Using Laser Patents (Class 204/157.41)
  • Patent number: 12024461
    Abstract: An opaque gahnite-spinel glass ceramic is provided. The glass ceramic includes a first crystal phase including (MgxZn1-x)Al2O4 where x is less than 1 and a second crystal phase includes at least one of tetragonal ZrO2, MgTa2O6, mullite, and cordierite. The glass ceramic has a Young's modulus greater than or equal to 90 GPa, and has a hardness greater than or equal to 7.5 GPa. The glass ceramic may be ion exchanged. Methods for producing the glass ceramic are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: George Halsey Beall, Alexandra Lai Ching Kao Andrews Mitchell, Charlene Marie Smith
  • Patent number: 11585771
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of producing metal nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotubes. The methods include forming a reaction mixture by combining a first solution with a second solution, wherein the first solution comprises polymer-coated metal nanoparticles comprising metallic nanoparticles coated with a polymer, and wherein the second solution comprises carbon nanotubes. The methods also include heating the reaction mixture to a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature of the polymer for a time sufficient to cause the polymer-coated metal nanoparticles to bind to the carbon nanotubes forming the metal nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Gabriel Iftime, Clinton Smith, David Eric Schwartz, Yong Zhang, Vedasri Vedharathinam
  • Patent number: 11577209
    Abstract: A reactor for nanoparticle production comprising a main chamber including a first nozzle to which raw material gas is supplied, a lens housing connected to the main chamber in a fluidly movable manner and including a second nozzle for supplying flushing gas to the lens housing, a lens mounted on the lens housing, a light source for irradiating a laser, which passes through the lens to reach the raw material gas in the main chamber, and a hood for discharging nanoparticles generated in the main chamber. A cross-sectional area of at least a part of the lens housing decreases along a direction facing the main chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Eun Jeong Kim, Jun Won Choi, Jin Mi Jung, Ye Hoon Im, Bu Gon Shin
  • Patent number: 11439972
    Abstract: A method for the infrared-light-induced yield optimization of chemical reactions is provided. An energy input into at least one starting material that is subjected to a chemical reaction takes place by means of infrared light pulses having a mean wavelength in the range of 2000 to 100000 nm. The chemical reaction here is a reaction in which a product, the molecular formula of which does not correspond to the molecular formula of the starting material, is formed and wherein the yield optimization for the most part is not based on a thermal heating of the starting material. The infrared light pulses have a fixed wavelength and the energy input into the starting material takes place by means of vibration excitation by a one-photon process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: FREIE UNIVERSITÄT BERLIN
    Inventors: Karsten Heyne, Florian Kössl, Valeri Kozich
  • Patent number: 11317637
    Abstract: A system capable of a germicidal treatment of highly opaque liquids, featuring a filter, which prevents wavelengths above the UV-C spectrum reaching the liquid being treated, one or more spiral-shaped tubes extending from an inlet end to an outlet end creating a fluidic pathway, and one or more light sources illuminating the one or more spiral-shaped tubes, wherein the one or more light sources emit light in a wavelength range between 180-300 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Lyras DK ApS
    Inventor: Rasmus Mortensen
  • Patent number: 11104800
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a resin composition for vehicle parts, a vehicle part manufactured using the resin composition, and a method of manufacturing the vehicle part. Ultra-high molecular weight siloxane and an inorganic filler are mixed with an alloy resin of polyamide and polyethylene at an optimal rate in order to improve friction resistance and wear resistance while maintaining excellent impact resistance and low hygroscopicity. When a vehicle part is manufactured using the resin composition, it is possible to eliminate the application of silicone-based oil or to remarkably reduce the amount of silicone-based oil that is used, whereby it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs. Furthermore, ingredients that are harmful to human beings, such as POM, are not included, whereby it is possible to improve the quality of air in a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION, KOREA ENGINEERING PLASTICS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Dong Uk Lee, Won Jin Seo, Sung Hyun Lee, Soon Joon Jung, Bong Joo Park, Jae Won Moon
  • Patent number: 10576541
    Abstract: A process comprising providing a metallic first powder having a plurality of first particles. The process includes adding a second material to the first powder, the second material having a plurality of second particles. The process includes combining the first powder with the second material to form a modified powder including modified powder particles having an interior portion containing an interior composition, and an outer surface portion with an outer composition different from the interior composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James T Beals, Ying She, Vijay Jagdale, John A Sharon
  • Patent number: 10519051
    Abstract: A system has been developed to treat ballast water by selectively dissociating target molecules into component products compositionally distinct from the target molecule, wherein the bonds of the target molecule do not reform because the components are no longer reactive with each other. Dissociation is affected by treating the target molecule with light at a frequency and intensity, alone or in combination with a catalyst in an amount effective to selectively break bonds within the target molecule. Dissociation does not result in re-association into the target molecule by the reverse process, and does not produce component products which have a change in oxidation number or state incorporated oxygen or other additives because the process does not proceed via a typical reduction-oxidation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Inventors: Richard W. Fahs, II, Matthew D. W. Fahs
  • Patent number: 10464169
    Abstract: Metallic nanorods are welded together in a controllable fashion. A suspension of metallic nanorods coated with an anionic polymer is contracted with linking molecules each comprising a liquid crystal with at least two available carboxylic acid moieties. The nanoparticles to self-assemble into dimers. Irradiation of the dimers with femtosecond radiation forms a metallic junction between them and welds the dimers into fused dimers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jake Fontana, Steven R. Flom, Jawad Naciri, Banahalli R. Ratna
  • Patent number: 10449507
    Abstract: Methods for converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into graphene are described. The methods include contacting a metal with gaseous carbon dioxide, and irradiating a surface of the metal with at least one laser beam to convert the gaseous carbon dioxide into graphene on the surface of the metal. Systems for converting carbon dioxide into graphene are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development, LLC
    Inventors: Chongjun Zhao, Jianbo Dong, Youfu Huang, Xiuzhen Qian
  • Patent number: 10294582
    Abstract: The present invention includes methods of promoting single crystal growth via solid-solid transformation of an appropriate glass, while avoiding the gaseous or liquid phase. In certain embodiments, in the all-solid-state glass-to-crystal transformation of the invention, extraneous nucleation is avoided relative to crystal growth via spatially localized laser heating and optional inclusion of a suitable glass former in the composition. The ability to fabricate patterned single-crystal architecture on a glass surface was demonstrated, providing a new class of micro-structured substrate for low cost epitaxial growth and active planar devices, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Himanshu Jain, Dmytro Savytskyy, Volkmar Dierolf
  • Patent number: 10287193
    Abstract: A system has been developed to treat ballast water by selectively dissociating target molecules into component products compositionally distinct from the target molecule, wherein the bonds of the target molecule do not reform because the components are no longer reactive with each other. Dissociation is affected by treating the target molecule with light at a frequency and intensity, alone or in combination with a catalyst in an amount effective to selectively break bonds within the target molecule. Dissociation does not result in re-association into the target molecule by the reverse process, and does not produce component products which have a change in oxidation number or state incorporated oxygen or other additives because the process does not proceed via a typical reduction-oxidation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: FAHS STAGEMYER LLC
    Inventors: Richard W. Fahs, Matthew D. W. Fahs
  • Patent number: 10290797
    Abstract: A method includes providing a film having an initial uniform oxygen state on a substrate and annealing the film in a thermal gradient annealing device while applying a steady-state thermal gradient and a uniaxial pressure until the film comprises two or more discrete regions, where at least one of the regions has a final stabilized oxygen state different from the initial uniform oxygen state. The film is a high-temperature compound belonging to the class of compounds having a compositional form of R1?yMyBa2Cu3?zTzOx, where 6?x?7, where 0?y?1, where 0?z?1, where R comprises at least one of a rare earth and calcium, where M comprises at least one of a rare earth distinct from that of R and calcium if absent from R, where T comprises at least one of cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Taylor
  • Patent number: 10283695
    Abstract: A method includes providing a film of a high-temperature superconductor compound on a substrate, where a portion of the film has a first oxygen state, and exposing a portion of the film to a focused ion beam to create a structure within the film. The structure may result from the portion of the film being partially or completely removed. The structure may be a trench along the length or width of the film. The method may include annealing the exposed portion of the film to a second oxygen state. The oxygen content of the second oxygen state may be greater or less than the oxygen content of the first oxygen state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Taylor, Teresa H. Emery
  • Patent number: 10281263
    Abstract: Methods and systems for performing optical measurements of geometric structures filled with an adsorbate by a gaseous adsorption process are presented herein. Measurements are performed while the metrology target under measurement is treated with a flow of purge gas that includes a controlled amount of fill material. A portion of the fill material adsorbs onto the structures under measurement and fills openings in the structural features, spaces between structural features, small volumes such as notches, trenches, slits, contact holes, etc. In one aspect, the desired degree of saturation of vaporized material in the gaseous flow is determined based on the maximum feature size to be filled. In one aspect, measurement data is collected when a structure is unfilled and when the structure is filled by gaseous adsorption. The collected data is combined in a multi-target model based measurement to reduce parameter correlations and improve measurement performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventor: Shankar Krishnan
  • Patent number: 10249509
    Abstract: Provided is a method and system for cleaning a substrate with a cleaning system comprising a pre-treatment system using an atomic oxygen generator. The substrate includes a layer to be cleaned and an underlying dielectric layer having a k-value. Pre-treatment gas comprising oxygen and an inert gas are delivered into an atomic oxygen generator, generating a process gas containing atomic oxygen. A portion of a surface of the substrate is exposed to the process gas while controlling two or more cleaning operating variables to ensure meeting two or more cleaning objectives and ensure completion of cleaning in the pre-treatment process time. In an embodiment, cleaning of the substrate in the pre-treatment process is set at less than 100 percent and a subsequent wet cleaning process is used to complete the substrate cleaning. In another embodiment, the pre-treatment system is configured to complete cleaning of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Ian J. Brown
  • Patent number: 10217635
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a target etching layer on a substrate, patterning the target etching layer to form a pattern layer including a pattern portion having a first height and a first width and a recess portion having a second width, providing a first gas and a second gas on the pattern layer, and performing a reaction process including reacting the first and second gases with a surface of the pattern portion by irradiating a laser beam on the pattern layer. The performing the reaction process includes removing a portion of sidewalls of the pattern portion so that the pattern portion has a third width that is smaller than the first width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Seung Moon, Byung Gook Kim, Jae Hyuck Choi, Sung Won Kwon
  • Patent number: 10145674
    Abstract: Methods and systems for performing optical measurements of geometric structures filled by a capillary condensation process are presented herein. Measurements are performed while the structures under measurement are treated with a flow of purge gas that includes a controlled amount of fill material. A portion of the fill material condenses onto the structures under measurement and fills openings in the structural features, spaces between structural features, small volumes such as notches, trenches, slits, contact holes, etc. The degree of saturation of vaporized material in the gaseous flow is adjusted based on the maximum feature size to be filled. In some examples, measurement data, such as spectroscopic data or image data, are collected when a structure is unfilled and when the structure is filled by capillary condensation. The collected data are combined to improve measurement performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventor: Shankar Krishnan
  • Patent number: 10113250
    Abstract: Methods of producing continuous carbon fibers for composites having enhanced moldability are provided. Discrete regions are introduced into a continuous precursor fiber comprising an acrylic polymer material, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN) during carbon fiber manufacture. Laser energy may be applied to the precursor fiber while it is in an oven or furnace to create heterogeneous fibers with discrete regions where laser energy is applied. In other aspects, mechanical pressure may be intermittently applied to create the discrete regions. After the continuous precursor fiber is fully heated for carbonization and/or graphitization, the precursor forms a continuous carbon fiber having a plurality of discrete weak regions. These relatively weak regions provide noncontiguous break points that reduce stiffness and improve moldability for carbon fiber polymeric composites, while retaining high strength levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Hamid G. Kia
  • Patent number: 9950318
    Abstract: A process for treating metal oxide catalysts includes activating one or more lasers to produce laser light. The process also includes exposing at least a portion of the metal oxide catalyst to the laser light to increase hydrophobicity of the metal oxide catalyst. The metal oxide catalyst may include a plurality of metal oxide particles or a metal oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott B. King, Brandon M. Kobilka, Joseph Kuczynski, Jason T. Wertz
  • Patent number: 9914103
    Abstract: A method for processing liquids and suspensions using shockwaves that includes providing an apparatus including a shockwaves generation and processing sections and a reaction products dumping tank or reservoir; placing media to be processed into the shockwaves processing section through continuous or intermittent injection; introducing a pressurizing gas into the shockwaves generation section; introducing a detonable mixture into the shockwaves generation section; causing formation of at least one of a shockwave within the shockwaves generation section by igniting the detonable mixture so that at least one of a shockwave propagates from detonation section into shockwaves processing section; utilizing physical, chemical, biological or mechanical effects of the shockwaves in the shockwaves processing section; purging detonation products and pressurizing gas from the shockwaves generation section into reaction products dumping tank; and repeating to achieving a pre-determined degree of processing liquids, liquid
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Inventor: Shmuel Eidelman
  • Patent number: 9855618
    Abstract: Provided are a method of soldering a functionalized metal oxide, and an electronic device manufactured thereby, and more particularly, a method of soldering a functionalized metal oxide which is capable of growing a solder structure by a hydrothermal synthesis method using a pulsed laser, and is usable in a UV sensor, and an electronic device manufactured thereby. According to the present invention, thermal diffusion generated from a laser is limited due to the use of a pulsed laser, and thus, nanosolder having high density and a shape to be precisely adjustable may be prepared by a hydrothermal synthesis method by the pulsed laser, thereby facilitating the joining of the nanostructure, and further, the nanosolder is formed between the nanostructures, thereby being usable as a metal oxide structure having functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Kyoungsik Yu, Kyungmook Kwon, Jaeho Shim, Kyunghan Choi
  • Patent number: 9825286
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrode comprising a core-shell nanocomposite material of which the core is made from silicon and the shell from carbon is provided. The method includes A) synthesising the nanocomposite material by pyrolysing a silicon core to form a core and then pyrolysing a a carbon shell precursor to form a carbon shell around the core, wherein the quantities of silicon and carbon precursor are injected in a proportion such that the mass percentage of carbon in the nanocomposite material is greater than or equal to 45%; B) dispersing the nanocomposite material synthesised in step A) in a solvent to form an ink; C) applying this ink to a support intended to form an electricity collector; D) eliminating the solvent from the ink applied to the support in step C) to obtain the electrode; E) pressing or calendaring the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Yann Leconte, Nathalie Herlin-Boime, Axelle Quinsac, Willy Porcher, Marc Brestaz, Séverine Jouanneau Si Larbi
  • Patent number: 9768370
    Abstract: A superconductor tape includes a plurality of conductive strips having respective long directions parallel to a long tape direction of the superconductor tape, where each of the plurality of conductive strips separated from one another by a inter-strip region. The superconductor tape further includes a superconductor layer disposed adjacent the plurality of conductive strips, having a length along the long tape direction, where the superconductor layer comprises a plurality of superconductor strips disposed under the respective plurality of conductive strips, and a non-superconductor strip disposed adjacent the inter-strip region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Connie P. Wang, Paul Sullivan, Paul Murphy, Kasegn D. Tekletsadik, Bharatwaj Ramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 9745192
    Abstract: In the synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) via high temperature, high pressure methods, a boron feedstock may be elevated above its melting point in a nitrogen environment at an elevated pressure. Methods and apparatus for supporting the boron feedstock and subsequent boron melt are described that enhance BNNT synthesis. A target holder having a boron nitride interface layer thermally insulates the target holder from the boron melt. Using one or more lasers as a heat source, mirrors may be positioned to reflect and control the distribution of heat in the chamber. The flow of nitrogen gas in the chamber may be heated and controlled through heating elements and flow control baffles to enhance BNNT formation. Cooling systems and baffle elements may provide additional control of the BNNT production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: BNNT, LLC
    Inventors: Michael W. Smith, Kevin C. Jordan, Jonathan C. Stevens, R. Roy Whitney
  • Patent number: 9615439
    Abstract: A system for forming a laser-sustained plasma includes a gas containment element, an illumination source configured to generate pump illumination, and a collector element. The gas containment element is configured to contain a volume of a gas mixture. The collector element is configured to focus the pump illumination from the pumping source into the volume of the gas mixture contained within the gas containment element in order to generate a plasma within the volume of the gas mixture that emits broadband radiation. The gas mixture filters one or more selected wavelengths of radiation emitted by the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Kenneth P. Gross, Richard Solarz, Lauren Wilson, Rahul Yadav, Joshua Wittenberg, Anant Chimmalgi, Xiumei Liu, Brooke Bruguier
  • Patent number: 9537046
    Abstract: In an optical device wafer processing method, a light emitting layer on the front side of a wafer is removed by applying a pulsed laser beam to the wafer along division lines from the back side of a substrate with the focal point of the beam set near the light emitting layer, thereby partially removing the light emitting layer along the division lines. A shield tunnel is formed by applying the beam to the wafer along the division lines from the back of the substrate with the focal point of the beam set near the front of the substrate. This forms a plurality of shield tunnels arranged along each division line, each shield tunnel extending from the front side of the substrate to the back side thereof. Each shield tunnel has a fine hole and an amorphous region formed around the fine hole for shielding the fine hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Takeda, Hiroshi Morikazu
  • Patent number: 9475027
    Abstract: A method for processing liquids and suspensions using shockwaves that includes providing an apparatus including a shockwaves generation section and a shockwaves processing section; placing media to be processed into the shockwaves processing section through continuous or intermittent injection; introducing a pressurizing gas into the shockwaves generation section; introducing a detonable mixture into the shockwaves generation section; causing formation of at least one of a shockwave within the shockwaves generation section by igniting the detonable mixture so that at least one of a shockwave propagates from detonation section into shockwaves processing section; utilizing physical, chemical, biological or mechanical effects of the shockwaves in the shockwaves processing section; venting detonation products from the shockwaves generation section via a pressure relief valve; and repeating to achieving a pre-determined degree of processing liquids, liquid suspension, colloids, gels, pastes located in the shockwav
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventors: Shmuel Eidelman, Gabriel Eidelman
  • Patent number: 9475985
    Abstract: A composite of the invention is a homogenous mixture of room temperature vulcanizing material or polymer and luminescent silicon nanoparticles. The composite can be formed into a film and can serve as a paint, adhesive, or coating, depending upon the material or polymer used. A preferred polymer is polyurethane. A method for forming a silicon nanoparticle and room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) material or polymer composite of the invention includes steps of providing silicon nanoparticles that were prepared in a solvent. The solvent is mixed with RTV or polymer precursors. The RTV or polymer components are permitted to cure. A preferred solvent is isopropynol alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: NanoSi Advanced Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Munir H. Nayfeh, Ebtesam Mohammed Salah Al-Olayan
  • Patent number: 9466464
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for patterning of substrates using charged particle beams without photomasks and without a resist layer. Material can be removed from a substrate, as directed by a design layout database, localized to positions targeted by multiple, matched charged particle beams. Reducing the number of process steps, and eliminating lithography steps, in localized material removal has the dual benefit of reducing manufacturing cycle time and increasing yield by lowering the probability of defect introduction. Furthermore, highly localized, precision material removal allows for controlled variation of removal rate and enables creation of 3D structures or profiles. Local gas injectors and detectors, and local photon injectors and detectors, are local to corresponding ones of the columns, and can be used to facilitate rapid, accurate, targeted substrate processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Multibeam Corporation
    Inventors: David K. Lam, Kevin M. Monahan, Michael C. Smayling, Theodore A. Prescop
  • Patent number: 9238590
    Abstract: A method for the production of a mirror element (10) that has a reflective coating (10a) for the EUV wavelength range and a substrate (10b). The substrate (10b) is pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing, and the reflective coating (10a) is applied to the pre-compacted substrate (10b). In the method, either the pre-compacting of the substrate (10b) is performed until a saturation value of the compaction of the substrate (10b) by long-term EUV irradiation is reached, or, for further compaction, the pre-compacted substrate (10b) is irradiated, preferably homogeneously, with ions (16) and/or with electrons in a surface region (15) in which the coating (10a) has been or will be applied. A mirror element (10) for the EUV wavelength range associated with the method has a substrate (10b) pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing. Such a mirror element (10) is suitable to be provided in an EUV projection exposure system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Wilfried Clauss
  • Patent number: 9059361
    Abstract: A method to fabricate boron nitride nanotubes incorporating magnesium diboride in their structure. In a first embodiment, magnesium wire is introduced into a reaction feed bundle during a BNNT fabrication process. In a second embodiment, magnesium in powder form is mixed into a nitrogen gas flow during the BNNT fabrication process. MgB2 yarn may be used for superconducting applications and, in that capacity, has considerably less susceptibility to stress and has considerably better thermal conductivity than these conventional materials when compared to both conventional low and high temperature superconducting materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: JEFFERSON SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Legg, Kevin Jordan
  • Patent number: 8986513
    Abstract: A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz. The process utilizes a combination of laser light and nitrogen gas flow to support a boron ball target during heating of the boron ball target and production of a boron vapor plume which reacts with nitrogen or nitrogen and carbon to produce boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignees: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, The United States of America as Represented by the Administration of NASA
    Inventors: R. Roy Whitney, Kevin Jordan, Michael W. Smith
  • Patent number: 8974644
    Abstract: Electromagnetic irradiation of functionalized fullerenes in an oxygen-free environment induces conversion of the functionalized fullerenes to carbon nanotubes, carbon nanohorns, carbon onions, diamonds and/or carbon schwarzites. The carbon nanotubes can be multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Advantageously, the subject invention can be used for in-situ synthesis of carbon nanostructures within a matrix to form a carbon nanostructure composite, where positioning of the carbon nanostructures is controlled by the manner of dispersion of the functionalized fullerenes in the matrix. Carbon nanotube comprising features, such as electrical connects, can be formed on a surface by irradiating a portion of a functionalized fullerene coating with a laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Krishna, Brij M. Moudgil, Benjamin L. Koopman
  • Publication number: 20150013896
    Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating graphene nanoribbons. The methods rely on laser irradiation that is applied to a carbon nanotube film to unzip one or more carbon nanotubes of the carbon nanotube film. Graphene nanoribbons can be cross-linked via laser irradiation to form a graphene nanoribbon network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Mei Zhang, Okenwa O. I. Okoli, Hai Hoang Van
  • Patent number: 8899012
    Abstract: A method to enhance efficiency of a propellant heat exchanger is described. The method includes spacing a plurality of propellant tubes of the propellant heat exchanger within defined flux bins, the flux bins defined as a function of total beam energy to be received by the propellant tubes, the propellant tube spacing resulting in each defined flux bin operable to receive a substantially equal amount of beam energy, and configuring each flux bin such that any beam energy that impinges the flux bin is directed to the propellant tube therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Brian J. Tillotson
  • Patent number: 8882970
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing carbon nanohorns includes a production chamber configured to irradiate a solid carbon material with a laser beam to produce a product containing carbon nanohorns; and a separation mechanism configured to separate the product produced in the production chamber into a lightweight component and a heavyweight component. The heavyweight component includes carbon nanohorn aggregate with high purity, and high-purity carbon nanotubes can be obtained by collecting the heavyweight component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, Fuchita Nanotechnology Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Azami, Daisuke Kasuya, Tsutomu Yoshitake, Yoshimi Kubo, Masako Yudasaka, Sumio Iijima, Eiji Fuchita
  • Publication number: 20140305791
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of reducing metal ions (3, 204) present on a substrate (100) comprising contacting the metal ions with a material (2, 201, 202) capable of reducing the metal ions to metal atoms (6, 9) upon exposure to visible light, and exposing the material to visible light (1) whereby to generate metal atoms from the metal ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jack Hoy-Gig Ng, David Watson, Marc Desmulliez, Duncan Paul Hand
  • Patent number: 8858676
    Abstract: A method for generating nanoparticles in a liquid comprises generating groups of ultrafast laser pulses, each pulse in a group having a pulse duration of from 10 femtoseconds to 200 picoseconds, and each group containing a plurality of pulses with a pulse separation of 1 to 100 nanoseconds and directing the groups of pulses at a target material in a liquid to ablate it. The multiple pulse group ablation produces nanoparticles with a reduced average size, a narrow size distribution, and improved production efficiency compared to prior pulsed ablation systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: IMRA America, Inc.
    Inventors: Bing Liu, Zhendong Hu, Yong Che, Makoto Murakami
  • Publication number: 20140238842
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for the synthesis of carbon and carbon based nanocomposites comprising Laser-induced Dissociative Stitching (LDS) from liquid halogen containing aromatic compounds at room temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
    Inventors: Rohan Rajeev Gokhale, Satishchandra Balkrishna Ogale
  • Patent number: 8816019
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to thermoplastic compositions. The disclosed compositions comprise a polycarbonate polymer, a polysiloxane-polycarbonate copolymer, a laser direct structuring additive, and a siloxane additive. Also disclosed are methods for making the disclosed thermoplastic compositions and articles of manufacture comprising the disclosed thermoplastic compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Anirban Ganguly, Susanta Mitra, Wu Tong, Liu Shuiping
  • Publication number: 20140224642
    Abstract: Electromagnetic irradiation of functionalized fullerenes in an oxygen-free environment induces conversion of the functionalized fullerenes to carbon nanotubes, carbon nanohorns, carbon onions, diamonds and/or carbon schwarzites. The carbon nanotubes can be multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Advantageously, the subject invention can be used for in-situ synthesis of carbon nanostructures within a matrix to form a carbon nanostructure composite, where positioning of the carbon nanostructures is controlled by the manner of dispersion of the functionalized fullerenes in the matrix. Carbon nanotube comprising features, such as electrical connects, can be formed on a surface by irradiating a portion of a functionalized fullerene coating with a laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: VIJAY KRISHNA, BRIJ M. MOUDGIL, BENJAMIN L. KOOPMAN
  • Publication number: 20140220258
    Abstract: A method of fabricating graphene using a plurality of light sources is provided. The method includes irradiating a graphite oxide layer on a substrate with light from a first light source, and irradiating the irradiated graphite oxide layer with light from a second light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicants: Seoul National University R&DB Foundation, TOSHIBA SAMSUNG STORAGE TECHNOLOGY KOREA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Byung-Youn SONG, Kil-Soo Choi, Nag-Eui Choi, Hyoung-Sub Shim, Han-Yung Jung, Jung-Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 8753578
    Abstract: An apparatus for the large scale production of boron nitride nanotubes comprising; a pressure chamber containing; a continuously fed boron containing target; a source of thermal energy preferably a focused laser beam; a cooled condenser; a source of pressurized nitrogen gas; and a mechanism for extracting boron nitride nanotubes that are condensed on or in the area of the cooled condenser from the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignees: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Michael W. Smith, Kevin Jordan
  • Patent number: 8742334
    Abstract: A spinning cell device is described for fast and convenient standardization and analysis of constituents and isotopes in solid samples by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma (LA-ICP) spectrometry. The method and apparatus for performing the method require the sample under test and a standard to be spun during ablation allowing the quasi-simultaneous ablation of both materials. The aerosols resulting from the ablation of sample and standard are mixed in the ablation cell allowing quantification of the ablated metals by the method of standard addition or isotope dilution. The relative proportion of standard verses sample ablated can be changed by altering the trajectory of the laser beam. The ablated aerosol is swept into an inductively coupled plasma by a carrier gas and analyzed by mass spectrometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, the National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: John L. Molloy, Naomi Bier, Fanny Claverie, Julien F. C. Malherbe
  • Patent number: 8709217
    Abstract: Electromagnetic irradiation of functionalized fullerenes in an oxygen-free environment induces conversion of the functionalized fullerenes to carbon nanotubes, carbon nanohorns, carbon onions, diamonds and/or carbon schwarzites. The carbon nanotubes can be multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Advantageously, the subject invention can be used for in-situ synthesis of carbon nanostructures within a matrix to form a carbon nanostructure composite, where positioning of the carbon nanostructures is controlled by the manner of dispersion of the functionalized fullerenes in the matrix. Carbon nanotube comprising features, such as electrical connects, can be formed on a surface by irradiating a portion of a functionalized fullerene coating with a laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Krishna, Brij M. Moudgil, Benjamin L. Koopman
  • Patent number: 8679300
    Abstract: An integrated production apparatus for production of boron nitride nanotubes via the pressure vapor-condenser method. The apparatus comprises: a pressurized reaction chamber containing a continuously fed boron containing target having a boron target tip, a source of pressurized nitrogen and a moving belt condenser apparatus; a hutch chamber proximate the pressurized reaction chamber containing a target feed system and a laser beam and optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of Nasa
    Inventors: Michael W. Smith, Kevin C. Jordan
  • Patent number: 8673120
    Abstract: A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz. The process utilizes a combination of laser light and nitrogen gas flow to support a boron ball target during heating of the boron ball target and production of a boron vapor plume which reacts with nitrogen or nitrogen and carbon to produce boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignees: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, The United States of America, as Represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: R. Roy Whitney, Kevin Jordan, Michael W. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140017440
    Abstract: A sheet material has structures of graphene oxide and graphene in which the graphene oxide and the graphene are chemically connected and coexist to form a plane such that the plane is divided into a region of the graphene oxide and a region of the graphene. A method of reduction of graphene oxide includes providing a sheet material having at least one atomic layer of graphene oxide and a femtosecond laser apparatus that can emit a femtosecond laser shot in a controlled manner. A pulse shape and intensity of an electric field formed by the laser shot are tuned so that the laser shot can be emitted onto a region of the graphene oxide sheet in a controlled manner to selectively cause reduction of the graphene oxide of the region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20130200313
    Abstract: Hybrid particles that comprise a coating surrounding a chalcopyrite material, the coating comprising a metal, a semiconductive material, or a polymer; a core comprising a chalcopyrite material and a shell comprising a functionalized chalcopyrite material, the shell enveloping the core; or a reaction product of a chalcopyrite material and at least one of a reagent, heat, and radiation. Methods of forming the hybrid particles are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE, LLC
    Inventors: ROBERT V. FOX, RENE RODRIGUEZ, JOSHUA J. PAK, CHIVIN SUN