Patents by Inventor Tom Aernouts

Tom Aernouts 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: 20230197353
    Abstract: A method for forming an intermediate structure in the formation of an optoelectronic device in provided. The method includes: a) obtaining a stack of layers over a substrate holder in a sputtering chamber, the stack of layers comprising an active layer comprising an active material having a perovskite crystal structure, an n-type semiconducting layer comprising a fullerene over the active layer, and an energy alignment layer comprising a lithium halide, a magnesium halide Al2O3 or a metal fluoride on, and in contact with, the n-type semiconducting layer, wherein the energy alignment layer comprises an exposed top surface, and b) sputtering an n-type semiconducting metal oxide layer on the exposed top surface of the energy alignment layer, wherein said sputtering is performed at a sputtering power density of at most 1 W·cm-2 and at a temperature of the stack of layers of at most 100° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Yinghuan Kuang, Tom Aernouts, Wenya Song, Stijn Lammar
  • Patent number: 8216633
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a layer of organic material. The method comprises providing onto a substrate, under deposition conditions, a layer of a solution comprising said organic material dissolved in a solvent; optionally partially drying said layer of solution; thereafter annealing said layer of solution, said annealing being applied before said layer of solution has been dried out completely and the duration of said annealing being limited such that said layer of solution is not dried out completely during the annealing, said annealing inducing reflow of said layer of solution; and thereafter drying out said layer of solution, said drying out being controlled such that it is performed slower than it would be under deposition conditions. The resulting layer of organic material shows an improvement of both the micro quality and the macro quality, leading to obtaining a fully continuous film with minor surface roughness and an accurate line resolution and edge definition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignees: IMEC, Universiteit Hasselt, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, K.U. Leuven R&D
    Inventors: Tom Aernouts, Frederik Christian Krebs, Peter Vanlaeke
  • Publication number: 20110186112
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a multi-junction photovoltaic module comprising a first photovoltaic sub-module and a second photovoltaic sub-module stacked on the first photovoltaic sub-module, wherein the first photovoltaic sub-module comprises a plurality of first photovoltaic sub-cells that are monolithically integrated on a first substrate and wherein the second photovoltaic sub-module comprises a plurality of second photovoltaic sub-cells that are monolithically integrated on a second substrate; the plurality of first photovoltaic sub-cells is substantially identical; the plurality of second photovoltaic sub-cells is substantially identical; the plurality of first photovoltaic sub-cells is electrically connected in series; the plurality of second photovoltaic sub-cells is electrically connected in series; the first photovoltaic sub-module and the second photovoltaic sub-module are electrically connected in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Tom Aernouts, Jef Poortmans
  • Publication number: 20090173937
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a layer of organic material. The method comprises providing onto a substrate, under deposition conditions, a layer of a solution comprising said organic material dissolved in a solvent; optionally partially drying said layer of solution; thereafter annealing said layer of solution, said annealing being applied before said layer of solution has been dried out completely and the duration of said annealing being limited such that said layer of solution is not dried out completely during the annealing, said annealing inducing reflow of said layer of solution; and thereafter drying out said layer of solution, said drying out being controlled such that it is performed slower than it would be under deposition conditions. The resulting layer of organic material shows an improvement of both the micro quality and the macro quality, leading to obtaining a fully continuous film with minor surface roughness and an accurate line resolution and edge definition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum vzw
    Inventors: Tom Aernouts, Frederik Christian Krebs, Peter Vanlaeke
  • Patent number: 6815711
    Abstract: An organic field-effect transistor comprises source and drain electrodes formed separately from each other on a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises at least an organic semiconductor layer constituting a channel between the source and drain electrodes, an insulation layer underlying the organic semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode formed on the opposite side of the isolation layer. The organic semiconductor layer comprises hole and electron transporters, wherein the electron transporters comprise (6,6)-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), and wherein the hole transporters comprise poly(2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylene-vinylene)(OC1C10-PPV) and/or poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignees: Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (IMEC), Agfa Gevaert
    Inventors: Wim Geens, Jef Poortmans, Tom Aernouts, Hieronymus Andriessen, Dirk Vanderzande
  • Publication number: 20030085397
    Abstract: An organic field-effect transistor comprises source and drain electrodes formed separately from each other on a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises at least an organic semiconductor layer constituting a channel between the source and drain electrodes, an insulation layer underlying the organic semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode formed on the opposite side of the isolation layer. The organic semiconductor layer comprises hole and electron transporters, wherein the electron transporters comprise (6,6)-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), and wherein the hole transporters comprise poly(2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1, 4-phenylene-vinylene)(OC1C10-PPV) and/or poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Wim Geens, Jef Poortmans, Tom Aernouts, Hieronymus Andriessen, Dirk Vanderzande