Patents by Inventor Zongfu Yu

Zongfu Yu 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: 20180351024
    Abstract: Optoelectronic devices that use very thin single-crystalline inorganic semiconductor films as phonon-absorbing layers in combination with non-lattice optical cavities are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Zhenqiang Ma, Zhenyang Xia, Qiaoqiang Gan, Haomin Song, Zongfu Yu, Ming Zhou
  • Patent number: 10107940
    Abstract: A resonator coupled to a system exhibiting a negative phase index of refraction presents a magnified absorption cross-section providing an optical element that can be used for enhancing taggant detection or increasing photodetector efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Zongfu Yu, Ming Zhou
  • Publication number: 20170108620
    Abstract: A resonator coupled to a system exhibiting a negative phase index of refraction presents a magnified absorption cross-section providing an optical element that can be used for enhancing taggant detection or increasing photodetector efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Zongfu Yu, Ming Zhou
  • Patent number: 9568363
    Abstract: A spectrometer employs multiple filters having complex filter spectra that can be generated robustly from received light over short optical path lengths. The complex filter spectra provide data that can be converted to a spectrum of the received light using compressed sensing techniques. The result is a more compact, easily manufactured spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventor: Zongfu Yu
  • Publication number: 20150211922
    Abstract: A spectrometer employs multiple filters having complex filter spectra that can be generated robustly from received light over short optical path lengths. The complex filter spectra provide data that can be converted to a spectrum of the received light using compressed sensing techniques. The result is a more compact, easily manufactured spectrometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventor: Zongfu Yu
  • Patent number: 8896077
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device comprising an optically active layer that includes a plurality of domes is presented. The plurality of domes is arrayed in two dimensions having a periodicity in each dimension that is less than or comparable with the shortest wavelength in a spectral range of interest. By virtue of the plurality of domes, the optoelectronic device achieves high performance. A solar cell having high energy-conversion efficiency, improved absorption over the spectral range of interest, and an improved acceptance angle is presented as an exemplary device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Yi Cui, Jia Zhu, Ching-Mei Hsu, Shanhui Fan, Zongfu Yu
  • Publication number: 20140102686
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a device is disclosed comprising a macroscopic thermal body and an extraction structure that is electromagnetically-coupled to the thermal emitting area of the thermal body. The macroscopic thermal body having a thermal emitting area, and the extraction structure configured and arranged to facilitate emission from, or receipt to the thermal emitting area that exceeds a theoretical, Stefan-Boltzmann, emission limit for a blackbody having the same thermal emitting area as the thermal body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Zongfu Yu, Nicholas Sergeant, Torbjorn Skauli, Gang Zhang, Hailiang Wang, Shanhui Fan
  • Patent number: 8639064
    Abstract: The refractive index of the at least one photonic structure having two separate photonic bands is modulated, so that light supplied to the at least one photonic structure and initially in one of the two photonic bands of the traveling along a forward direction in the at least one photonic structure is converted to light in a second one of the photonic bands, and light in the one photonic band traveling along a backward direction opposite to the forward direction in the at least one photonic structure is not converted and remains in the one photonic band, achieving non-reciprocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Zongfu Yu, Shanhui Fan
  • Patent number: 8318604
    Abstract: A method for forming a substrate comprising nanometer-scale pillars or cones that project from the surface of the substrate is disclosed. The method enables control over physical characteristics of the projections including diameter, sidewall angle, and tip shape. The method further enables control over the arrangement of the projections including characteristics such as center-to-center spacing and separation distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Yi Cui, Jia Zhu, Ching-Mei Hsu, Stephen T. Connor, Zongfu Yu, Shanhui Fan, George Burkhard
  • Publication number: 20110121431
    Abstract: A method for forming a substrate comprising nanometer-scale pillars or cones that project from the surface of the substrate is disclosed. The method enables control over physical characteristics of the projections including diameter, sidewall angle, and tip shape. The method further enables control over the arrangement of the projections including characteristics such as center-to-center spacing and separation distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Yi Cui, Jia Zhu, Ching-Mei Hsu, Stephen T. Connor, Zongfu Yu, Shanhui Fan, George Burkhard
  • Publication number: 20110095389
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device comprising an optically active layer that includes a plurality of domes is presented. The plurality of domes is arrayed in two dimensions having a periodicity in each dimension that is less than or comparable with the shortest wavelength in a spectral range of interest. By virtue of the plurality of domes, the optoelectronic device achieves high performance. A solar cell having high energy-conversion efficiency, improved absorption over the spectral range of interest, and an improved acceptance angle is presented as an exemplary device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Yi Cui, Jia Zhu, Ching-Mei Hsu, Shanhui Fan, Zongfu Yu
  • Publication number: 20110002573
    Abstract: The refractive index of the at least one photonic structure having two separate photonic bands is modulated, so that light supplied to the at least one photonic structure and initially in one of the two photonic bands of the traveling along a forward direction in the at least one photonic structure is converted to light in a second one of the photonic bands, and light in the one photonic band traveling along a backward direction opposite to the forward direction in the at least one photonic structure is not converted and remains in the one photonic band, achieving non-reciprocity. An interferometer comprises a first and a second photonic structure coupled at two coupler regions. The first photonic structure has two separate photonic bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Zongfu Yu, Shanhui Fan