Patents by Inventor Mark Hoffbauer

Mark Hoffbauer 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: 8431815
    Abstract: Photovoltaic devices and methods of making photovoltaic devices comprising at least one compositionally graded photoactive layer, said method comprising providing a substrate; growing onto the substrate a uniform intrinsic photoactive layer having one surface disposed upon the substrate and an opposing second surface, said intrinsic photoactive layer consisting essentially of In1-xAxN,; wherein: i. 0?x?1; ii. A is gallium, aluminum, or combinations thereof; and iii. x is at least 0 on one surface of the intrinsic photoactive layer and is compositionally graded throughout the layer to reach a value of 1 or less on the opposing second surface of the layer; wherein said intrinsic photoactive layer is isothermally grown by means of energetic neutral atom beam lithography and epitaxy at a temperature of 600° C. or less using neutral nitrogen atoms having a kinetic energy of from about 1.0 eV to about 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Hoffbauer, Todd L. Williamson
  • Publication number: 20110146769
    Abstract: Photovoltaic devices and methods of making photovoltaic devices comprising at least one compositionally graded photoactive layer, said method comprising providing a substrate; growing onto the substrate a uniform intrinsic photoactive layer having one surface disposed upon the substrate and an opposing second surface, said intrinsic photoactive layer consisting essentially of In1-xAxN,; wherein: i. 0?x?1; ii. A is gallium, aluminum, or combinations thereof; and iii. x is at least 0 on one surface of the intrinsic photoactive layer and is compositionally graded throughout the layer to reach a value of 1 or less on the opposing second surface of the layer; wherein said intrinsic photoactive layer is isothermally grown by means of energetic neutral atom beam lithography and epitaxy at a temperature of 600° C. or less using neutral nitrogen atoms having a kinetic energy of from about 1.0 eV to about 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Hoffbauer, Todd L. Williamson
  • Publication number: 20100181288
    Abstract: Micro- and nanofilters have a wide range of applications in many fields, including medical diagnostics, drug delivery, medical implants, and hemodialysis. Some issues that limit commercial application of current nanofilters in medicine are low pore density, non-uniform pore size, and the use of materials that are not biocompatible. A method is described to fabricate high porosity polymer and diamond micro- and nanofilters producing smooth, uniform and straight pores of high aspect ratio. Pore size, density, and shape can be predetermined with a high degree of precision by masks and controlled etch. The method combines energetic neutral atom beam lithography and a mask. This technology allows etching polymeric materials in a clean, well-controlled, and charge-free environment, making it very suitable for fabricating nanofilters and other components for biomedical applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: CREATV MICROTECH, INC.
    Inventors: Cha-Mei Tang, Olga V. Makarova, Mark A. Hoffbauer, Todd L. Williamson, Platte T. Amstutz
  • Patent number: 7759229
    Abstract: A charge-free method of forming a nanostructure at low temperatures on a substrate. A substrate that is reactive with one of atomic oxygen and nitrogen is provided. A flux of neutral atoms of least one of oxygen and nitrogen is generated within a laser-sustained-discharge plasma source and a collimated beam of energetic neutral atoms and molecules is directed from the plasma source onto a surface of the substrate to form the nanostructure. The energetic neutral atoms and molecules in the beam have an average kinetic energy in a range from about 1 eV to about 5 eV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Hoffbauer, Elshan Akhadov
  • Patent number: 7638034
    Abstract: A barrier structure for use in an electrochemical stochastic membrane sensor for single molecule detection. The sensor is based upon inorganic nanopores having electrically tunable dimensions. The inorganic nanopores are formed from inorganic materials and an electrically conductive polymer. Methods of making the barrier structure and sensing single molecules using the barrier structure are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Jose-Maria Sansinena, Antonio Redondo, Virginia Olazabal, Mark A. Hoffbauer, Elshan A. Akhadov
  • Publication number: 20090283412
    Abstract: A barrier structure for use in an electrochemical stochastic membrane sensor for single molecule detection. The sensor is based upon inorganic nanopores having electrically tunable dimensions. The inorganic nanopores are formed from inorganic materials and an electrically conductive polymer. Methods of making the barrier structure and sensing single molecules using the barrier structure are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Jose-Maria Sansinena, Antonio Redondo, Virginia Olazabal, Mark A. Hoffbauer, Elshan A. Akhadov
  • Publication number: 20090068821
    Abstract: A method of forming a nanostructure at low temperatures. A substrate that is reactive with one of atomic oxygen and nitrogen is provided. A flux of neutral atoms of least one of nitrogen and oxygen is generated within a laser-sustained-discharge plasma source and a collimated beam of energetic neutral atoms and molecules is directed from the plasma source onto a surface of the substrate to form the nanostructure. The energetic neutral atoms and molecules in the plasma have an average kinetic energy in a range from about 1 eV to about 5 eV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Mark Hoffbauer, Alex Mueller
  • Patent number: 7393762
    Abstract: A method of forming a nanostructure at low temperatures. A substrate that is reactive with one of atomic oxygen and nitrogen is provided. A flux of neutral atoms of at least one of nitrogen and oxygen is generated within a laser-sustained-discharge plasma source and a collimated beam of energetic neutral atoms and molecules is directed from the plasma source onto a surface of the substrate to form the nanostructure. The energetic neutral atoms and molecules in the plasma have an average kinetic energy in a range from about 1 eV to about 5 eV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Secruity, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Hoffbauer, Alex Mueller
  • Publication number: 20070114207
    Abstract: A charge-free method of forming a nanostructure at low temperatures on a substrate. A substrate that is reactive with one of atomic oxygen and nitrogen is provided. A flux of neutral atoms of least one of oxygen and nitrogen is generated within a laser-sustained-discharge plasma source and a collimated beam of energetic neutral atoms and molecules is directed from the plasma source onto a surface of the substrate to form the nanostructure. The energetic neutral atoms and molecules in the beam have an average kinetic energy in a range from about 1 eV to about 5 eV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Mark Hoffbauer, Elshan Akhadov
  • Publication number: 20070114124
    Abstract: A method of forming a nanostructure at low temperatures. A substrate that is reactive with one of atomic oxygen and nitrogen is provided. A flux of neutral atoms of at least one of nitrogen and oxygen is generated within a laser-sustained-discharge plasma source and a collimated beam of energetic neutral atoms and molecules is directed from the plasma source onto a surface of the substrate to form the nanostructure. The energetic neutral atoms and molecules in the plasma have an average kinetic energy in a range from about 1 eV to about 5 eV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Mark Hoffbauer, Alex Mueller
  • Publication number: 20050230673
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to light emitting devices including a first layer of a semiconductor material from the group of a p-type semiconductor and a n-type semiconductor, a layer of colloidal nanocrystals on the first layer of a semiconductor material, and, a second layer of a semiconductor material from the group of a p-type semiconductor and a n-type semiconductor on the layer of colloidal nanocrystals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Alexander Mueller, Mark Hoffbauer, Victor Klimov
  • Patent number: 6168967
    Abstract: Reduction of surface leakage current by surface passivation of Cd1-xZnxTe and other materials using hyperthermal oxygen atoms. Surface effects are important in the performance of CdZnTe room-temperature radiation detectors used as spectrometers since the dark current is often dominated by surface leakage. A process using high-kinetic-energy, neutral oxygen atoms (˜3 eV) to treat the surface of CdZnTe detectors at or near ambient temperatures is described. Improvements in detector performance include significantly reduced leakage current which results in lower detector noise and greater energy resolution for radiation measurements of gamma- and X-rays, thereby increasing the accuracy and sensitivity of measurements of radionuclides having complex gamma-ray spectra, including special nuclear materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Mark A. Hoffbauer, Thomas H. Prettyman
  • Patent number: RE46479
    Abstract: A barrier structure for use in an electrochemical stochastic membrane sensor for single molecule detection. The sensor is based upon inorganic nanopores having electrically tunable dimensions. The inorganic nanopores are formed from inorganic materials and an electrically conductive polymer. Methods of making the barrier structure and sensing single molecules using the barrier structure are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventors: Jose-Maria Sansinena, Antonio Redondo, Virginia Olazabal, Mark A. Hoffbauer, Elshan A. Akhadov
  • Patent number: RE46545
    Abstract: A barrier structure for use in an electrochemical stochastic membrane sensor for single molecule detection. The sensor is based upon inorganic nanopores having electrically tunable dimensions. The inorganic nanopores are formed from inorganic materials and an electrically conductive polymer. Methods of making the barrier structure and sensing single molecules using the barrier structure are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventors: Jose-Maria Sansinena, Antonio Redondo, Virginia Olazabal, Mark A. Hoffbauer, Elshan A. Akhadov
  • Patent number: RE46594
    Abstract: A barrier structure for use in an electrochemical stochastic membrane sensor for single molecule detection. The sensor is based upon inorganic nanopores having electrically tunable dimensions. The inorganic nanopores are formed from inorganic materials and an electrically conductive polymer. Methods of making the barrier structure and sensing single molecules using the barrier structure are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventors: Jose-Maria Sansinena, Antonio Redondo, Virginia Olazabal, Mark A. Hoffbauer, Elshan A. Akhadov