Patents by Inventor Zhengguo Zhu

Zhengguo Zhu 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: 8008424
    Abstract: Photovoltaic cells with thiazole-containing polymers, as well as related components, systems, and methods, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Richard Kingsborough, Xiaobo Shi, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Patent number: 7875205
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell has two electrodes and a hole injection layer. A liquid crystal material and a plurality of particles can be disposed between the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignees: Konarka Technologies, Inc., University of Delaware
    Inventors: Mary E. Galvin, Russell Gaudiana, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Publication number: 20100307594
    Abstract: Disclosed are certain polymeric compounds and their use as organic semiconductors in organic and hybrid optical, optoelectronic, and/or electronic devices such as photovoltaic cells, light emitting diodes, light emitting transistors, and field effect transistors. The disclosed compounds can provide improved device performance, for example, as measured by power conversion efficiency, fill factor, open circuit voltage, field-effect mobility, on/off current ratios, and/or air stability when used in photovoltaic cells or transistors. The disclosed compounds can have good solubility in common solvents enabling device fabrication via solution processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Zhengguo Zhu, Martin Drees, Hualong Pan, Yan Yao, He Yan, Shaofeng Lu, Antonio Facchetti
  • Publication number: 20100310424
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to polymers with lasing characteristics that allow the polymers to be useful in detecting analytes. In one aspect, the polymer, upon an interaction with an analyte, may exhibit a change in a lasing characteristic that can be determined in some fashion. For example, interaction of an analyte with the polymer may affect the ability of the polymer to reach an excited state that allows stimulated emission of photons to occur, which may be determined, thereby determining the analyte. In another aspect, the polymer, upon interaction with an analyte, may exhibit a change in stimulated emission that is at least 10 times greater with respect to a change in the spontaneous emission of the polymer upon interaction with the analyte. The polymer may be a conjugated polymer in some cases. In one set of embodiments, the polymer includes one or more hydrocarbon side chains, which may be parallel to the polymer backbone in some instances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Aimee Rose, Timothy M. Swager, Zhengguo Zhu, Vladimir Bulovic, Conor F. Madigan
  • Patent number: 7781673
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a polymer containing a first comonomer repeat unit and a second comonomer repeat unit. The first comonomer repeat unit includes a cyclopentadithiophene moiety. The second comonomer repeat unit includes a thienothiophene moiety, a thienothiophene tetraoxide moiety, a dithienothiophene moiety, a dithienothiophene dioxide moiety, a dithienothiophene tetraoxide moiety, or a tetrahydroisoindole moiety. The polymer can be used as a photoactive material in a photovoltaic cell. This disclosure also relates to such photovoltaic cells, as well as modules containing such photovoltaic cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Richard Kingsborough, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Patent number: 7772485
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a polymer containing a first comonomer repeat unit and a second comonomer repeat unit different from the first comonomer repeat unit. The first comonomer repeat unit includes a cyclopentadithiophene moiety. The polymer can be used as a photoactive material in a photovoltaic cell. This disclosure also relates to such photovoltaic cells, as well as modules containing such photovoltaic cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Richard Kingsborough, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Publication number: 20100180944
    Abstract: Polymers with low band gaps and high charge mobility, as well as related systems, methods and components are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Richard Kingsborough, Xiaobo Shi, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Patent number: 7759127
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to polymers with lasing characteristics that allow the polymers to be useful in detecting analytes. In one aspect, the polymer, upon an interaction with an analyte, may exhibit a change in a lasing characteristic that can be determined in some fashion. For example, interaction of an analyte with the polymer may affect the ability of the polymer to reach an excited state that allows stimulated emission of photons to occur, which may be determined, thereby determining the analyte. In another aspect, the polymer, upon interaction with an analyte, may exhibit a change in stimulated emission that is at least 10 times greater with respect to a change in the spontaneous emission of the polymer upon interaction with the analyte. The polymer may be a conjugated polymer in some cases. In one set of embodiments, the polymer includes one or more hydrocarbon side chains, which may be parallel to the polymer backbone in some instances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Aimee Rose, Timothy M. Swager, Zhengguo Zhu, Vladimir Bulovic, Conor F. Madigan
  • Publication number: 20100032018
    Abstract: Novel photoactive polymers, as well as related components, articles, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhengguo Zhu, David Waller
  • Patent number: 7544747
    Abstract: The present invention relates to fullerene derivatives including a pendant group that may be reacted to prepare a composition including a plurality of covalently bound fullerenes. The pendant group may be a cyclic ether, such as an epoxide. The present invention also relates to compositions including reaction products of these fullerene derivatives and photovoltaic devices including such polymeric compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Savvas Hadjikyriacou, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Publication number: 20090050207
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell has two electrodes and a hole injection layer. A liquid crystal material and a plurality of particles can be disposed between the electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: KONARKA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Mary Galvin, Russell Gaudiana, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Patent number: 7494698
    Abstract: Shape-persistent organic materials, including polymers, with large degrees of interior free volume are described, along with behaviors and phenomena enabled by their unique properties. One class of such a material is built up from triptycene base moieties wherein three benzene rings are bridged together about a [2.2.2] tricyclic ring system. These units can be assembled into discreet molecules and polymers. These materials and/or formulations thereof with liquid crystals or polymers are useful for the complexation of chemicals and/or polymers; they have very low dielectric constants for use as coatings in dielectric circuits, they provide additional ordering mechanisms in liquid crystals, and they display unusual mechanical responses when subjected to electrochemical, chemical, or mechanical stimuli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Timothy M. Long, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Patent number: 7466376
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell has two electrodes and a hole injection layer. A liquid crystal material and a plurality of particles can be disposed between the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mary Galvin, Russell Gaudiana, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Patent number: 7414188
    Abstract: Co-sensitizers that co-adsorb with a sensitizing dye to the surface of an interconnected semiconductor oxide nanoparticle material increase the efficiency of photovoltaic cells by improving their charge transfer efficiency and reducing the back transfer of electrons from the interconnected semiconductor oxide nanoparticle material to the sensitizing dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Savvas E. Hadjikyriacou, Jin-An He, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080188634
    Abstract: Shape-persistent organic materials, including polymers, with large degrees of interior free volume are described, along with behaviors and phenomena enabled by their unique properties. One class of such a material is built up from triptycene base moieties wherein three benzene rings are bridged together about a [2.2.2] tricyclic ring system. These units can be assembled into discreet molecules and polymers. These materials and/or formulations thereof with liquid crystals or polymers are useful for the complexation of chemicals and/or polymers; they have very low dielectric constants for use as coatings in dielectric circuits, they provide additional ordering mechanisms in liquid crystals, and they display unusual mechanical responses when subjected to electrochemical, chemical, or mechanical stimuli.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Timothy M. Swager, Timothy M. Long, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080121281
    Abstract: Photovoltaic cells with thiazole-containing polymers, as well as related components, systems, and methods, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: KONARKA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Richard Kingsborough, Xiaobo Shi, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080105852
    Abstract: The present invention relates to fullerene derivatives including a pendant group that may be reacted to prepare a composition including a plurality of covalently bound fullerenes. The pendant group may be a cyclic ether, such as an epoxide. The present invention also relates to compositions including reaction products of these fullerene derivatives and photovoltaic devices including such polymeric compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Savvas Hadjikyriacou, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080087324
    Abstract: Photovoltaic cells with silole-containing polymers, as well as related systems, methods and components are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: KONARKA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Richard Kingsborough, Xiaobo Shi, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Patent number: 7329709
    Abstract: The present invention relates to fullerene derivatives including a pendant group that may be reacted to prepare a composition including a plurality of covalently bound fullerenes. The pendant group may be a cyclic ether, such as an epoxide. The present invention also relates to compositions including reaction products of these fullerene derivatives and photovoltaic devices including such polymeric compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Konarka Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Savvas Hadjikyriacou, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu
  • Publication number: 20070267055
    Abstract: Tandem photovoltaic cells, as well as related components, systems, and methods, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Russell Gaudiana, Richard Kingsborough, Xiaobo Shi, David Waller, Zhengguo Zhu