Patents by Inventor Laurent Duraffourg

Laurent Duraffourg 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: 20150204827
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas analysis system comprising, from upstream to downstream: a module (SEP) for separating at least a portion of the species contained in the gas to be analysed, comprising at least one microcapillary column (GC) for gas phase chromatography, and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) coupled to said separation module, said spectrometer comprising a ion source (MS1, MS2) adapted to ionise at least a portion of said species and to emit a ion beam, and a free-flight zone (MS4) for said ions, said mass spectrometer (TOFMS) being arranged in the volume of at least one substrate and comprising a micro-reflectron (R) arranged between the source (MS1, MS2) and the free-flight zone (MS4), a wall (R1) of said micro-reflectron comprising a layer made from a resistive material designed to be polarised between at least two regions so as to create a continuous electrostatic field gradient in said reflectron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicants: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique et Aux Energies Alternatives, Analytical Pixels Technology-Apix Technology
    Inventors: Laurent Duraffourg, Philippe Andreucci, Charles-Marie Tassetti, Eric Colinet, Pierre Puget, Joshua Whiting, Peter Thomas Stevens, Mélanie Petitjean
  • Patent number: 9058968
    Abstract: A micro-reflectron for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer including a substrate and integrated with the volume of the substrate, means for application of a potential gradient in a volume suitable for constituting a flight zone of the ions. The means of application includes at least two polarization electrodes and a wall of at least one resistive material that can be polarized between these electrodes so as to generate a continuous potential gradient, itself providing the function of reflectron, this flight zone, these electrodes and this wall being obtained by the technology of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and this micro-reflectron having a thickness of less than 5 millimetres while its other dimensions are less than 10 times this thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Jean-Sebastien Danel, Laurent Duraffourg, Frederic Progent, Charles-Marie Tassetti
  • Patent number: 9016125
    Abstract: A nano electro-mechanical system (NEMS) formed on a substrate is provided including at least one fixed part associated with the substrate and at least one movable part in relation to the substrate, the system including a transduction component configured to excite the movable part to confer on it a movement and/or to detect a movement of the movable part, the transduction component including at least one electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material is made of an AlSi alloy based deposition, the deposition being supported at least in part by the movable part of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: Commissariat à l'énergie et aux énergies alternatives, California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Philippe Andreucci, Laurent Duraffourg, Carine Marcoux, Pierre Brianceau, Sebastien Hentz, Stephane Minoret, Edward Myers, Michael Roukes
  • Publication number: 20150107357
    Abstract: Optomechanical device for actuating and/or detecting movement of a mechanical element, in particular for gravimetric detection. It includes a support with a mechanical element anchored to the support which is designed to move relative to the element, and a device for actuating and/or detecting movement or of variations in frequency of movement of the element. A portion of the device is arranged beneath at least part of the element, between the element and the support. The device includes a fixed optical device with at least one optical waveguide arranged beneath all or part of the element at a determined distance from the element, and which is designed to propagate at least one optical wave having a given wavelength designed to interact with the element. The optical waveguide is at a determined distance from the mechanical element so that the evanescent field of the optical waveguide interacts with the mechanical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Sébastien Hentz, Laurent Duraffourg, Guillaume Jourdan
  • Publication number: 20140079091
    Abstract: A heat flux sensor comprising at least one support, where at least one membrane is suspended relative to the support by at least four nanowires, where the membrane is made from at least one current-conducting material, and where the nanowires are made from a current-conducting material, with two nanowires connected to a current source to polarise the membrane between two terminals and a heater for heating the membrane, and where two nanowires are connected to a voltmeter to form measure the voltage at the terminals of the membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENE ALT
    Inventors: Jeremie RUELLAN, Laurent Duraffourg
  • Publication number: 20140076024
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal flow sensor comprising: a support, at least one element intended to be vibrated relative to the support, suspension means for said vibrating element relative to the vibrating element, means for heating the vibrating element, means for electrostatic excitation of the vibrating element so as to vibrate it at its resonance frequency, piezoelectric gauges for detecting the resonance frequency variation of the vibrating element, the gauges forming means for heating the vibrating element by Joule effect and the suspension means comprising two beams formed by nanowires so as to reduce the heat losses from the vibrating element toward the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENE ALT
    Inventors: Laurent DURAFFOURG, Philippe Andreucci, Eric Colinet, Guillaume Jourdan
  • Publication number: 20140013848
    Abstract: A measuring system including: at least two electromechanical resonators each having a resonant frequency varying around an offload resonant frequency according to a physical quantity to be measured; at least one reading device connected to inputs of the resonators and configured to supply an excitation signal on the inputs; and a memory in which is recorded, for each resonator, offload resonance information relating to the offload resonant frequency of the resonator. Each reading device is configured to determine the resonant frequency of one or more resonators selected for reading by configuring at least one element of the reading device using the offload resonance information stored for each selected resonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Eric Colinet, Philippe Andreucci, Laurent Duraffourg, Sebastien Hentz
  • Publication number: 20140001353
    Abstract: A micro-reflectron for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer including a substrate and integrated with the volume of the substrate, means for application of a potential gradient in a volume suitable for constituting a flight zone of the ions. The means of application includes at least two polarization electrodes and a wall of at least one resistive material that can be polarized between these electrodes so as to generate a continuous potential gradient, itself providing the function of reflectron, this flight zone, these electrodes and this wall being obtained by the technology of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and this micro-reflectron having a thickness of less than 5 millimetres while its other dimensions are less than 10 times this thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES (Former name: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGI
    Inventors: Jean-Sebastien DANEL, Laurent DURAFFOURG, Frederic PROGENT, Charles-Marie TASSETTI
  • Patent number: 8552367
    Abstract: A micro-reflectron for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer including a substrate and integrated with the volume of the substrate, means for application of a potential gradient in a volume suitable for constituting a flight zone of the ions. The means of application includes at least two polarization electrodes and a wall of at least one resistive material that can be polarized between these electrodes so as to generate a continuous potential gradient, itself providing the function of reflectron, this flight zone, these electrodes and this wall being obtained by the technology of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and this micro-reflectron having a thickness of less than 5 millimeters while its other dimensions are less than 10 times this thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Jean-Sebastien Danel, Laurent Duraffourg, Frederic Progent, Charles-Marie Tassetti
  • Patent number: 8536962
    Abstract: A nanoswitch device comprising: at least one stationary element (52) and at least one element (50) which is at least partially made of a magnetic material and which is movable with respect to the stationary element, means of activating the movable element, comprising: and at least one first and one second magnetic means (30, 30?, 40, 40?) each having a planar shape, defining a first and a second plane, in order to generate remanent magnetization in a direction contained within said first plane or perpendicular to this first plane, means (36, 36?) for reversing the direction of the remanent magnetization of at least one of said first and second magnetic means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Lise Bilhaut, Philippe Andreucci, Laurent Duraffourg, Bernard Viala
  • Publication number: 20130214644
    Abstract: A device with a suspended beam and piezoresistive means of detecting displacement of the beam and a method of manufacturing the device are disclosed. The device comprises a support, a suspended beam, moving parallel to the plane of the support, and means of detecting displacement, comprising at least two piezoresistive strain gauges that are not in line with each other. The beam is suspended through detection means. The two gauges are located on two opposite lateral faces of the beam respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENE ALT
    Inventors: Sebastien Hentz, Philippe Andreucci, Eric Colinet, Laurent Duraffourg, Sebastien Labarthe
  • Publication number: 20130170517
    Abstract: A bolometer including: at least one electromechanical microsystem or nanosystem, the microsystem or nanosystem including a support and a mobile mass hung from beams above the support, the mobile mass forming an absorber of optical flux; actuation electrodes configured to set the mobile mass in vibration and arranged laterally relative to the mobile mass; and detection electrodes to detect variation in vibration frequency of the mobile mass arranged laterally relative to the mobile mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Laurent Duraffourg, Philippe Andreucci
  • Publication number: 20130144542
    Abstract: A device for analyzing a fluid, including a layer including a plurality of sensors of MEMS and/or NEMS type, a layer including a mechanism controlling the sensor and for processing information transmitted by the sensors, the control and processing mechanism being electrically connected to the detectors, and a layer positioned on the layer including the sensors on a side of a face including the sensors including a mechanism spatially and temporally distributing the fluid on the sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicants: California Institute of Technology, Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Thomas Ernst, Philippe Andreucci, Eric Colinet, Laurent Duraffourg, Edward B. Myers, Michael L. Roukes
  • Patent number: 8310320
    Abstract: A nano-resonator device comprising at least one fixed element and at least one mobile element with respect to the fixed element, first electromagnetic means, integrated or fixed on the fixed element, and second electromagnetic means, integrated or fixed on the mobile element, to generate an oscillating movement of the mobile element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Laurent Duraffourg, Philippe Andreucci, Lise Bilhaut, Bernard Viala
  • Publication number: 20120272742
    Abstract: The invention relates to a nano electro- mechanical system (NEMS) formed on a substrate (21) and comprising at least one fixed part associated with the substrate and at least one movable part (23) in relation to the substrate, said system comprising transduction means (24) capable of exciting the movable part to confer on it a movement and/or to detect a movement of movable part, the transduction means comprising at least one electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material is made of an AlSi alloy based deposition, said deposition being supported at least in part by the movable part of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicants: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux ene alt
    Inventors: Philippe Andreucci, Laurent Duraffourg, Carine Marcoux, Pierre Brianceau, Sebastien Hentz, Stephane Minoret, Edward Myers, Michael Roukes
  • Publication number: 20120199736
    Abstract: A micro-reflectron for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer including a substrate and integrated with the volume of the substrate, means for application of a potential gradient in a volume suitable for constituting a flight zone of the ions. The means of application includes at least two polarization electrodes and a wall of at least one resistive material that can be polarized between these electrodes so as to generate a continuous potential gradient, itself providing the function of reflectron, this flight zone, these electrodes and this wall being obtained by the technology of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and this micro-reflectron having a thickness of less than 5 millimetres while its other dimensions are less than 10 times this thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: Jean-Sebastien DANEL, Laurent DURAFFOURG, Frederic PROGENT, Charles-Marie TASSETTI
  • Patent number: 8183945
    Abstract: The oscillator comprises at least a first series of a multiple of four sub-assemblies each of which comprises an excitation terminal and an output terminal. The sub-assemblies are arranged in series in a closed loop. The output terminal of each sub-assembly is connected to the excitation terminal of the following sub-assembly. The output terminal of one of the sub-assemblies constitutes the output terminal of the oscillator. Each sub-assembly comprises excitation means and a nanowire which constitutes the electromechanical resonator and the piezoresistive detection means of movement of the resonator. A first terminal of the nanowire is connected to a first supply voltage. The second terminal of the nanowire constitutes the output terminal of the sub-assembly which is grounded via a corresponding resistive circuit. An input terminal of the excitation means constitutes the excitation terminal of the sub-assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Eric Colinet, Laurent Duraffourg
  • Patent number: 8115556
    Abstract: The device resonant comprises a plurality of synchronized oscillators. Each oscillator comprises a resonator which comprises detection means providing detection signals representative of oscillation of the resonator to a feedback loop connected to an excitation input of the resonator. The detection signals control the conductivity of the feedback loop of the oscillator. The excitation inputs of all the resonators are connected to a common point which constitutes the output of the resonant device. A capacitive load is connected between said common point and a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Laurent Duraffourg, Philippe Andreucci, Eric Colinet, Sebastien Hentz, Eric Ollier
  • Patent number: 8030690
    Abstract: The invention relates to a detection device using at least one transistor (2) with a vertical channel, comprising a mechanical structure (14), free to move relative to the transistor, in a plane containing the transistor drain (10), source (8) and channel (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Eric Ollier, Laurent Duraffourg, Philippe Andreucci
  • Patent number: 8018291
    Abstract: The resonant device comprises an electromechanical resonator of nanometric or micrometric size that comprises a mobile element and a fixed element. Detection means provide detection signals representative of movement of the mobile element with respect to the fixed element to a feedback loop that is connected to an excitation input of the resonator. The resonator is formed on the same substrate as the detection means and feedback loop. The feedback loop comprises at most first and second transistors connected in series between a reference voltage and the excitation terminal. A capacitive load is connected between the excitation terminal and reference voltage. The detection signals control the conductivity of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Laurent Duraffourg, Philippe Andreucci, Eric Colinet, Sebastien Hentz, Eric Ollier