LEHIGH UNIVERSITY Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150375162 | OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD - A oxygen concentrating system comprising an adsorption column having a first end and a second end, a shell enclosing the column and defining a product gas storage space between the column and the shell, a product conduit connecting the product gas storage space to a product output point, a first conduit comprising at least one first valve having at least a first and second configuration, in the first configuration, compressed air flows from the feed point to the first end, and, in the second configuration, waste gas flows from the first end to the waste point, and a second conduit comprising at least one second valve having at least a first and second configuration, in the first configuration, the product gas flows from the product gas storage space to the second end, and, in the second configuration, the product gas flows from the second end to the storage space. | 12-31-2015 |
20150370560 | METHODS FOR ENFORCING CONTROL FLOW OF A COMPUTER PROGRAM - One aspect of the invention provides a method of controlling execution of a computer program. The method comprises the following runtime steps: parsing code to identify one or more indirect branches; creating a branch ID data structure that maps an indirect branch location to a branch ID, which is the indirect branch's equivalence class ID; creating a target ID data structure that maps a code address to a target ID, which is an equivalence class ID to which the address belongs; and prior to execution of an indirect branch including a return instruction located at an address: obtaining the branch ID associated with the return address from the branch ID data structure; obtaining the target ID associated with an actual return address for the indirect branch from the target ID data structure; and comparing the branch ID and the target ID. | 12-24-2015 |
20150175447 | Pressurized Forward Osmosis Process and System - A pressurized forward osmotic separation process is disclosed. Generally there are two processes described. One process involves the concentration of a target solute in the first solution; the other process involves the extraction of a solvent from a first solution both by a second solution comprising of water and soluble gas or water, soluble gas, and a compound by creating an osmotic concentration gradient across the semi permeable membrane. The first solution is under pressure from an inert gas and the second solution is under pressure from a soluble gas with equal system pressures greater than 1 atmosphere. The increase or decrease of partial pressure of the soluble gas in the second solution increases or decreases the chemical potential of the second solution to achieve different solution properties. The soluble gas may be carbon dioxide and the compound may be magnesium hydroxide. | 06-25-2015 |
20140374351 | BRACKISH WATER DESALINATION USING TUNABLE ANION EXCHANGE BED - A process for treating feed water for desalination, the process comprising: (a) removing one or more polyvalent anions from the feed water by feeding the feed water into a bed comprising one or more anion exchange resins under conditions sufficient to exchange the polyvalent ions in the feed water with one or more monovalent anions in the resin; and (b) regenerating the bed by feeding a brine stream into the bed under conditions sufficient to exchange one or more polyvalent anions in the resins with one or more monovalent anions in the brine stream. | 12-25-2014 |
20140287483 | METHODS FOR PRODUCING SEMICONDUCTOR NANOPARTICLES - New semiconductor nanoparticles and manufacturing technologies, including novel methods, systems, and compositions, are provided herein. Robust, reproducible production of large amounts of semiconductor nanoparticles, such as quantum dots, from bacterial cultures during continuous growth is provided, without a need for extensive post growth processing or modification. The result is a novel semiconductor of nanoparticle dimensions and quality that is suitable for commercial applications in lighting, display, imaging, diagnostics, photovoltaics and hydrogen generation, for example. In one embodiment, bacterial-based synthesis methods for producing nanocrystal semiconductor quantum dots are provided by aqueous, environmentally friendly media and methods. | 09-25-2014 |
20140262203 | POLYMER COATED SAND AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE AND USE - Described herein are systems for manipulating a flowable substance, comprising: a flowable substance; a heating means; a cooling means; and a composition comprising chemically inert particles coated with a stimuli-responsive material. Compositions and methods for using the compositions are also described herein. | 09-18-2014 |
20140230360 | DUCTILE CHORD CONNECTORS FOR USE IN CONCRETE RODS IN STRUCTURES - Provided herein are connectors for use in assembling reinforced concrete structures, as well as methods of assembly using the connectors. In one embodiment, the connectors and methods provide for secure and easy connection to the butt end of any rebar rod, as well as attachment of an opposite end to another metal structure. For example, a butt portion of a connector slides over the butt portion of a rebar rod, and can include one or more sidewall openings to allow welding onto rebar that is enclosed within the butt portion of the connector. The opposite second end can include a faceplate for attaching a weld plate, thus permitting a series of connections using connectors and weld plates, among other things. The connectors provide selected properties that differ from the rebar, welds, and weld plates, such as stretch, yield strength, ultimate strength, and transfer of stress and vibration, among other things. | 08-21-2014 |
20140218738 | PLASMONIC INTERFEROMETER BIOSENSORS - An optical device includes a transparent substrate and a conductive layer disposed over an upper surface of the transparent substrate. The conductive layer defines at least one groove inwardly extending from an upper surface and includes an aperture that is spaced apart from the at least one groove. An interface between the upper surface of the conductive layer and an ambient medium defines an optical branch along which surface plasmon polariton modes are excited in response to at least partially coherent light being received by the optical device. | 08-07-2014 |
20140216935 | Dielectrophoretic Tweezers as a Platform for Molecular Force Spectroscopy in a Highly Parallel Format - Provided herein are methods of performing force spectroscopy, the methods comprising the steps of providing dielectrophoretic tweezers having at least one set of macroscopic electrodes, at least one of the electrodes having a microfabricated dielectric structure comprising a microwell; depositing force probes on a surface; binding the force probes to molecules on the surface; and applying voltage across set of macroscopic electrodes to thereby manipulate the molecules. Also provided are novel apparatus for performing force spectroscopy, the apparatus comprising dielectrophoretic tweezers having at least one set of macroscopic electrodes, at least one of the electrodes having a microfabricated dielectric structure comprising a microwell. | 08-07-2014 |
20140191189 | STAGGERED COMPOSITION QUANTUM WELL METHOD AND DEVICE - A light emitting device comprising a staggered composition quantum well (QW) has a step-function-like profile in the QW, which provides higher radiative efficiency and optical gain by providing improved electron-hole wavefunction overlap. The staggered QW includes adjacent layers having distinctly different compositions. The staggered QW has adjacent layers X | 07-10-2014 |
20140178131 | Efficiency of Geothermal Ground Improvement System - Provided herein are apparatus, systems and methods for use in ground construction. New ground improvement methods have been developed using pervious concrete piles, the piles having material properties of the pervious concrete, as well as positive response to different vertical loads. The methods produce piles that are superior to aggregate piles in most aspects, and that can be utilized in construction in a wider variety of soils and applications, including in geothermal heat exchange (energy pile) systems. | 06-26-2014 |
20140166499 | SUPERCAPACITIVE SWING ADSORPTION - Desirable gas separation technologies, including novel methods and systems, are provided herein. The inventive gas separation technologies presented herein utilize supercapacitive swing adsorption (“SSA”) top selectively remove at least one chemical from a gas stream, such as the waste gas exhaust stream of a coal-fired electrical power generation plant. In some embodiments, the supercapacitive apparatus comprises a novel prepared mesoporous material comprising tungsten, preferably as WO3. | 06-19-2014 |
20140160488 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SPACE-DIVISION MULTIPLEXING OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY - A space-division multiplexing optical coherence tomography apparatus and system is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a light source, a reference arm, and a sample arm. The sample arm splits the sampling light into a plurality of sampling beams which may be scanned simultaneously onto a surface of a sample. An optical delay may be introduced into the sampling beams before scanning. A plurality of reflected light signals returned from the sample is collected. In one arrangement, the signals may be combined to produce a single reflected light signal. The reflected light signal(s) and a reference signal are combined to produce an interference signal comprising data representative of digitized images captured of the actual object. In one embodiment, a single sample arm may be used for scanning and collecting image data. A related method is also provided. | 06-12-2014 |
20140087163 | Organonitridic Frameworks with Hierarchical Pore Structures and High Gas Selectivity - Provided herein are synthetic porous electron-rich covalent organonitridic frameworks (PECONFs). The PECONFs are useful as an adsorbent class of materials. In the PECONFs, inorganic nitridic building units are interconnected via electron-rich aromatic units to form porous covalent frameworks. The frameworks include tunable porous, electron-rich organonitridic frameworks, which are determined based upon synthetic methods as exemplified herein. | 03-27-2014 |
20140075993 | Fabrication of Porous Glass Bioscaffolds By Sol-Gel and Polymer Sponge Methods - Provided herein are biocompatible scaffolds and methods of preparing such bioscaffolds. The methods provide a superior high surface area, interconnected nanomacroporous bioactive glass scaffold, by combining a sol-gel process and polymer sponge replication methods. The formation of a uniformly nanoporous and interconnected macroporous bioscaffold is demonstrated using a starting material comprising a 70 mol % SiO2—30 mol % CaO glass composition as an example. The bioscaffold includes a series of open, interconnected macropores with size from 300 to 600 μm, as desired for tissue ingrowth and vascularization. At the same time, coexisting nanopores provide high-specific surface area (>150 m2/g), which is needed for enhancing the structure's degradation rate. These bioscaffolds hold promise for applications in hard tissue engineering. | 03-20-2014 |
20140045797 | Bisphosphonate-Prostatic Acid Phosphatase Inhibitor Conjugates To Treat Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis - The present invention concerns conjugate compounds comprising a bisphosphonate covalently bonded to a prostatic acid phosphatase inhibitor and compositions comprising such conjugates. Methods for treating and inhibiting prostate cancer bone metastases, and determining whether a conjugate is useful for such treatment are also provided. In some instances, the bisphosphonate is alendronate, and it is covalently bonded to either tartaric acid or glyceric acid. | 02-13-2014 |
20130284257 | MICROLENS ARRAY FOR SOLAR CELLS - A dye-sensitized solar cell with internal microlens array includes an anodic electrode, a cathodic counter-electrode, and an electrolyte. The anodic electrode includes a porous nano-structured active metal oxide layer having a sensitizer dye adsorbed thereon. In one embodiment, a microlens array comprising a plurality of microlens elements is disposed between the electrodes, and preferably between a transparent substrate of the anodic electrode and active metal oxide layer for dispersing light incident on the substrate to the active oxide layer. In some embodiments, the microlens elements may be convex or concave in configuration. The microlens array improves solar conversion efficiency of the solar cell. A method for forming a microlens array is further provided. | 10-31-2013 |
20130274357 | HYBRID ANION EXCHANGER IMPREGNATED WITH HYDRATED ZIRCONIUM OXIDE FOR SELECTIVE REMOVAL OF CONTAMINATING LIGAND AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE AND USE THEREOF - Polymeric anion exchanger are used as host materials in which sub-micron sized hydrated Zr(IV) oxides (HZrO) particles are irreversibly dispersed within the ion exchange medium, such as beads or fibers. The HZrO can be impregnated into the pore structure of resin by mixing the parent anion exchange resin with zirconium solution prepared by pre-calcined zirconium oxide dissolved in concentrated mixture of alcohol and acid, and then followed by precipitation of HZrO particles within the resin by using alkaline solution. Since the anion exchangers have positively charged such as quaternary ammonium functional groups, anionic ligands such as arsenate, fluoride can transport in and out of the gel phase without subjected to the Donnan exclusion effect. Consequently, anion exchanger-supported HZrO submicron particles exhibit significantly greater capacity to remove arsenic and fluoride in comparison with parent anon exchange resins. Known cation exchange resins as support materials do not offer high arsenic or fluoride removal capacity. | 10-17-2013 |
20130256627 | Sensors Incorporating Freestanding Carbon NanoStructures - Sensors for detecting IR radiation, UV radiation, X-Rays, light, gas, and chemicals. The sensors herein incorporate freestanding carbon nanostructures, such as single-walled carbon nanotubes (“SWCNT”), atomically thin carbon sheets having a thickness of about between 1 atom and about 5 atoms (“graphene”), and combinations thereof. The freestanding carbon nanostructures are suspended above a substrate by a plurality of conductors, each conductor electrically connected to the carbon nanostructure. In one method of manufacture, a resonance chamber is formed under the carbon nanostructure by etching of the substrate, yielding a sensor wherein the resonance chamber is bounded by at least the substrate and the carbon nanostructure. | 10-03-2013 |
20120252891 | Vanilloid Fatty Hydroxamates as Therapeutic Anti-inflammatory Pharmaceuticals - Three unique subtypes of N-hydroxyamides and N-hydroxycarbamates containing both the vanilloid moiety (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl) and a lipophilic aliphatic moiety. Also disclosed are direct syntheses of these vanilloid fatty hydroxamates. The compounds possess inhibitory activity against the enzymes fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and matrix metallo-proteinase 9 (MMP-9). In addition, these substances bind to the calcium channel protein TRPV1 and inhibit vesicant-induced inflammation in skin and cornea. The compounds have utility in treating topical or systemic inflammatory processes in the skin and/or eye. | 10-04-2012 |
20120234765 | METHOD OF TREATMENT OF PRODUCED WATER AND RECOVERY OF IMPORTANT DIVALENT CATIONS - Provided herein are systems and methods for use in wastewater treatment. In some examples, the systems and methods involve different combinations of ion exchange and membrane based systems and processes that can be used to remove radium and recover and purify barium and strontium salts to render the wastewater depleted of those regulated toxic metals. Treated wastewater having less than 12000 pCi/L of any of radium, barium or strontium is then subjected to tertiary treatment where it is subjected to processes in an evaporator/crystallizer which drives out water in the form of vapor, leaving behind salts of innocuous metals such as sodium, calcium, and magnesium, among others. In some examples, water vapor from the processes is condensed to produce water suitable for reuse, such as reuse in the hydro-fracturing process. | 09-20-2012 |
20120217472 | BROADBAND LIGHT EMITTING DIODES AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME - A III-Nitride semiconductor LED provides broadband light emission, across all or most of the visible light wavelength spectrum, and a method for producing same. The LED includes a polarization field management template that has a three-dimensional patterned surface. The surface may be patterned with an array of hemispherical cavities, which may be formed by growing the template around a temporary template layer of spherical or other crystals. The method involves growing a quantum well layer on the patterned surface. The topographical variations in the patterned surface of the template cause corresponding topographical variations in the quantum well layer. These variations in spatial orientation of portions of the quantum well layer cause the polarization field of the quantum well layer to vary across the surface of the LED, which leads to energy transition shifting that provides “white” light emission across a broad wavelength spectrum. | 08-30-2012 |
20120189844 | METHODS TO FABRICATE NANO-MACRO POROUS GLASS USING A WATER SOLUBLE PORE FORMER - Provided herein are methods for preparing nano-macroporous glass articles, such as bioscaffolds, from starting materials such as phosphosilicate glasses made by melt-quench methods, mixed with a soluble pore former such as a sugar, followed by steps of dissolving, heating, and leaching to yield a glass composition having a highly interconnected system of both macropores and large scale nanoporosity. | 07-26-2012 |
20120129688 | LARGE-PORE PERIODIC MESOPOROUS QUARTZ - Provided herein are methods of synthesizing large-pore periodic mesoporous quartz. Using the methods herein, large-pore periodic mesoporous quartz has been synthesized at a lower pressure and a temperature than in any previous mesoporous crystalline method, yielding a unique mesoporous article having crystalline pore walls. For example, the methods involve modified nanocasting methods using a mesoporous starting material comprising silica, carbon as a an infiltrating pore filler, followed by application of pressure and heat sufficient to crystallize silica in the infiltrated starting material to form a mesoporous crystalline article having crystalline pore walls therein, and useful in many applications, including as a catalyst. | 05-24-2012 |
20120125194 | AUTOTHERMAL CYCLE FOR CO2 CAPTURE - Provided herein are methods and apparatus for capturing or otherwise decreasing the amount of CO | 05-24-2012 |
20120094122 | FABRICATION OF NANOPOROUS GLASS FIBER FOR FLEXIBLE BIOSCAFFOLDS AND OTHER PRODUCTS - Provided herein are novel nanoporous glass fibers, and methods of preparing and using such fibers. In some embodiments, articles are made from particular glass starting materials, such as soda-lime phosphosilicate glass fabricated by melt-quench methods. The articles include nanoporous fibers that can be used alone, or sewn, woven, bundled, and otherwise incorporated to form nanoporous articles, including bioactive articles. | 04-19-2012 |
20120044959 | TERAHERTZ SOURCE - An optical system includes a first gain medium configured to be excited by an energy source and in response generate a first optical signal having first and second wavelengths. A Q-switch is disposed adjacent to the first gain medium for generating a pulsed optical signal in response to receiving the first optical signal. A non-linear optical crystal is configured to output a second optical signal having a frequency based on difference frequency generation of the first and second wavelengths of the pulsed optical signal. | 02-23-2012 |
20120034286 | STABILIZATION OF BIOSOLIDS USING IRON NANOPARTICLES - This invention discloses a stabilized biosolids composition and a method for the stabilization of biosolids. It entails the use of a chemically and biologically reactive material, in the form of ultrafine iron particles. The nanometer-sized iron particles are capable of degrading odorous organosulfur compounds, transforming persistent and toxic organic pollutants such as PCBs and chlorinated pesticides, inhibiting the growth of pathogens by increasing pH and maintaining the increased pH of the stabilized biosolids, immobilizing toxic metal ions such as mercury and lead, and improving the overall quality of biosolids for land application and plant growth. | 02-09-2012 |
20110259544 | ENCAPSULATED PHASE CHANGE APPARATUS FOR THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE - Provided are apparatus and methods for storing thermal energy. For example, an apparatus including comprising at least one phase change material, and a capsule containing the at least one phase change material. The capsule may be permanently or temporarily sealed to contain the encapsulation material. The encapsulation material includes at least one material that is chemically and physically distinct from the phase change material. The encapsulation material and phase change material are selected to store and discharge thermal energy at temperatures of greater than 400° C. without capsule failure. | 10-27-2011 |
20110240082 | THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS BASED ON SINGLE CRYSTAL AlInN-GaN GROWN BY METALORGANIC VAPOR PHASE EPITAXY - The invention is a thermoelectric device fabricated by growing a single crystal AlInN semiconductor material on a substrate, and a method of fabricating same. In a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor material is AlInN grown on and lattice-matched to a GaN template on a sapphire substrate, and the growth is performed using metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). | 10-06-2011 |
20110229957 | POLYMER-MEDIATED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD-BASED PARTICLE CONCENTRATOR - There remains an unmet need for methods to efficiently concentrate and isolate small particles, such as nano-sized and micron-sized particles. The methods herein provide means to fulfill this need through the combination of two independent particle-concentrating mechanisms, yielding unprecedented control, confinement, and concentration enhancement ability. The method is carried out in a reversible and spatially controllable manner. Useful applications include diagnostics and bioparticle separation, material science and research uses, among other uses. | 09-22-2011 |
20110204328 | NITRIDE BASED DEVICES INCLUDING A SYMMETRICAL QUANTUM WELL ACTIVE LAYER HAVING A CENTRAL LOW BANDGAP DELTA-LAYER - A symmetrical quantum well active layer provides enhanced internal quantum efficiency. The quantum well active layer includes an inner (central) layer and a pair of outer layers sandwiching the inner layer. The inner and outer layers have different thicknesses and bandgap characteristics. The outer layers are relatively thick and include a relatively low bandgap material, such as InGaN. The inner layer has a relatively lower bandgap material and is sufficiently thin to act as a quantum well delta layer, e.g., comprising approximately 6 Å or less of InN. Such a quantum well structure advantageously extends the emission wavelength into the yellow/red spectral regime, and enhances spontaneous emission. The multi-layer quantum well active layer is sandwiched by barrier layers of high bandgap materials, such as GaN. | 08-25-2011 |
20110155999 | SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICES HAVING CONCAVE MICROSTRUCTURES PROVIDING IMPROVED LIGHT EXTRACTION EFFICIENCY AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME - A conventional semiconductor LED is modified to include a microlenslayer over its light-emitting surface. The LED may have an active layer including at least one quantum well layer of InGaN and GaN. The microlens layer includes a plurality of concave microstructures that cause light rays emanating from the LED to diffuse outwardly, leading to an increase in the light extraction efficiency of the LED. The concave microstructures may be arranged in a substantially uniform array, such as a close-packed hexagonal array. The microlens layer is preferably constructed of curable material, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and is formed by soft-lithography imprinting by contacting fluid material of the microlens layer with a template bearing a monolayer of homogeneous microsphere crystals, to cause concave impressions, and then curing the material to fix the concave microstructures in the microlens layer and provide relatively uniform surface roughness. | 06-30-2011 |
20110147703 | ABBREVIATED EPITAXIAL GROWTH MODE (AGM) METHOD FOR REDUCING COST AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LEDs AND LASERS - The use of an abbreviated GaN growth mode on nano-patterned AGOG sapphire substrates, which utilizes a process of using 15 nm low temperature GaN buffer and bypassing etch-back and recovery processes during epitaxy, enables the growth of high-quality GaN template on nano-patterned AGOG sapphire. The GaN template grown on nano-patterned AGOG sapphire by employing abbreviated growth mode has two orders of magnitude lower threading dislocation density than that of conventional GaN template grown on planar sapphire. The use of abbreviated growth mode also leads to significant reduction in cost of the epitaxy. The growths and characteristics of InGaN quantum wells (QWs) light emitting diodes (LEDs) on both templates were compared. The InGaN QWs LEDs grown on the nano-patterned AGOG sapphire demonstrated at least a 24% enhancement of output power enhancement over that of LEDs grown on conventional GaN templates. | 06-23-2011 |
20110147702 | NITRIDE BASED QUANTUM WELL LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICES HAVING IMPROVED CURRENT INJECTION EFFICIENCY - A III-nitride based device provides improved current injection efficiency by reducing thermionic carrier escape at high current density. The device includes a quantum well active layer and a pair of multi-layer barrier layers arranged symmetrically about the active layer. Each multi-layer barrier layer includes an inner layer abutting the active layer; and an outer layer abutting the inner layer. The inner barrier layer has a bandgap greater than that of the outer barrier layer. Both the inner and the outer barrier layer have bandgaps greater than that of the active layer. InGaN may be employed in the active layer, AlInN, AlInGaN or AlGaN may be employed in the inner barrier layer, and GaN may be employed in the outer barrier layer. Preferably, the inner layer is thin relative to the other layers. In one embodiment the inner barrier and active layers are 15 Å and 24 Å thick, respectively. | 06-23-2011 |
20110133157 | SURFACE PLASMON DISPERSION ENGINEERING VIA DOUBLE-METALLIC AU/AG LAYERS FOR NITRIDE LIGHT-EMITTING DIODES - A double-metallic deposition process is used whereby adjacent layers of different metals are deposited on a substrate. The surface plasmon frequency of a base layer of a first metal is tuned by the surface plasmon frequency of a second layer of a second metal formed thereon. The amount of tuning is dependent upon the thickness of the metallic layers, and thus tuning can be achieved by varying the thicknesses of one or both of the metallic layers. In a preferred embodiment directed to enhanced LED technology in the green spectrum regime, a double-metallic Au/Ag layer comprising a base layer of gold (Au) followed by a second layer of silver (Ag) formed thereon is deposited on top of InGaN/GaN quantum wells (QWs) on a sapphire/GaN substrate. | 06-09-2011 |
20110100928 | PREPARATION AND USE OF NANO SIZE PEROXIDE PARTICLES - Nano-size particles of calcium dioxide and magnesium dioxide for remediation of contaminated water or soil and processes for preparing and using nano-size particles of calcium dioxide and magnesium dioxide. | 05-05-2011 |
20110085166 | OPTO-FLUIDIC NANOPARTICLE DETECTION APPARATUS - Provided herein are new methods and apparatus for quantitative measurement and analysis of particles, including new apparatus systems to process and detect nanoparticles in suspension. By focusing a laser beam at the center of a reservoir, nanoparticles are concentrated by optical energy, and fluorescent intensity at the focal point of the laser is measured to quantify particle concentration in the reservoir. The techniques may be applied to the analysis of suspensions of nanoparticles, including natural particles (e.g., microorganisms including whole viruses, bacteria, animal cells, and proteins) and synthetic particles (e.g., colloidal latexes, paints, pigments, and metallic or semiconductor nanoparticles) for medical and industrial applications, among others. | 04-14-2011 |
20110080589 | VERTICAL PLASMONIC MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER - An optical device includes first and second optical branches. The first optical branch is formed at an interface between a first substrate and a second substrate, and the second optical branch is formed at an interface between the second substrate and an ambient medium. The second substrate defines first and second spaced apart slits that are each coupled to the first and second optical branches. The first slit is configured to receive at least partially coherent light from a light source and in response excite at least one surface plasmon polariton mode in each of the first and second optical branches. The second slit is configured to combine the surface plasmon polariton modes received from the first and second optical branches and emit scattered light into at least one of the first substrate and the ambient medium. | 04-07-2011 |
20110065672 | BISPHOSPHONATE-PROSTATIC ACID PHOSPHATASE INHIBITOR CONJUGATES TO TREAT PROSTATE CANCER BONE METASTASIS - The present invention concerns conjugate compounds comprising a bisphosphonate covalently bonded to a prostatic acid phosphatase inhibitor and compositions comprising such conjugates. Methods for treating and inhibiting prostate cancer bone metastases, and determining whether a conjugate is useful for such treatment are also provided. In some instances, the bisphosphonate is alendronate, and it is covalently bonded to either tartaric acid or glyceric acid. | 03-17-2011 |
20110060433 | BILINEAR ALGORITHMS AND VLSI IMPLEMENTATIONS OF FORWARD AND INVERSE MDCT WITH APPLICATIONS TO MP3 AUDIO - Provided herein are hardware efficient bilinear algorithms and methods to compute MDCT/IMDCT of 2̂n and 4.3̂n points. The algorithms and methods for composite lengths have practical applications in MP3 audio encoding and decoding. The MDT/IMDCT can be converted to type-IV discrete cosine transforms (DCT-IV). Using group theory, the methods decomposes DCT-IV transform kernel matrix into groups of cyclic and Hankel product matrices. Bilinear algorithms are then applied to efficiently evaluate these groups. When implemented in VLSI, bilinear algorithms have improved the critical path delays over existing solutions. For MPEG-1/2 layer III (MP3) audio, proposed herein are several different versions of unified hardware architectures for both the short and long blocks and the forward and inverse transforms. | 03-10-2011 |
20110059842 | Tungstated Zirconia Nanocatalysts - A new type of solid acid catalyst, which promises better catalytic performance than conventionally prepared supported metal oxides due to its precisely synthesized nanostructure has been described. The catalyst is nanoparticulate in form and is comprised of monolayers of tungstated zirconia of the formula, WOxZryO4-2y made by impregnating a support with zirconium and tungsten. The support catalyst is further characterized in having a tugsten monolayer between greater than 0001 W/nm2 to about 30 W/nm2. | 03-10-2011 |
20110057154 | CONDUCTIVE DOPED METAL-GLASS COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS - Provided herein are conductive glass-metal compositions, as well as methods of making and using such compositions. In one example, the compositions include gold (Au) doped lithium-borate glasses shown to exhibit a transition from ionic to electronic conduction within the same sample. This is achieved via appropriate heat treatment, and particularly by heat treatment after annealing, wherein the post-annealing heat treatment is performed at temperatures below the glass transition temperature (T | 03-10-2011 |
20110006847 | HIGH-VOLTAGE IMPULSE AMPLIFIER - A circuit includes a first transistor in a common-collector configuration and a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) in a common-emitter configuration. The first transistor has a base coupled to an input node for receiving a pulsed signal. A collector of the first transistor is coupled to a first voltage source node. A base of the HBT is coupled to an emitter of the first transistor. A collector of the HBT is coupled to a second voltage source node configured to bias the HBT normally off. The HBT operating isothermally when the pulsed signal has a short-pulse width and a low duty cycle. The first transistor drives the HBT when the pulsed signal is received at the base of the first transistor to output an amplified pulsed signal at the collector of the HBT. | 01-13-2011 |
20100327783 | STAGGERED COMPOSITION QUANTUM WELL METHOD AND DEVICE - A light emitting device comprising a staggered composition quantum well. | 12-30-2010 |
20100300285 | MINIATURE OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS AND METHODS - Provided herein are new compact and miniature oxygen concentrator apparatus, as well as methods incorporating use of the apparatus. The apparatus and methods utilize selected cycle times, adsorbent specifications and novel conditions to produce a fast Pressure Swing Adsorption (“PSA”) system. The oxygen concentrator apparatus and methods herein have significant utility in the fields of biotechnology, engineering, and medicine. A particularly advantageous use of this invention is as a “snap on” portable oxygen concentrator, where piped compressed air is already available such as in civil and military hospitals, ambulances, air craft cabins, mobile fish tanks, etc. Those embodiments eliminate the need for dedicated moving machinery (blower, compressor, vacuum pump) normally associated with a conventional PSA oxygen concentrator. | 12-02-2010 |
20100282675 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REVERSIBLE CATION-EXCHANGE DESALINATION - Desalination is accomplished by subjecting feed saline water to a cation exchanger in magnesium form where sodium and scale-forming cations are at least partially exchanged for non-scale-forming magnesium ions. This ion exchange also reduces the osmotic pressure of the solution. When the resultant solution is subjected to a pressure-driven membrane desalination process, scaling is reduced and desalinated water is efficiently produced at a lower pressure. After desalination, the concentrated waste water, which contains higher concentrations of ions such as magnesium and sodium, is used to regenerate the depleted cation exchanger back into magnesium form. This regeneration permits the process to be self-sustainable. | 11-11-2010 |
20100192474 | ULTRAHARD STISHOVITE NANOPARTICLES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - Compositions comprising nanoparticles (e.g., nanocrystals) of stishovite silica are described. Such nanoparticles may be made by (1) subjecting a mesoporous silica starting material (e.g., SBA-16 or KIT-6) to a pressure of less than about 20 GPa (e.g., about 12 GPa); (2) heating the mesoporous silica starting material while under pressure to an elevated temperature of less than about 1000° C. (e.g., a temperature of between about 300° C. and about 400° C.); and thereafter isolating the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may be used in a work tool that is configured and adapted for cutting, drilling, abrading, polishing, machining, or grinding, among other uses. | 08-05-2010 |
20100178704 | RAPID SENSING OF TOXIC METALS WITH HYBRID INORGANIC MATERIALS - Methods for rapid sensing of dissolved toxic heavy metals use a hybrid inorganic material (“HIM”), which is synthesized from hydrated iron oxide (“HFO”) and calcium magnesium silicate. HIM thus synthesized is used in sensing dissolved toxic heavy metals. Water containing toxic heavy metals (e.g., lead, copper, zinc, nickel, etc.) is passed through a sorbent bed of HIM, whereupon it shows a sharp drop in pH after a certain length of time. The presence of HFO and calcium magnesium silicates in HIM synergistically provide a precipitous drop in pH, which is characteristic of the concentration and type of toxic heavy metal. Therefore, observing a change in pH indicates the presence and identity of heavy metal ions in a test water sample. | 07-15-2010 |
20100144511 | MICROPOROUS CERAMICS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - Inorganic microporous metal oxide materials, such as aluminum-based microporous ceramic materials, useful for loop heat pipes, insulators, thermal management devices, catalyst supports, substrates, and filters, among others. An example method of manufacture includes heating a mixture of alumina (Al | 06-10-2010 |
20100110525 | ULTRA-WIDE BAND SLOW LIGHT STRUCTURE USING PLASMONIC GRADED GRATING STRUCTURES - A slow light system includes a substrate and a metal layer formed thereon, the metal layer having a graded grating structure formed at a surface thereof, wherein the grating depth of the grating structure is sized such that surface-plasmon polariton dispersion behavior of the grating structure differs at different respective locations along the grating structure. Different wavelengths of incident light waves can be slowed at the respective locations along the grating structure. | 05-06-2010 |
20100085120 | ADAPTIVE BIAS TECHNIQUE FOR FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR - A power amplifier includes a LDMOS transistor having a source, a drain, a control gate and a shielding electrode positioned between the control gate and the drain, and means for adaptively biasing the drain and shielding electrode power information for a RF signal. | 04-08-2010 |
20100015244 | Nano/Macroporous Bioactive Glasses Made by Melt-Quench Methods - The methods and materials described herein provide novel and simple procedures for the preparation of nano/macroporous glasses, in which the pore structure is characterized by interconnected pores of, e.g. both hundreds of micrometers and several to tens of nanometers in size. Such materials may be used for enhanced bone regeneration, bioscaffolds, drug delivery devices, and filtration media, among other uses. For example, silica-based bone tissue scaffolds are made with a controlled nano/macroporosity, which enhances bone regeneration performance. Also provided herein are new biocompatible CaO—Na | 01-21-2010 |
20100000454 | BOAT SUSPENSION - Boats and suspensions are provided, wherein the boat includes at least one hull, and at least one sponson, the at least one hull and at least one sponson connected by a shock-absorbing suspension member. The suspension greatly reduces the accelerations of the main hull, such that the hull accelerations are generally substantially less than the accelerations of the sponsons at selected speeds. | 01-07-2010 |
20090315013 | EFFICIENT LIGHT EXTRACTION METHOD AND DEVICE - A tight emitting device comprises at least one p-type layer and at least one n-type layer and a microlens array surface. A method for improving light efficiency of a light emitting device, comprises depositing polystyrene microspheres by rapid convection deposition on surface of light emitting device; depositing a monolayer of close-packed SIO | 12-24-2009 |
20090242116 | MICRO-FLUIDIC INTERCONNECTOR - A method of bonding a capillary tube made of a thermally deformable material to a passage in a glass wafer comprising the steps of treating the surface of the capillary tube to render the surface bondable and wettable by a conventional epoxy resin; inserting a support inside the capillary to prevent inward deformation of the capillary during subsequent fabricating steps; inserting the supported capillary inside the port on the wafer; heating an end of the capillary proximate a bottom portion of the port to effect melting of a portion of the heated end of the capillaries; moving the melted end of the capillary into contact with a wall of the port at a desired location for the capillary in the port, thus forming a temporary seal between the capillary and the wall of the port; and introducing an epoxy around the capillary to bind the capillary to the wafer. | 10-01-2009 |
20090208773 | GRADED TRANSITIONS FOR JOINING DISSIMILAR METALS AND METHODS OF FABRICATION THEREFOR - A transition joint for joining dissimilar metals with the chemical composition of the joint varied in a controlled manner from end to end. The transition joint has a first end of having a chemical composition similar to that of one of the metals to be joined and a second end having a chemical composition similar to that of the other metal with a gradual composition variation between the first and second ends. | 08-20-2009 |
20090162963 | GALLIUM NITRIDE-BASED DEVICE AND METHOD - A gallium nitride-based device has a first GaN layer and a type II quantum well active region over the GaN layer. The type II quantum well active region comprises at least one InGaN layer and at least one GaNAs layer comprising 1.5 to 8% As concentration. The type II quantum well emits in the 400 to 700 nm region with reduced polarization affect. | 06-25-2009 |
20090117028 | RAPID SYNTHESIS OF TITANATE NANOMATERIALS - Provided herein is a hydrothermal process for the rapid synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials (e.g., nanofibers) containing sodium, bismuth, titanium, and oxygen, as well as new compositions made thereby. The process involves heating an aqueous solution or suspension of suitable salts of aforementioned elements at elevated temperature and pressure under constant stirring in a hermetically sealed vessel for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., less than two hours). The powder thus obtained contains nanofibers of rectangular cross-section, with the smallest fibers typically have a cross section of 16 nm×40 nm. Example fibers made by such processes have an aspect ratio exceeding 200. | 05-07-2009 |
20090092784 | SYNTHETIC FIBRILLAR STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING THEREOF - A fibrillar structure and a method of making it. The structure comprises a backing layer, a plurality of fibrils and a contacting region. The method of making it comprises constructing a synthetic fibrillar array, preparing a liquid material on a substrate and contacting the fibrillar array with the liquid material. | 04-09-2009 |
20090028810 | STABILIZATION OF BIOSOLIDS USING IRON NANOPARTICLES - This invention discloses a stabilized biosolids composition and a method for the stabilization of biosolids. It entails the use of a chemically and biologically reactive material, in the form of ultrafine iron particles. The nanometer-sized iron particles are capable of degrading odorous organosulfur compounds, transforming persistent and toxic organic pollutants such as PCBs and chlorinated pesticides, inhibiting the growth of pathogens by increasing pH and maintaining the increased pH of the stabilized biosolids, immobilizing toxic metal ions such as mercury and lead, and improving the overall quality of biosolids for land application and plant growth. | 01-29-2009 |
20080292521 | PERIODIC MESOPOROUS PHOSPHORUS-NITROGEN COMPOUNDS - Provided herein is a new material, periodic mesoporous phosphorus-nitrogen compound, which may be used in a variety of emerging technologies. Its surface properties render it promising as a component in a variety of applications, including gas separation and purification systems in which waste gases such as SO | 11-27-2008 |
20080282790 | Method and Apparatus for Characterizing Coal Tar in Soil - The present invention provides a method and apparatus or system for determining an amount of coal tar that can enter, and subsequently be displaced from, a given type of soil for a range of depths of the soil. The method and apparatus also provide verification of the pressure at which coal tar can be displaced from a given type of soil. In particular, the method and apparatus simulate the hydrostatic pressure that a soil sample encounters in the subsurface of the ground. Accordingly, the method and apparatus provide a relationship between the concentration of coal tar in the soil and the pressure required to displace the coal tar from the soil, which allows for an estimation of the amount of coal tar that may be displaced at a particular location or site. Further, the method and apparatus are adaptable for use in the laboratory or the field. | 11-20-2008 |
20080230357 | GOLD-METAL OXIDE THIN FILMS FOR WEAR-RESISTANT MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS ("MEMS") - Provided herein are new methods for the fabrication of gold (Au) alloys and films containing metal or semimetal oxides such as oxides of vanadium (V), for example, Au—V | 09-25-2008 |