Patents by Inventor Patrick G. Herda

Patrick G. Herda 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: 6238812
    Abstract: A semiconducter battery that utilizes radioactive decay processes to produce electrical power by direct electrical current generation from these decay products. These batteries have extremely long half-lives. Each decay can produce on the order of 1,500,000 free electrons and 1,500,000 ions per each radioactive decay, so there is a tremendous multiplication factor for current generation. Production of these batteries by semiconductor processes greatly reduces battery cost compared to existing batteries that utilize radioactive decays. The battery comprises a n-type semiconducter layer, a radioactive semiconducter layer sandwiched between two adjacent layers of semiconducter material not containing radioactive material, and a p-type semiconducter layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Inventors: Paul M. Brown, Patrick G. Herda