Patents by Inventor Michael B. Sinclair

Michael B. Sinclair 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: 20230037610
    Abstract: A system for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial is provided. In an embodiment, a system for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial includes determining at least one tuned physical property for each of a plurality of micro-resonators according to a desired acoustic property of the acoustic metamaterial. For a particular physical property, a value of the tuned physical property for at least one of the plurality of micro-resonators is different from a value of the tuned physical property for at least one other of the plurality of micro-resonators. The system also includes an additively manufacturing device configured to form the acoustic metamaterial such that the acoustic metamaterial comprises a first structure and the plurality of micro-resonators embedded within the first structure. Forming the acoustic metamaterial is performed such that an actual physical property of each of the plurality of micro-resonators is equal to a corresponding tuned physical property for each of the plurality of micro-resonators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Timothy F. Walsh, Nekoda van de Werken, Chris Hammetter, Michael B. Sinclair, Harlan James Brown-Shaklee, Joseph E. Bishop, Wilkins Aquino
  • Patent number: 11498282
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial is provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial includes determining at least one tuned physical property for each of a plurality of micro-resonators according to a desired acoustic property of the acoustic metamaterial. For a particular physical property, a value of the tuned physical property for at least one of the plurality of micro-resonators is different from a value of the tuned physical property for at least one other of the plurality of micro-resonators. The method also includes additively forming the acoustic metamaterial such that the acoustic metamaterial comprises a first structure and the plurality of micro-resonators embedded within the first structure. Forming the acoustic metamaterial is performed such that an actual physical property of each of the plurality of micro-resonators is equal to a corresponding tuned physical property for each of the plurality of micro-resonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy F. Walsh, Nekoda van de Werken, Chris Hammetter, Michael B. Sinclair, Harlan James Brown-Shaklee, Joseph E. Bishop, Wilkins Aquino
  • Patent number: 11314145
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for generating harmonic light from a pump beam that is impinged on a metasurface comprising a plurality of all-dielectric resonator bodies. A multiple quantum well structure formed in each resonator body includes asymmetric coupled quantum wells having intersubband transition frequencies that couple to Mie resonances of the resonator bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Raktim Sarma, Igal Brener, Michael B. Sinclair, Salvatore Campione, John F. Klem
  • Patent number: 11195504
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for attenuating acoustic waves is provided. A lattice is formed with a plurality of support struts. A plurality of resonating struts are formed extending between the support struts, wherein the resonating struts are configured to attenuate acoustic waves within a predetermined range of frequencies while allowing acoustic waves outside the predetermined range of frequencies to pass through the resonant structure unattenuated. The resonant structure is interposed between two bodies to isolate one body from acoustic waves from the other body over the predetermined range of frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Hammetter, Michael B. Sinclair, Timothy F. Walsh, Harlan James Brown-Shaklee
  • Patent number: 11017186
    Abstract: Dielectric resonators provide a building block for the development of low-loss resonant metamaterials because they replace lossy ohmic currents of metallic resonators with low-loss displacement currents. The spectral locations of electric and magnetic dipole resonances of a dielectric resonator can be tuned by varying the resonator geometry so that desired scattering properties are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Salvatore Campione, Michael B. Sinclair, Igal Brener, D. Bruce Burckel, Aaron J. Pung, Michael D. Goldflam
  • Publication number: 20200249451
    Abstract: Dielectric resonators provide a building block for the development of low-loss resonant metamaterials because they replace lossy ohmic currents of metallic resonators with low-loss displacement currents. The spectral locations of electric and magnetic dipole resonances of a dielectric resonator can be tuned by varying the resonator geometry so that desired scattering properties are achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Salvatore Campione, Michael B. Sinclair, Igal Brener, D. Bruce Burckel, Aaron J. Pung, Michael D. Goldflam
  • Patent number: 10572786
    Abstract: A reflective particle tag reader system includes a read head assembly having a camera, illuminators, and a rigid frame portion for supporting the camera and the illuminators. The illuminators illuminate a focal point located opposite the camera where a reflective particle tag is placed. A computer in data communication with the camera receives and store images of the reflective particle tag that are acquired by the camera. The computer is programmed to process video images and to quantify a positional alignment parameter and an angular alignment parameter of the reader with respect to the reflective particle tag. A rapid burst of image frames is obtained in response to the positional alignment and the angular alignment parameters being within a predetermined tolerance and identity of the reflective tag is established between a first image set and a second image set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignees: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Heidi A. Smartt, William C. Sweatt, Michael B. Sinclair, Michael McDaniel, Juan A. Romero, Keith Tolk
  • Patent number: 10393933
    Abstract: Tunable filters can use Fano metasurface designs having extremely narrow transmission bands. The Fano metasurface can comprise dielectric or semiconductor materials and can produce transmission bands with quality factors well in excess of 1000—at least a factor of 50 greater than typical metamaterial-based infrared resonances. Numerical simulations of these metasurfaces show that the spectral position of the passband can be changed by slightly changing the position of a small dielectric perturbation block placed within the near-field of the resonator by using simple electromechanical actuation architectures that allow for such motion. An array of independently tunable narrowband infrared filters can thereby be fabricated that only requires deep-subwavelength motions of perturbing objects in the resonator's near-field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Michael B. Sinclair, Salvatore Campione, David Bruce Burckel, Igal Brener, Paul J. Resnick
  • Patent number: 10361250
    Abstract: An array of dielectric resonators is formed on a substrate. Each resonator includes an active medium having an optical transition that is operative in a process of photodetection or photoemission. The active media each include a quantum well multilayer. The dielectric resonators in the array are each dimensioned to provide a resonance that lies substantially at the frequency of the optical transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Sheng Liu, Igal Brener, Michael B. Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20190196229
    Abstract: Thermochromic low-emissivity films can comprise a vanadium dioxide thin film or a thin film of vanadium dioxide nanoparticles incorporated into a polymer matrix, and a layer comprising a transparent conductive oxide to modify solar heat gain, solar reflectivity and thermal resistance of windows. The thermochromic low-emissivity films transition from infrared (IR) reflective when warm, to IR transparent when cool. This dynamic reflectivity is passive by nature, and requires no electronics or power source to shift. In addition, this dynamic transition can occur at any design temperature, and when the nanoparticles are dispersed, they remain transparent in the visible spectrum during both phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Paul G. Clem, Michael Goldflam, Ting S. Luk, Michael B. Sinclair, Thomas Edwin Beechem, III
  • Publication number: 20190051770
    Abstract: An array of dielectric resonators is formed on a substrate. Each resonator includes an active medium having an optical transition that is operative in a process of photodetection or photoemission. The active media each include a quantum well multilayer. The dielectric resonators in the array are each dimensioned to provide a resonance that lies substantially at the frequency of the optical transition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Sheng Liu, Igal Brener, Michael B. Sinclair
  • Patent number: 10180398
    Abstract: A hyperspectral imaging flow cytometer can acquire high-resolution hyperspectral images of particles, such as biological cells, flowing through a microfluidic system. A trajectory-based triggering system can be used that will only trigger the acquisition of a hyperspectral image when an appropriate particle or cell is crossing an imaging line, thereby saving valuable resources and time. The hyperspectral imaging flow cytometer can provide detailed spatial maps of multiple emitting species, cell morphology information, and state of health. An optimized system can image about 20 cells per second. The hyperspectral imaging flow cytometer enables many thousands of cells to be characterized in a single session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Michael B. Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20180335651
    Abstract: Thermochromic low-emissivity films can comprise a vanadium dioxide thin film or a thin film of vanadium dioxide nanoparticles incorporated into a polymer matrix, and a layer comprising a transparent conductive oxide to modify solar heat gain, solar reflectivity and thermal resistance of windows. The thermochromic low-emissivity films transition from infrared (IR) reflective when warm, to IR transparent when cool. This dynamic reflectivity is passive by nature, and requires no electronics or power source to shift. In addition, this dynamic transition can occur at any design temperature, and when the nanoparticles are dispersed, they remain transparent in the visible spectrum during both phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Paul G. Clem, Michael Goldflam, Ting S. Luk, Michael B. Sinclair, Thomas Edwin Beechem, III
  • Patent number: 10128387
    Abstract: An array of dielectric resonators is formed on the substrate of an optoelectronic device. Each resonator includes an active medium having an optical transition that is operative in a process of photodetection or photoemission. The dielectric resonators in the array are each dimensioned to provide a resonance that lies substantially at the frequency of the optical transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Sheng Liu, Igal Brener, Michael B. Sinclair
  • Patent number: 10054839
    Abstract: A method of nonlinear wavelength generation uses a nonlinear optical medium. An input flux of pump energy is applied to one or more dielectric optical resonators. Each resonator has an optical cavity comprising the nonlinear optical medium. Each resonator has at least one Mie resonance that is excited by the input flux of pump energy. The pump energy causes the generation of converted light containing at least one converted component having a frequency attainable only through a non-linear process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Igal Brener, Sheng Liu, Michael B. Sinclair, Polina Vabishchevich
  • Patent number: 9909233
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to the use of mobile coherent interfaces in a ferroelectric material to interact with optical phonons and, ultimately, to affect the material's optical properties. In altering the optical phonon properties, the optical properties of the ferroelectric material in the spectral range near-to the phonon mode frequency can dramatically change. This can result in a facile means to change to the optical response of the ferroelectric material in the infrared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Jon F. Ihlefeld, Michael B. Sinclair, Thomas E. Beechem, III
  • Publication number: 20180031480
    Abstract: A hyperspectral imaging flow cytometer can acquire high-resolution hyperspectral images of particles, such as biological cells, flowing through a microfluidic system. A trajectory-based triggering system can be used that will only trigger the acquisition of a hyperspectral image when an appropriate particle or cell is crossing an imaging line, thereby saving valuable resources and time. The hyperspectral imaging flow cytometer can provide detailed spatial maps of multiple emitting species, cell morphology information, and state of health. An optimized system can image about 20 cells per second. The hyperspectral imaging flow cytometer enables many thousands of cells to be characterized in a single session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventor: Michael B. Sinclair
  • Patent number: 9846348
    Abstract: Efficient harmonic light generation can be achieved with ultrathin films by coupling an incident pump wave to an epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) mode of the thin film. As an example, efficient third harmonic generation from an indium tin oxide nanofilm (?/42 thick) on a glass substrate for a pump wavelength of 1.4 ?m was demonstrated. A conversion efficiency of 3.3×10?6 was achieved by exploiting the field enhancement properties of the ENZ mode with an enhancement factor of 200. This nanoscale frequency conversion method is applicable to other plasmonic materials and reststrahlen materials in proximity of the longitudinal optical phonon frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Ting S. Luk, Michael B. Sinclair, Salvatore Campione
  • Patent number: 9797836
    Abstract: A hyperspectral imaging flow cytometer can acquire high-resolution hyperspectral images of particles, such as biological cells, flowing through a microfluidic system. The hyperspectral imaging flow cytometer can provide detailed spatial maps of multiple emitting species, cell morphology information, and state of health. An optimized system can image about 20 cells per second. The hyperspectral imaging flow cytometer enables many thousands of cells to be characterized in a single session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Michael B. Sinclair, Howland D. T. Jones
  • Patent number: 9799798
    Abstract: A novel thermal source comprising a semiconductor hyperbolic metamaterial provides control of the emission spectrum and the angular emission pattern. These properties arise because of epsilon-near-zero conditions in the semiconductor hyperbolic metamaterial. In particular, the thermal emission is dominated by the epsilon-near-zero effect in the doped quantum wells composing the semiconductor hyperbolic metamaterial. Furthermore, different properties are observed for s and p polarizations, following the characteristics of the strong anisotropy of hyperbolic metamaterials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Ting S. Luk, Salvatore Campione, Michael B. Sinclair