Patents by Inventor Raymond Weitekamp

Raymond Weitekamp 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: 10799613
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of metathesizing olefins using catalysts previously considered to be practically inactive. The present invention further relates to novel photosensitive compositions, their use as photoresists, and methods related to patterning polymer layers on substrates. Further, modifications to the compositions and method provide for an unprecedented functionalization of the compositions, useful for example in the preparation of sensors, drug delivery systems, and tissue scaffolds. The novel compositions and associated methods also provide for the opportunity to prepare 3-dimensional objects which provide new access to critically dimensioned devices, including for example photonic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Raymond Weitekamp, Robert H. Grubbs, Harry A. Atwater, James Fakonas
  • Patent number: 10732321
    Abstract: The invention provides a class of block copolymers having a plurality of chemically different blocks, at least a portion of which incorporating polymer side chain groups having a helical secondary structure. The invention also provides structures generated by self-assembly of polymer blends including at least one block copolymer component, such as a brush block polymer or wedge-type block polymer. The invention provides, for example, periodic nanostructures and microstructures generated by self-assembly of block copolymers and polymer blends comprising a mixture of at least one block copolymer component, such as a brush block copolymer, and at least a second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Garret M. Miyake, Raymond Weitekamp, Robert H. Grubbs, Victoria Piunova
  • Patent number: 10170718
    Abstract: The devices can be fabricated by a method that permits active polymer chains to be polymerized on the surface of an electrode such that the active polymer chains are aligned with one another. The active polymer chains can also be covalently linked to a second electrode so the active polymer chains are located in an active layer of the device. The polymerization method can be paused and resumed at any point in the polymerization so nanoparticles can be added into the active layer. Additionally, the polymerization method allows that active polymer chains to be polymerized so they include junctions such as p-n junctions and Schottky junctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: The California Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Raymond Weitekamp
  • Patent number: 10081705
    Abstract: The invention provides a class of wedge-type block copolymers having a plurality of chemically different blocks, at least a portion of which incorporates a wedge group-containing block providing useful properties. For example, use of one or more wedge group-containing blocks in some block copolymers of the invention significantly inhibits chain entanglement and, thus, the present block copolymers materials provide a class of polymer materials capable of efficient molecular self-assembly to generate a range of structures, such as periodic nanostructures and microstructures. Materials of the present invention include copolymers having one or more wedge group-containing blocks, and optionally for some applications copolymers also incorporating one or more polymer side group-containing blocks. The present invention also provides useful methods of making and using wedge-type block copolymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Yan Xia, Benjamin R. Sveinbjornsson, Robert H. Grubbs, Raymond Weitekamp, Garret M. Miyake, Victoria Piunova, Christopher Scot Daeffler
  • Patent number: 9776242
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to processes comprising irradiating an aggregate of chemically bonded or otherwise associated nanoparticles with a light source capable of providing multiphoton excitation, the light source directed at a focal point volume including the aggregate and having sufficient energy to disrupt or fuse the aggregate within the focal point volume to form nanoscale deposits of the nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, City of Hope
    Inventors: Raymond Weitekamp, Krishnan Thyagarajan, Jacob Berlin, Desiree Van Haute
  • Patent number: 9593425
    Abstract: A CO2 reduction electrode includes an active layer on an electrode base. The active layer includes a polymer that includes one or more reaction components selected from a group consisting of a CO2 reduction catalyst and an activator that bonds CO2 so as to form a CO2 reduction intermediate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Oana R. Luca, Raymond Weitekamp, Robert H. Grubbs, Harry A. Atwater, Slobodan Mitrovic
  • Patent number: 9573125
    Abstract: An efficient method for the preparation of backbone-substituted imidazolinium salts for use as N-heterocyclic carbene ligands, e.g., for organometallic catalysts is provided. These functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene ligands are used to prepare solid-supported catalysts, e.g., for olefin metathesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Raymond Weitekamp, Robert H. Grubbs
  • Patent number: 9575212
    Abstract: Described herein are copolymers constructed from chiral, non-racemic monomers, which self-assemble to photonic crystals. The difficulty of incorporating chiral elements into photonic crystals has limited the ability to generate unique bandstructures for different circular polarizations of light. The materials and methods described herein relate to easily, predictably fabricating chiral photonic crystals having desirable optical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Robert H. Grubbs, Garret M. Miyake, Raymond Weitekamp, Victoria Piunova
  • Publication number: 20160356923
    Abstract: The invention provides a class of block copolymers having a plurality of chemically different blocks, at least a portion of which incorporating polymer side chain groups having a helical secondary structure. The invention also provides structures generated by self-assembly of polymer blends including at least one block copolymer component, such as a brush block polymer or wedge-type block polymer. The invention provides, for example, periodic nanostructures and microstructures generated by self-assembly of block copolymers and polymer blends comprising a mixture of at least one block copolymer component, such as a brush block copolymer, and at least a second component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Garret M. MIYAKE, Raymond WEITEKAMP, Robert H. GRUBBS, Victoria PIUNOVA
  • Patent number: 9453943
    Abstract: The invention provides a class of block copolymers having a plurality of chemically different blocks, at least a portion of which incorporating polymer side chain groups having a helical secondary structure. The invention also provides structures generated by self-assembly of polymer blends including at least one block copolymer component, such as a brush block polymer or wedge-type block polymer. The invention provides, for example, periodic nanostructures and microstructures generated by self-assembly of block copolymers and polymer blends comprising a mixture of at least one block copolymer component, such as a brush block copolymer, and at least a second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Garret M Miyake, Raymond Weitekamp, Robert H Grubbs, Victoria Piunova
  • Publication number: 20160271694
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to processes comprising irradiating an aggregate of chemically bonded or otherwise associated nanoparticles with a light source capable of providing multiphoton excitation, the light source directed to a focal point volume including the aggregate and having sufficient energy to disrupt or fuse the aggregate within the focal point volume to form nanoscale deposits of the nanoparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: RAYMOND WEITEKAMP, KRISHNAN THYAGARAJAN, JACOB BERLIN, DESIREE VAN HAUTE
  • Publication number: 20160226010
    Abstract: The devices can be fabricated by a method that permits active polymer chains to be polymerized on the surface of an electrode such that the active polymer chains are aligned with one another. The active polymer chains can also be covalently linked to a second electrode so the active polymer chains are located in an active layer of the device. The polymerization method can be paused and resumed at any point in the polymerization so nanoparticles can be added into the active layer. Additionally, the polymerization method allows that active polymer chains to be polymerized so they include junctions such as p-n junctions and Schottky junctions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Raymond Weitekamp
  • Patent number: 9382387
    Abstract: The invention provides a class of copolymers having useful properties, including brush block copolymers, wedge-type block copolymers and hybrid wedge and polymer block copolymers. In an embodiment, for example, block copolymers of the invention incorporate chemically different blocks comprising polymer size chain groups and/or wedge groups that significantly inhibit chain entanglement, thereby enhancing molecular self-assembly processes for generating a range of supramolecular structures, such as periodic nanostructures and microstructures. The present invention also provides useful methods of making and using copolymers, including block copolymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yan Xia, Benjamin R Sveinbjornsson, Robert H Grubbs, Raymond Weitekamp, Garret M Miyake, Harry A Atwater, Victoria Piunova, Christopher Scot Daeffler, Sung Woo Hong, Weiyin Gu, Thomas P. Russell
  • Publication number: 20160024244
    Abstract: The invention provides a class of wedge-type block copolymers having a plurality of chemically different blocks, at least a portion of which incorporates a wedge group-containing block providing useful properties. For example, use of one or more wedge group-containing blocks in some block copolymers of the invention significantly inhibits chain entanglement and, thus, the present block copolymers materials provide a class of polymer materials capable of efficient molecular self-assembly to generate a range of structures, such as periodic nanostructures and microstructures. Materials of the present invention include copolymers having one or more wedge group-containing blocks, and optionally for some applications copolymers also incorporating one or more polymer side group-containing blocks. The present invention also provides useful methods of making and using wedge-type block copolymers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Yan XIA, Benjamin R. SVEINBJORNSSON, Robert H. GRUBBS, Raymond WEITEKAMP, Garret M. MIYAKE, Victoria PIUNOVA, Christopher Scot DAEFFLER
  • Patent number: 9234985
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a polymer brush structure exhibiting birefringence, said polymer brush structure comprising a plurality of substantially parallel oriented polymers and characterized by a longitudinal z-direction having a first refractive index, nz, and a lateral x,y-direction having a second refractive index, nx,y, wherein the difference, ?n, between the first refractive index and the second refractive index is in a range of about 0.1 to about 0.6, as measured by ellipsometry and fit to a Cauchy analytical model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Robert H. Grubbs, Raymond Weitekamp
  • Patent number: 9207532
    Abstract: The present invention provides photosensitive compositions and methods of patterning a polymeric image on a substrate, said methods comprising; (a) depositing a layer of photosensitive composition of any one of claims 15 to 22 on the substrate; and (b) irradiating a portion of the layer of photosensitive composition with a light comprising a wavelength in a range of from about 220 to about 440 nm. The invention also relates to methods of metathesizing an unsaturated organic precursor comprising irradiating Fischer-type carbene ruthenium catalysts with at least one wavelength of light in the presence of at least one unsaturated organic precursor so as to metathesize at least one alkene or one alkyne bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Raymond Weitekamp, Robert H. Grubbs
  • Patent number: 9147844
    Abstract: The disclosure describes methods of metathesizing unsaturated organic compounds, each method comprising contacting at least one feedstock comprising at least one olefinic or acetylenic precursor with a solid transition metal-based metathesis catalyst in the absence of a liquid solvent or precursor to form a polymer product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Robert H. Grubbs, Raymond Weitekamp
  • Publication number: 20150203977
    Abstract: A CO2 reduction electrode includes an active layer on an electrode base. The active layer includes a polymer that includes one or more reaction components selected from a group consisting of a CO2 reduction catalyst and an activator that bonds CO2 so as to form a CO2 reduction intermediate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Oana R. Luca, Raymond Weitekamp, Robert H. Grubbs, Harry A. Atwater, Slobodan Mitrovic
  • Patent number: 9045579
    Abstract: The invention provides a class of wedge-type block copolymers having a plurality of chemically different blocks, at least a portion of which incorporates a wedge group-containing block providing useful properties. For example, use of one or more wedge group-containing blocks in some block copolymers of the invention significantly inhibits chain entanglement and, thus, the present block copolymers materials provide a class of polymer materials capable of efficient molecular self-assembly to generate a range of structures, such as periodic nanostructures and microstructures. Materials of the present invention include copolymers having one or more wedge group-containing blocks, and optionally for some applications copolymers also incorporating one or more polymer side group-containing blocks. The present invention also provides useful methods of making and using wedge-type block copolymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Yan Xia, Benjamin R Sveinbjornsson, Robert H Grubbs, Raymond Weitekamp, Garret M Miyake, Victoria Piunova, Christopher Scot Daeffler
  • Patent number: 9048431
    Abstract: The devices can be fabricated by a method that permits active polymer chains to be polymerized on the surface of an electrode such that the active polymer chains are aligned with one another. The active polymer chains can also be covalently linked to a second electrode so the active polymer chains are located in an active layer of the device. The polymerization method can be paused and resumed at any point in the polymerization so nanoparticles can be added into the active layer. Additionally, the polymerization method allows that active polymer chains to be polymerized so they include junctions such as p-n junctions and Schottky junctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: California Instistute of Technology
    Inventor: Raymond Weitekamp