Patents by Inventor Luke Sollitt

Luke Sollitt 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).

  • Laser desorption and thermal emission spectroscopy for chemical analysis of cryogenic surfaces
    Patent number: 7271387
    Abstract: A method for remote analysis of materials embedded in a frozen surface, such as in the icy surface of a planetary body. A laser on board a spacecraft irradiates the frozen surface and thereby releases materials in a gas cloud, by a process of desorption. The laser wavelength is selected to maximize the release of substances by the desorption process, which does not fragment materials into their elemental components. An infrared (IR) spectrometer on the spacecraft detects thermal emissions from the gas cloud against a background provided by the frozen surface, and can readily identify a variety of organic, inorganic and biological materials from their thermal spectra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Mau-Song Chou, Jonathan W. Arenberg, Andy Christensen, Luke Sollitt
  • Laser desorption and thermal emission spectroscopy for chemical analysis of cryogenic surfaces
    Publication number: 20070057188
    Abstract: A method for remote analysis of materials embedded in a frozen surface, such as in the icy surface of a planetary body. A laser on board a spacecraft irradiates the frozen surface and thereby releases materials in a gas cloud, by a process of desorption. The laser wavelength is selected to maximize the release of substances by the desorption process, which does not fragment materials into their elemental components. An infrared (IR) spectrometer on the spacecraft detects thermal emissions from the gas cloud against a background provided by the frozen surface, and can readily identify a variety of organic, inorganic and biological materials from their thermal spectra.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventors: Mau-Song Chou, Jonathan Arenberg, Andy Christensen, Luke Sollitt