Patents by Inventor William B. Knowlton

William B. Knowlton 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: 20240034883
    Abstract: Dye aggregates that are templated to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) can exhibit different packing arrangements and, as an optically active medium, spectral properties of interest. Steric effects and properties of the linker that tethers the dye to a DNA scaffold (a simple nucleotide oligomer or more complex architectures) can used to fine tune the packing arrangement of the dyes to obtain desirable spectral properties. To gain access to J-aggregates (head-to-tail packing arrangement) as a source of fluorescent materials, the present disclosure is directed to two strategies that utilize rigid linkers to promote J-packing. Devices and methods of use also are disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Olga A. Mass, William B. Knowlton
  • Publication number: 20230331990
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to designing dyes and methods to alter the parameters controlling the dipole-dipole coupling of dyes bound to a nucleotide oligomer architecture, which are used to propagate excitons for use in next generation room temperature quantum information systems. The disclosed dyes and methods are directed to changing the dye stability, symmetry, overlap, and steric hindrance of the dyes to fine tune aggregate systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: William B. Knowlton, Bernard Yurke, Ryan D. Pensack, Paul H. Davis
  • Patent number: 11787947
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to designing dyes and methods to alter the parameters controlling the dipole-dipole coupling of dyes bound to a nucleotide oligomer architecture, which are used to propagate excitons for use in next generation room temperature quantum information systems. The disclosed dyes and methods are directed to changing the dye stability, symmetry, overlap, and steric hindrance of the dyes to fine tune aggregate systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Boise State University
    Inventors: William B. Knowlton, Bernard Yurke, Ryan D. Pensack, Paul H. Davis
  • Publication number: 20230250126
    Abstract: New phosphoramidite Cy5 derivatives can be used in automated DNA synthesis, allowing the labeling of DNA sequences with a wider array of chromophores than are presently commercially available. In addition to varying dye hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, the 5,5?-substituents (including hexyloxy, triethyleneglycol monomethyl ether, tert-butyl, and chloro groups) can modulate electron donating/withdrawing character while also tuning resulting absorption and emission properties. Modification of the Cy5 periphery enables the tuning of photophysical properties, such as absorption and emission maxima, fluorescence quantum yield, and fluorescence lifetime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Igor L. Medintz, Joseph Melinger, William B. Knowlton, Bernard Yurke, Kimihiro Susumu, Sang Ho Lee, Adam Meares, Divita Mathur, Olga A. Mass, Jeunghoon Lee, Ryan D. Pensack
  • Publication number: 20230147320
    Abstract: Using nucleotide architectures to very closely and precisely place chromophores on a nucleic acid template to form dye aggregates that produce quantum coherent excitons, biexcitons, and triexcitons upon excitement to create excitonic quantum wires, switching, and gates that would then form the basis of quantum computation. Creating the various excitons and controlling the timing of the excitons would be performed using light of the corresponding wavelength and polarization to stimulate the corresponding chromophores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventor: William B. Knowlton
  • Patent number: 11385235
    Abstract: The nucleotides can then be polymerized into oligomers. The design of the oligomers will depend on the design of the overall architecture. Simple architectures may be designed by any methods. However, more complex architectures may be design using software, such as caDNAno (as described at cadnano.org/docs.html, and herein incorporated by reference), to minimize errors and time. The user may input the desired shape of the architecture into the software and once finalized, the software will provide the oligomer sequences of the bricks to create the desired architecture. The length of the oligomers may be from about 10 to about 10,000, or less than about 9,000, less than about 8,000, less than about 5,000 nucleotides in length. The length of the oligomer will be optimized for the type of architecture used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Boise State University
    Inventors: William B. Knowlton, Bernard Yurke, Brittany Cannon, Elton Graugnard
  • Publication number: 20220186035
    Abstract: DNA has been employed to template dyes into controllable networks of dyes. However, dye-DNA constructs involving covalent tethering often suffer from the lack of structural rigidity due to DNA structural effects (e.g., DNA breathing). Moreover, attachment of a dye to DNA might result in more pronounced structural effects and loss of DNA structural integrity. Employing a dye as a nucleic acid crosslink will reduce deficiencies in DNA structural integrity by creating more rigid, stable, and robust dye-DNA networks while retaining the photophysical benefits of the desired dyes. The utilization of dye crosslinks offers a controllable spacing and orientation of dyes leading to a greater variety in the design of DNA-templated dye networks. Tetrapyrrole type dyes are of a particular interest. A notable chemical diversity of synthetic photo- and chemically stable tetrapyrroles with a variable substitution pattern allows fine-tuning of their chemical and photophysical properties within DNA-templated dye network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Olga A. Mass, William B. Knowlton
  • Publication number: 20220064104
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an all-optical excitonic switch comprising one or two oligonucleotides that comprises in turn donor/acceptor chromophores and photochromic nucleotide and is assembled with nanometer scale precision using DNA nanotechnology. The disclosed all-optical excitonic switches operate successfully in both liquid and solid phases, exhibiting high ON/OFF switching contrast with no apparent cyclic fatigue. The all-optical excitonic switches disclosed herein have small footprint and volume, low energy requirement, and potential ability to switch at speeds in tens of picosecond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: William B. Knowlton, Bernard Yurke, Donald L. Kellis, Paul H. Davis, Elton Graugnard, Jeunghoon Lee, Brittany L. Cannon, Andres Jäschke, Christopher Sarter
  • Publication number: 20200224035
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to designing dyes and methods to alter the parameters controlling the dipole-dipole coupling of dyes bound to a nucleotide oligomer architecture, which are used to propagate excitons for use in next generation room temperature quantum information systems. The disclosed dyes and methods are directed to changing the dye stability, symmetry, overlap, and steric hindrance of the dyes to fine tune aggregate systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: William B. Knowlton, Bernard Yurke, Ryan D. Pensack, Paul H. Davis, Jonathan Huff
  • Publication number: 20190101543
    Abstract: By bringing two chromophores close enough together such that near-filed interactions result in a change in absorption and can be measured by absorbance or visually observed with the eye. Examples of near-field interactions that could cause such an effect include electromagnetic dipole-dipole interactions and interactions resulting from orbital overlap as the chromophores are bought very proximate to one another. The change in absorption results in a color change and stronger absorption which produces a brighter color. The manner in which the multiple chromophores are placed close enough together is by using nucleotide self-assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: William B. Knowlton, Bernard Yurke, Brittany Cannon, Elton Graugnard
  • Publication number: 20190048036
    Abstract: Using nucleotide architectures to very closely and precisely placed chromophores that produce quantum coherent excitons, biexcitons, and triexcitons upon excitement to create excitonic quantum wires, switching, and gates that would then form the basis of quantum computation. Creating the various excitons and controlling the timing of the excitons would be performed using light of the corresponding wavelength and polarization to stimulate the corresponding chromophores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Bernard Yurke, William B. Knowlton
  • Patent number: 8670267
    Abstract: A data storage method includes writing data to a ferromagnetic shape-memory material in its ferromagnetic state, the material exhibiting more than two stable states. A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory element containing a ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy in a martensite state, the shape-memory alloy being ferromagnetic in a plurality of stable states of the memory element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Boise State University
    Inventors: Chad S. Watson, William B. Knowlton, Peter Müllner
  • Publication number: 20120236632
    Abstract: A data storage method includes writing data to a ferromagnetic shape-memory material in its ferromagnetic state, the material exhibiting more than two stable states. A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory element containing a ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy in a martensite state, the shape-memory alloy being ferromagnetic in a plurality of stable states of the memory element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Chad S. Watson, William B. Knowlton, Peter Müllner
  • Patent number: 8233314
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed that enable writing data on, and reading data of, multi-state elements having greater than two states. The elements may be made of magnetoplastic and/or magnetoelastic materials, including, for example, magnetic shape-memory alloy or other materials that couple magnetic and crystallographic states. The writing process is preferably conducted through the application of a magnetic field and/or a mechanical action. The reading process is preferably conducted through atomic-force microscopy, magnetic-force microscopy, spin-polarized electrons, magneto-optical Kerr effect, optical interferometry or other methods, or other methods/effects. The multifunctionality (crystallographic, magnetic, and shape states each representing a functionality) of the multi-state elements allows for simultaneous operations including read&write, sense&indicate, and sense&control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Boise State University
    Inventors: Peter Mullner, William B Knowlton
  • Publication number: 20110110139
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed that enable writing data on, and reading data of, multi-state elements having greater than two states. The elements may be made of magnetoplastic and/or magnetoelastic materials, including, for example, magnetic shape-memory alloy or other materials that couple magnetic and crystallographic states. The writing process is preferably conducted through the application of a magnetic field and/or a mechanical action. The reading process is preferably conducted through atomic-force microscopy, magnetic-force microscopy, spin-polarized electrons, magneto-optical Kerr effect, optical interferometry or other methods, or other methods/effects. The multifunctionality (crystallographic, magnetic, and shape states each representing a functionality) of the multi-state elements allows for simultaneous operations including read&write, sense&indicate, and sense&control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: PETER MULLNER, WILLIAM B. KNOWLTON
  • Patent number: 7710766
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed that enable writing data on, and reading data of, multi-state elements having greater than two states. The elements may be made of magnetoplastic and/or magnetoelastic materials, including, for example, magnetic shape-memory alloy or other materials that couple magnetic and crystallographic states. The writing process is preferably conducted through the application of a magnetic field and/or a mechanical action. The reading process is preferably conducted through atomic-force microscopy, magnetic-force microscopy, spin-polarized electrons, magneto-optical Kerr effect, optical interferometry or other methods, or other methods/effects. The multifunctionality (crystallographic, magnetic, and shape states each representing a functionality) of the multi-state elements allows for simultaneous operations including read&write, sense&indicate, and sense&control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Boise State University
    Inventors: Peter Mullner, William B. Knowlton
  • Patent number: 7628902
    Abstract: A method of electrochemical deposition uses microdroplets of electrolytic solution over a targeted small circuit element. Only the targeted circuit element is electrically biased so that deposition occurs on the surface of that element, underneath the microdroplet, and nowhere else unless it is under other microdroplet(s). The invented method achieves extremely accurate and selective electrochemical deposition with a tiny amount of electrolytic solution, compared to conventional submersive and/or immersive methods, and eliminates the need for masking or etching, reducing the costs of manufacture and amount of waste electrolytic solution produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Boise State University
    Inventors: William B. Knowlton, Dale D. Russell