  • Publication number: 20160220989
    Abstract: Zeolites are industrially important materials possessing high Bronsted acidity and shape-selectivity. However, their inherently small pores restrict application for catalytic conversion of bulky molecules. A method of synthesis of ‘artificial’ zeolites. The artificial zeolites have well-tailored Bronsted and Lewis acid sites prepared on mesostructured silica to circumvent this limitation. This novel approach utilizes atomic layer deposition to tailor both porosity and acid speciation, providing exquisite control over catalytic behavior and enabling systematic studies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Christian P. Canlas
  • Patent number: 9401231
    Abstract: A method for forming a transparent conducting oxide product layer. The method includes use of precursors, such as tetrakis-(dimethylamino) tin and trimethyl indium, and selected use of dopants, such as SnO and ZnO for obtaining desired optical, electrical and structural properties for a highly conformal layer coating on a substrate. Ozone was also input as a reactive gas which enabled rapid production of the desired product layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane
  • Publication number: 20150364747
    Abstract: A method for using atomic layer deposition to produce a film configured for use in an anode, cathode, or solid state electrolyte of a lithium-ion battery or a lithium-sulfur battery. The method includes repeating a cycle for a predetermined number of times in an inert atmosphere. The cycle includes exposing a substrate to a first precursor, purging the substrate with inert gas, exposing the substrate to a second precursor, and purging the substrate with inert gas. The film is a metal sulfide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Xiangbo Meng
  • Patent number: 9139905
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a micro-channel plate detector. An anodized aluminum oxide membrane is provided and includes a plurality of nanopores which have an Al coating and a thin layer of an emissive oxide material responsive to incident radiation, thereby providing a plurality of radiation sensitive channels for the micro-channel plate detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Seon W. Lee, Hsien-Hau Wang, Michael J. Pellin, Karen Byrum, Henry J. Frisch
  • Publication number: 20150255298
    Abstract: A plasma etch resist material modified by an inorganic protective component via sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) and methods of preparing the modified resist material. The modified resist material is characterized by an improved resistance to a plasma etching or related process relative to the unmodified resist material, thereby allowing formation of patterned features into a substrate material, which may be high-aspect ratio features. The SIS process forms the protective component within the bulk resist material through a plurality of alternating exposures to gas phase precursors which infiltrate the resist material. The plasma etch resist material may be initially patterned using photolithography, electron-beam lithography or a block copolymer self-assembly process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng, Qing Peng
  • Patent number: 9105379
    Abstract: A method and article of manufacture of intermixed tunable resistance composite materials containing at least one of W:Al2O3, Mo:Al2O3 or M:Al2O3 where M is a conducting compound containing either W or Mo. A conducting material and an insulating material are deposited by such methods as ALD or CVD to construct composites with intermixed materials which do not have structure or properties like their bulk counterparts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane
  • Patent number: 9040113
    Abstract: A method for preparing a metal sulfide thin film using ALD and structures incorporating the metal sulfide thin film. The method includes providing an ALD reactor, a substrate, a first precursor comprising a metal and a second precursor comprising a sulfur compound. The first and the second precursors are reacted in the ALD precursor to form a metal sulfide thin film on the substrate. In a particular embodiment, the metal compound comprises Bis(N,N?-di-sec-butylacetamidinato)dicopper(I) and the sulfur compound comprises hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to prepare a Cu2S film. The resulting metal sulfide thin film may be used in among other devices, photovoltaic devices, including interdigitated photovoltaic devices that may use relatively abundant materials for electrical energy production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Alex B. F. Martinson, Jeffrey W. Elam, Michael J. Pellin
  • Patent number: 9005816
    Abstract: A cathode includes a carbon material having a surface, the surface having a first thin layer of an inert material and a first catalyst overlaying the first thin layer, the first catalyst including metal or metal oxide nanoparticles, wherein the cathode is configured for use as the cathode of a lithium-air battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Khalil Amine, Jun Lu, Peng Du, Yu Lei, Jeffrey W. Elam
  • Patent number: 8980418
    Abstract: A plasma etch resist material modified by an inorganic protective component via sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) and methods of preparing the modified resist material. The modified resist material is characterized by an improved resistance to a plasma etching or related process relative to the unmodified resist material, thereby allowing formation of patterned features into a substrate material, which may be high-aspect ratio features. The SIS process forms the protective component within the bulk resist material through a plurality of alternating exposures to gas phase precursors which infiltrate the resist material. The plasma etch resist material may be initially patterned using photolithography, electron-beam lithography or a block copolymer self-assembly process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng, Qing Peng
  • Patent number: 8969823
    Abstract: A multi-component tunable resistive coating and methods of depositing the coating on the surfaces of a microchannel plate (MCP) detector. The resistive coating composed of a plurality of alternating layers of a metal oxide resistive component layer and a conductive component layer composed of at least one of a metal, a metal nitride and a metal sulfide. The coating may further include an emissive layer configured to produce a secondary electron emission in response to a particle interacting with the MCP and a neutron-absorbing layer configured to respond to a neutron interacting with the MCP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane, Qing Peng
  • Patent number: 8951615
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing a material of desired thickness. Deposition techniques such as atomic layer deposition are alter to control the thickness of deposited material. A funtionalization species inhibits the deposition reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Angel Yanguas-Gil
  • Publication number: 20150031157
    Abstract: A system and method for continuous atomic layer deposition. The system and method includes a housing, a moving bed which passes through the housing, a plurality of precursor gases and associated input ports and the amount of precursor gases, position of the input ports, and relative velocity of the moving bed and carrier gases enabling exhaustion of the precursor gases at available reaction sites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Angel Yanguas-Gil, Joseph A. Libera
  • Patent number: 8921799
    Abstract: A method and article of manufacture of intermixed tunable resistance composite materials. A conducting material and an insulating material are deposited by such methods as ALD or CVD to construct composites with intermixed materials which do not have structure or properties like their bulk counterparts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane