Patents by Inventor John Gerhardt Earney

John Gerhardt Earney 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: 11442017
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus is provided that comprises an optical target including a solid host material and a fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material. The solid host material has a predetermined phonon energy HOSTPE. The fluorescing material exhibits a select ground energy level and a target excitation (TE) energy level separated from the ground energy level by a first energy gap corresponding to a fluorescence emission wavelength of interest. The fluorescing material has a next lower lying (NLL) energy level relative to the TE energy level. The NLL energy level is spaced a second energy gap FMEG2 below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE is three or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: John Gerhardt Earney, Joseph Francis Pinto, M. Shane Bowen, Michael S. Graige, Arthur Pitera, Bala Murali K. Venkatesan, Dajun Yuan
  • Publication number: 20210055224
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus is provided that comprises an optical target including a solid host material and a fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material. The solid host material has a predetermined phonon energy HOSTPE. The fluorescing material exhibits a select ground energy level and a target excitation (TE) energy level separated from the ground energy level by a first energy gap corresponding to a fluorescence emission wavelength of interest. The fluorescing material has a next lower lying (NLL) energy level relative to the TE energy level. The NLL energy level is spaced a second energy gap FMEG2 below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE is three or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: John Gerhardt Earney, Joseph Francis Pinto, M. Shane Bowen, Michael S. Graige, Arthur Pitera, Bala Murali K. Venkatesan, Dajun Yuan
  • Patent number: 10830700
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus is provided that comprises an optical target including a solid host material and a fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material. The solid host material has a predetermined phonon energy HOSTPE. The fluorescing material exhibits a select ground energy level and a target excitation (TE) energy level separated from the ground energy level by a first energy gap corresponding to a fluorescence emission wavelength of interest. The fluorescing material has a next lower lying (NLL) energy level relative to the TE energy level. The NLL energy level is spaced a second energy gap FMEG2 below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE is three or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: John Gerhardt Earney, Joseph Francis Pinto, M. Shane Bowen, Michael S. Graige, Arthur Pitera, Bala Murali K. Venkatesan, Dajun Yuan
  • Patent number: 10688488
    Abstract: An example method includes providing a working stack having a first substrate layer, a second substrate layer, and a radiation-absorbing material disposed between the first and second substrate layers. The working stack includes a cavity therein having a designated liquid. A bonding interface is defined between the radiation-absorbing material and at least one of the first substrate layer or the second substrate layer. The bonding interface has a film of the designated liquid. The method also includes directing radiation onto the bonding interface to form a perimeter seal. The perimeter seal separates the cavity from an outer area of the bonding interface. The method also includes directing the radiation onto the outer area of the bonding interface to secure the first and second substrate layers together. The perimeter seal impedes an ingress of bubbles from the outer area into the cavity as the radiation is directed onto the outer area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: John Gerhardt Earney, Justin Fullerton, Kaleb Smith, Bala Murali K. Venkatesan
  • Publication number: 20190195799
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus is provided that comprises an optical target including a solid host material and a fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material. The solid host material has a predetermined phonon energy HOSTPE. The fluorescing material exhibits a select ground energy level and a target excitation (TE) energy level separated from the ground energy level by a first energy gap corresponding to a fluorescence emission wavelength of interest. The fluorescing material has a next lower lying (NLL) energy level relative to the TE energy level. The NLL energy level is spaced a second energy gap FMEG2 below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE is three or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: John Gerhardt Earney, Joseph Francis Pinto, M. Shane Bowen, Michael S. Graige, Arthur Pitera, Bala Murali K. Venkatesan, Dajun Yuan
  • Patent number: 10261018
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus is provided that comprises an optical target including a solid host material and a fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material. The solid host material has a predetermined phonon energy HOSTPE. The fluorescing material exhibits a select ground energy level and a target excitation (TE) energy level separated from the ground energy level by a first energy gap corresponding to a fluorescence emission wavelength of interest. The fluorescing material has a next lower lying (NLL) energy level relative to the TE energy level. The NLL energy level is spaced a second energy gap FMEG2 below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE is three or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: John Gerhardt Earney, Joseph Francis Pinto, M. Shane Bowen, Michael S. Graige, Arthur Pitera, Bala Murali K. Venkatesan, Dajun A. Yuan
  • Publication number: 20180214869
    Abstract: An example method includes providing a working stack having a first substrate layer, a second substrate layer, and a radiation-absorbing material disposed between the first and second substrate layers. The working stack includes a cavity therein having a designated liquid. A bonding interface is defined between the radiation-absorbing material and at least one of the first substrate layer or the second substrate layer. The bonding interface has a film of the designated liquid. The method also includes directing radiation onto the bonding interface to form a perimeter seal. The perimeter seal separates the cavity from an outer area of the bonding interface. The method also includes directing the radiation onto the outer area of the bonding interface to secure the first and second substrate layers together. The perimeter seal impedes an ingress of bubbles from the outer area into the cavity as the radiation is directed onto the outer area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: John Gerhardt Earney, Justin Fullerton, Kaleb Smith, Bala Murali K. Venkatesan
  • Publication number: 20180195961
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus is provided that comprises an optical target including a solid host material and a fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material. The solid host material has a predetermined phonon energy HOSTPE. The fluorescing material exhibits a select ground energy level and a target excitation (TE) energy level separated from the ground energy level by a first energy gap corresponding to a fluorescence emission wavelength of interest. The fluorescing material has a next lower lying (NLL) energy level relative to the TE energy level. The NLL energy level is spaced a second energy gap FMEG2 below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE is three or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: John Gerhardt Earney, Joseph Francis Pinto, M. Shane Bowen, Michael S. Graige, Arthur Pitera, Bala Murali K. Venkatesan, Dajun A. Yuan