Patents by Inventor Seth B. Darling

Seth B. Darling 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: 10571803
    Abstract: Simplified methods of multiple-patterning photolithography using sequential infiltration synthesis to modify the photoresist such that it withstands plasma etching better than unmodified resist and replaces one or more hard masks and/or a freezing step in MPL processes including litho-etch-litho-etch photolithography or litho-freeze-litho-etch photolithography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng
  • Publication number: 20200041169
    Abstract: Chinese ink is applied on various materials and stabilized by atomic layer deposition to fabricate solar steam generation devices. The encapsulated ink has excellent photothermal properties and evaporation efficiency under simulated sunlight, holding great promise in solar evaporation device applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Hao-Cheng Yang, Seth B. Darling, Yunsong Xie, Zhaowei Chen, Jeffrey W. Elam
  • Publication number: 20200039845
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an oleophilic foam includes providing a foam comprising a base material. The base material is coated with an inorganic material using at least one of an atomic layer deposition (ALD), a molecular layer deposition (MLD) or sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) process. The SIS process includes at least one cycle of exposing the foam to a first metal precursor for a first predetermined time and a first partial pressure. The first metal precursor infiltrates at least a portion of the base material and binds with the base material. The foam is exposed to a second co-reactant precursor for a second predetermined time and a second partial pressure. The second co-reactant precursor reacts with the first metal precursor, thereby forming the inorganic material on the base material. The inorganic material infiltrating at least the portion of the base material. The inorganic material is functionalized with an oleophilic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane
  • Patent number: 10550010
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an oleophilic foam includes providing a foam comprising a base material. The base material is coated with an inorganic material using at least one of an atomic layer deposition (ALD), a molecular layer deposition (MLD) or sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) process. The SIS process includes at least one cycle of exposing the foam to a first metal precursor for a first predetermined time and a first partial pressure. The first metal precursor infiltrates at least a portion of the base material and binds with the base material. The foam is exposed to a second co-reactant precursor for a second predetermined time and a second partial pressure. The second co-reactant precursor reacts with the first metal precursor, thereby forming the inorganic material on the base material. The inorganic material infiltrating at least the portion of the base material. The inorganic material is functionalized with an oleophilic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane
  • Patent number: 10537858
    Abstract: A porous membrane provides enhanced filtration of pollutants and particles by coating the membrane with conformal thin films of doped titanium dioxide via atomic layer deposition or, alternatively, sequential infiltration synthesis. The membrane can either be organic or inorganic, and the doping of the membrane, usually with nitrogen, is an important feature that shifts the optical absorption of the TiO2 from the UV range into the visible-light range. This enables the use of lower energy light, including sunlight, to activate the photocatalytic function of the film. The coating described in the present invention is compatible with virtually any porous membrane and allows for precise tuning of the pore size with molecular precision. The present invention presents a new coating process and chemical structure that provides catalytic activity, strongly enhanced by light, to both mitigate fouling and break down various organic pollutants in the process stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Anna Lee, Jeffrey W. Elam, Joseph A. Libera
  • Publication number: 20190366273
    Abstract: Atomic layer deposition is utilized to deposit a coating on a membrane. The coated membrane exhibits a tightly bound hydration layer upon exposure to water. The resultant coated membrane is oleophobic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Hao-Cheng Yang, Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Lin Chen, Ruben Waldman
  • Publication number: 20190345397
    Abstract: A Janus membrane exhibiting sides with different properties and methods of fabricating such a Janus membrane. The membrane comprises a polymer material lacking polar functional groups. One side of the membrane is masked during atomic layer deposition (ALD). ALD is utilized to deposit a conformal coating on an exposed side of the membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Ruben Waldman, Hao-Cheng Yang, Seth B. Darling
  • Patent number: 10305421
    Abstract: A solar cell system is formed with a dynamic surface relief grating. Movement members are actuated by a controller to produce a force on the reflective surface. The reflective surface deforms in response to the force creating a surface relief grating that can adapt to changing light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Seth B Darling, Omar Daniel Lopez
  • Patent number: 9786511
    Abstract: A plasma etch resist material modified by an inorganic protective component via sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) and methods of preparing the modified resist material. The modified resist material is characterized by an improved resistance to a plasma etching or related process relative to the unmodified resist material, thereby allowing formation of patterned features into a substrate material, which may be high-aspect ratio features. The SIS process forms the protective component within the bulk resist material through a plurality of alternating exposures to gas phase precursors which infiltrate the resist material. The plasma etch resist material may be initially patterned using photolithography, electron-beam lithography or a block copolymer self-assembly process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng, Qing Peng
  • Publication number: 20170203258
    Abstract: A porous membrane provides enhanced filtration of pollutants and particles by coating the membrane with conformal thin films of doped titanium dioxide via atomic layer deposition or, alternatively, sequential infiltration synthesis. The membrane can either be organic or inorganic, and the doping of the membrane, usually with nitrogen, is an important feature that shifts the optical absorption of the TiO2 from the UV range into the visible-light range. This enables the use of lower energy light, including sunlight, to activate the photocatalytic function of the film. The coating described in the present invention is compatible with virtually any porous membrane and allows for precise tuning of the pore size with molecular precision. The present invention presents a new coating process and chemical structure that provides catalytic activity, strongly enhanced by light, to both mitigate fouling and break down various organic pollutants in the process stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Anna Lee, Jeffrey W. Elam, Joseph A. Libera
  • Patent number: 9684234
    Abstract: Simplified methods of multiple-patterning photolithography using sequential infiltration synthesis to modify the photoresist such that it withstands plasma etching better than unmodified resist and replaces one or more hard masks and/or a freezing step in MPL processes including litho-etch-litho-etch photolithography or litho-freeze-litho-etch photolithography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng
  • Publication number: 20170166456
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an oleophilic foam includes providing a foam comprising a base material. The base material is coated with an inorganic material using at least one of an atomic layer deposition (ALD), a molecular layer deposition (MLD) or sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) process. The SIS process includes at least one cycle of exposing the foam to a first metal precursor for a first predetermined time and a first partial pressure. The first metal precursor infiltrates at least a portion of the base material and binds with the base material. The foam is exposed to a second co-reactant precursor for a second predetermined time and a second partial pressure. The second co-reactant precursor reacts with the first metal precursor, thereby forming the inorganic material on the base material. The inorganic material infiltrating at least the portion of the base material. The inorganic material is functionalized with an oleophilic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicant: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Anil U. Mane
  • Publication number: 20170137577
    Abstract: A method of preparing tunable inorganic patterned nanofeatures by infiltration of a block copolymer scaffold having a plurality of self-assembled periodic polymer microdomains. The method may be used sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS), related to atomic layer deposition (ALD). The method includes selecting a metal precursor that is configured to selectively react with the copolymer unit defining the microdomain but is substantially non-reactive with another polymer unit of the copolymer. A tunable inorganic features is selectively formed on the microdomain to form a hybrid organic/inorganic composite material of the metal precursor and a co-reactant. The organic component may be optionally removed to obtain an inorganic feature s with patterned nanostructures defined by the configuration of the microdomain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng, Qing Peng
  • Patent number: 9487600
    Abstract: A method of preparing tunable inorganic patterned nanofeatures by infiltration of a block copolymer scaffold having a plurality of self-assembled periodic polymer microdomains. The method may be used sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS), related to atomic layer deposition (ALD). The method includes selecting a metal precursor that is configured to selectively react with the copolymer unit defining the microdomain but is substantially non-reactive with another polymer unit of the copolymer. A tunable inorganic features is selectively formed on the microdomain to form a hybrid organic/inorganic composite material of the metal precursor and a co-reactant. The organic component may be optionally removed to obtain an inorganic features with patterned nanostructures defined by the configuration of the microdomain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng, Qing Peng
  • Publication number: 20150255298
    Abstract: A plasma etch resist material modified by an inorganic protective component via sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) and methods of preparing the modified resist material. The modified resist material is characterized by an improved resistance to a plasma etching or related process relative to the unmodified resist material, thereby allowing formation of patterned features into a substrate material, which may be high-aspect ratio features. The SIS process forms the protective component within the bulk resist material through a plurality of alternating exposures to gas phase precursors which infiltrate the resist material. The plasma etch resist material may be initially patterned using photolithography, electron-beam lithography or a block copolymer self-assembly process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: UCHICAGO ARGONNE LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng, Qing Peng
  • Patent number: 8980418
    Abstract: A plasma etch resist material modified by an inorganic protective component via sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) and methods of preparing the modified resist material. The modified resist material is characterized by an improved resistance to a plasma etching or related process relative to the unmodified resist material, thereby allowing formation of patterned features into a substrate material, which may be high-aspect ratio features. The SIS process forms the protective component within the bulk resist material through a plurality of alternating exposures to gas phase precursors which infiltrate the resist material. The plasma etch resist material may be initially patterned using photolithography, electron-beam lithography or a block copolymer self-assembly process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng, Qing Peng
  • Patent number: 8836944
    Abstract: Systems and methods for opto electric properties are provided. A light source illuminates a sample. A reference detector senses light from the light source. A sample detector receives light from the sample. A positioning fixture allows for relative positioning of the sample or the light source with respect to each other. An electrical signal device measures the electrical properties of the sample. The reference detector, sample detector and electrical signal device provide information that may be processed to determine opto-electric properties of the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Uchicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Maxim Nikiforov, Seth B. Darling, Ozgun Suzer, Jeffrey Guest, Andreas Roelofs
  • Publication number: 20130256265
    Abstract: Simplified methods of multiple-patterning photolithography using sequential infiltration synthesis to modify the photoresist such that it withstands plasma etching better than unmodified resist and replaces one or more hard masks and/or a freezing step in MPL processes including litho-etch-litho-etch photolithography or litho-freeze-litho-etch photolithography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: UChicago Argonne LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng
  • Publication number: 20120241411
    Abstract: A plasma etch resist material modified by an inorganic protective component via sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) and methods of preparing the modified resist material. The modified resist material is characterized by an improved resistance to a plasma etching or related process relative to the unmodified resist material, thereby allowing formation of patterned features into a substrate material, which may be high-aspect ratio features. The SIS process forms the protective component within the bulk resist material through a plurality of alternating exposures to gas phase precursors which infiltrate the resist material. The plasma etch resist material may be initially patterned using photolithography, electron-beam lithography or a block copolymer self-assembly process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Yu-Chih Tseng, Qing Peng
  • Patent number: 8269100
    Abstract: A hybrid photovoltaic cell comprising a composite substrate of a nanotube or nanorod array of metal oxide infiltrated with a monomer precursor and subsequently polymerized in situ via UV irradiation. In an embodiment, the photovoltaic cell comprises an electron accepting TiO2 nanotube array infiltrated with a photo-sensitive electron donating conjugated polymer. The conjugated polymer may be formed in situ through UV irradiation polymerizing a monomer precursor such as 2,5-diiodothiophene (DIT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Seth B. Darling, Sanja Tepavcevic, Tijana Rajh, Nada Dimitrijevic, Steven J. Sibener