Patents by Inventor Ralph G. Nuzzo

Ralph G. Nuzzo 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: 12074213
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Ralph G. Nuzzo, John A. Rogers, Etienne Menard, Keon Jae Lee, Dahl-Young Khang, Yugang Sun, Matthew Meitl, Zhengtao Zhu
  • Patent number: 11493818
    Abstract: An autonomous light management system for a window includes an electrochromic film stack comprising an electrochromic layer on a first transparent electrode, an ion storage layer on a second transparent electrode, and an electrolyte sandwiched between the ion storage and electrochromic layers. The electrochromic film stack exhibits a transmissive state or an absorptive state depending on charging or discharging of the electrochromic layer. The light management system further comprises an array of power units disposed on a front surface of the electrochromic film stack, where each power unit comprises at least one solar microcell. Collectively, the solar microcells cover an area no greater than about 6% of a total area of the front surface. The array of power units is configured to control the charging and discharging of the electrochromic layer, thereby manipulating light transmission through the electrochromic film stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Mikayla A. Yoder, Marjorie M. Potter, Aaron Petronico, Sean E. Lehman, Ralph G. Nuzzo
  • Publication number: 20210343862
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Ralph G. NUZZO, John A. ROGERS, Etienne MENARD, Keon Jae LEE, Dahl-Young KHANG, Yugang SUN, Matthew MEITL, Zhengtao ZHU
  • Patent number: 11088268
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Ralph G. Nuzzo, John A. Rogers, Etienne Menard, Keon Jae Lee, Dahl-Young Khang, Yugang Sun, Matthew Meitl, Zhengtao Zhu
  • Publication number: 20210116768
    Abstract: An autonomous light management system for a window includes an electrochromic film stack comprising an electrochromic layer on a first transparent electrode, an ion storage layer on a second transparent electrode, and an electrolyte sandwiched between the ion storage and electrochromic layers. The electrochromic film stack exhibits a transmissive state or an absorptive state depending on charging or discharging of the electrochromic layer. The light management system further comprises an array of power units disposed on a front surface of the electrochromic film stack, where each power unit comprises at least one solar microcell. Collectively, the solar microcells cover an area no greater than about 6% of a total area of the front surface. The array of power units is configured to control the charging and discharging of the electrochromic layer, thereby manipulating light transmission through the electrochromic film stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Mikayla A. Yoder, Marjorie M. Potter, Aaron Petronico, Sean E. Lehman, Ralph G. Nuzzo
  • Publication number: 20200006540
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Ralph G. NUZZO, John A. ROGERS, Etienne MENARD, Keon Jae LEE, Dahl-Young KHANG, Yugang SUN, Matthew MEITL, Zhengtao ZHU
  • Patent number: 10374072
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Ralph G. Nuzzo, John A. Rogers, Etienne Menard, Keon Jae Lee, Dahl-Young Khang, Yugang Sun, Matthew Meitl, Zhengtao Zhu
  • Patent number: 10355113
    Abstract: In an aspect, the present invention provides stretchable, and optionally printable, components such as semiconductors and electronic circuits capable of providing good performance when stretched, compressed, flexed or otherwise deformed, and related methods of making or tuning such stretchable components. Stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits preferred for some applications are flexible, in addition to being stretchable, and thus are capable of significant elongation, flexing, bending or other deformation along one or more axes. Further, stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention are adapted to a wide range of device configurations to provide fully flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: John A. Rogers, Matthew Meitl, Yugang Sun, Heung Cho Ko, Andrew Carlson, Won Mook Choi, Mark Stoykovich, Hanqing Jiang, Yonggang Huang, Ralph G. Nuzzo, Zhengtao Zhu, Etienne Menard, Dahl-Young Khang
  • Patent number: 10073293
    Abstract: An optical microcavity for a high-contrast display comprises an enclosed cavity having a front wall and a back wall, where the front wall comprises a pinhole opening for emission of light from the cavity and the back wall is configured to generate or transmit light into the cavity. An outer surface of the front wall absorbs some or substantially all optical wavelengths of externally incident light so as to appear black or colored. An inner surface of the front wall comprises a light reflectivity of greater than 90% to promote photon recycling within the cavity and light emission through the pinhole opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Paul V. Braun, Osman S. Cifci, Eric S. Epstein, Hao Chen, Lu Xu, Ralph G. Nuzzo
  • Publication number: 20170309733
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Ralph G. NUZZO, John A. ROGERS, Etienne MENARD, Keon Jae LEE, Dahl-Young KHANG, Yugang SUN, Matthew MEITL, Zhengtao ZHU
  • Publication number: 20170293169
    Abstract: An optical microcavity for a high-contrast display comprises an enclosed cavity having a front wall and a back wall, where the front wall comprises a pinhole opening for emission of light from the cavity and the back wall is configured to generate or transmit light into the cavity. An outer surface of the front wall absorbs some or substantially all optical wavelengths of externally incident light so as to appear black or colored. An inner surface of the front wall comprises a light reflectivity of greater than 90% to promote photon recycling within the cavity and light emission through the pinhole opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Paul V. Braun, Osman S. Cifci, Eric S. Epstein, Hao Chen, Lu Xu, Ralph G. Nuzzo
  • Patent number: 9768086
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Ralph G. Nuzzo, John A. Rogers, Etienne Menard, Keon Jae Lee, Dahl-Young Khang, Yugang Sun, Matthew Meitl, Zhengtao Zhu
  • Patent number: 9761444
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Ralph G. Nuzzo, John A. Rogers, Etienne Menard, Keon Jae Lee, Dahl-Young Khang, Yugang Sun, Matthew Meitl, Zhengtao Zhu
  • Publication number: 20160381789
    Abstract: In an aspect, the present invention provides stretchable, and optionally printable, components such as semiconductors and electronic circuits capable of providing good performance when stretched, compressed, flexed or otherwise deformed, and related methods of making or tuning such stretchable components. Stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits preferred for some applications are flexible, in addition to being stretchable, and thus are capable of significant elongation, flexing, bending or other deformation along one or more axes. Further, stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention are adapted to a wide range of device configurations to provide fully flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: John A. ROGERS, Matthew MEITL, Yugang SUN, Heung Cho KO, Andrew CARLSON, Won Mook CHOI, Mark STOYKOVICH, Hanqing JIANG, Yonggang HUANG, Ralph G. NUZZO, Zhengtao ZHU, Etienne MENARD, Dahl-Young KHANG
  • Publication number: 20160293794
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Ralph G. NUZZO, John A. ROGERS, Etienne MENARD, Keon Jae LEE, Dahl-Young KHANG, Yugang SUN, Matthew MEITL, Zhengtao ZHU
  • Publication number: 20160284544
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Ralph G. NUZZO, John A. ROGERS, Etienne MENARD, Keon Jae LEE, Dahl-Young KHANG, Yugang SUN, Matthew MEITL, Zhengtao ZHU
  • Patent number: 9450043
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Ralph G. Nuzzo, John A. Rogers, Etienne Menard, Keon Jae Lee, Dahl-Young Khang, Yugang Sun, Matthew Meitl, Zhengtao Zhu
  • Patent number: 9349900
    Abstract: Provided are methods for making a device or device component by providing a multi layer structure having a plurality of functional layers and a plurality of release layers and releasing the functional layers from the multilayer structure by separating one or more of the release layers to generate a plurality of transferable structures. The transferable structures are printed onto a device substrate or device component supported by a device substrate. The methods and systems provide means for making high-quality and low-cost photovoltaic devices, transferable semiconductor structures, (opto-)electronic devices and device components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: John A. Rogers, Ralph G. Nuzzo, Matthew Meitl, Heung Cho Ko, Jongseung Yoon, Etienne Menard, Alfred J. Baca
  • Patent number: 9324733
    Abstract: In an aspect, the present invention provides stretchable, and optionally printable, components such as semiconductors and electronic circuits capable of providing good performance when stretched, compressed, flexed or otherwise deformed, and related methods of making or tuning such stretchable components. Stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits preferred for some applications are flexible, in addition to being stretchable, and thus are capable of significant elongation, flexing, bending or other deformation along one or more axes. Further, stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention are adapted to a wide range of device configurations to provide fully flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: John A. Rogers, Matthew Meitl, Yugang Sun, Heung Cho Ko, Andrew Carlson, Won Mook Choi, Mark Stoykovich, Hanqing Jiang, Yonggang Huang, Ralph G. Nuzzo, Zhengtao Zhu, Etienne Menard, Dahl-Young Khang
  • Patent number: 9045657
    Abstract: A viscoelastic ink for direct writing of hydrogel structures includes a long chain polymer and a photopolymerizable moiety, which may be a photopolymerizable monomer or a photopolymerizable group attached to the long chain polymer. The ink may also include a crosslinking agent, a photoinitiator, and water. The long chain polymer is present at a concentration greater than a critical overlap concentration c* of the long chain polymer in the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Jennifer A. Lewis, Robert F. Shepherd, Robert A. Barry, III, Sara T. Parker, Jennifer N. H. Shepherd, Pierre Wiltzius, Ralph G. Nuzzo