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Blue-Shifting Of Resonant Dispersive Wave Pulses Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a way to shift a laser beam into a broadband of light with lower wavelengths. This technology enables... Read More Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a way to shift a laser beam into a broadband of light with lower wavelengths. This technology enables the use of pulsed pump lasers in ultrafast spectroscopy, nonlinear biomedical imaging, and many other imaging fields.
Optically Tunable Photonic Crystal Filters and Applications This invention invention provides photonic crystal devices, device components and methods for preventing transmission of electromagnetic radiation from one or more... Read More This invention invention provides photonic crystal devices, device components and methods for preventing transmission of electromagnetic radiation from one or more laser sources or laser modes so as to provide an optical shield for protecting a users eyes or an optical sensor. The invention also provides dynamic photonic crystals and devices incorporating dynamic photonic crystals for optically modulating the intensity of one or more beams of electromagnetic radiation and other optical switching applications.
Photonic Crystal Biosensor with Integrated Liquid Handling and Fabrication Method Photonic crystal (PC) sensors, and sensor arrays and sensing systems incorporating PC sensors are described which have integrated fluid containment and/or fluid... Read More Photonic crystal (PC) sensors, and sensor arrays and sensing systems incorporating PC sensors are described which have integrated fluid containment and/or fluid handling structures. The PC sensors are further integrated into a sample handling device such as a microwell plate. Sensors and sensing systems of the present disclosure are capable of high throughput sensing of analytes in fluid samples, bulk refractive index detection, and label-free detection of a range of molecules, including biomolecules and therapeutic candidates. The present disclosure also provides a commercially attractive fabrication platform for making photonic crystal sensors and systems wherein an integrated fluid containment structure and a photonic crystal structure are fabricated in a single molding or imprinting processing step amendable to high throughput processing.
Smartphone Biosensor Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a portable spectrometer cradle that can be attached to smartphones. The device uses the camera lens and... Read More Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a portable spectrometer cradle that can be attached to smartphones. The device uses the camera lens and light source of the smartphone to enable the spectrometer assembly in the cradle and measure the intensity and wavelength of the light similar to a lab spectrometer. The spectrometer cradle could instead incorporate its own low powered laser within the cradle as well. The smartphone biosensor can be used for various optical sensing applications, such as biosensing, absorption, and fluoresence assays, in the field as opposed to the lab. And since the device is smartphone based, information can be quickly disseminated through wireless means.
Aligned Free-Standing Copper Nanowires This invention fabricates copper nanowires using thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at temperatures of about 200 to 400 C. The method can produce vertically... Read More This invention fabricates copper nanowires using thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at temperatures of about 200 to 400 C. The method can produce vertically aligned copper nanowires on various metallic, oxide, and plastic substrates without the need for pores, templates, catalysts, or lithography of the substrate surface. The CVD process does not use hydrogen and is compatible with standard silicon processing technologies. Copper wires with diameters of 70 to100 nanometers and lengths of several microns can be produced and characterized. Electron emission properties have been measured and are superior to most other materials including carbon nanotubes. The processing conditions are adjusted so as to promote the growth of wires instead of films. Applications: Flat panel display devices Computing Medical imaging Entertainment Home appliances Wireless communication Remote sensors Benefits: Simplicity and scalability - A straightforward CVD process that uses standard equipment is utilized. This technique does not require complex substrate preparation. Compatibility - The process is compatible with most standard semiconductor processing protocols. The wires can be grown on a wide variety of materials including metals, silicon, and plastics.
Cobalt Precursors For Formation of Cobalt or Cobalt-Containing Material Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of cobalt requires a cobalt precursor that can be easily vaporized, leaving high-purity cobalt on a surface while causing no... Read More Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of cobalt requires a cobalt precursor that can be easily vaporized, leaving high-purity cobalt on a surface while causing no surface damage. This newly developed technology covers the composition of new cobalt precursors and a method for producing high-quality cobalt (or cobalt-containing) films and powders using those precursors. Details Because of the substantial surface damage created by using physical vapor deposition (PVD) to deposit cobalt, researchers have become interested in using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). This requires a cobalt precursor that can be easily vaporized and that will leave high-purity cobalt on a surface while causing no surface damage. New technology developed by researchers at the University of Illinois provides novel organometallic compounds with relatively high vapor pressures and good thermal stability that leave pure cobalt on a surface without requiring hydrogen. The resulting compounds, which can be isolated as volatile liquids or solids, vaporize easily and deposit cobalt effectively under reduced pressure, producing very high purity cobalt films. Applications This innovative new technology can be used by the semiconductor industry for depositing cobalt or cobalt-containing films such as CoSi2 using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The technology may also be advantageous for important future applications in areas such as magneto-optics and magnetic memory applications. Benefits Easy implementation: This technology has low deposition temperatures, and requires no reducing agent. By-products of the process are recycled, eliminating added safety and health issues. Safer deposition: This method requires no hydrogen. More effective deposition: Precursors are easily vaporized for improved cobalt deposition. This technology achieves high purity of the films deposited below 300 degrees C. Unlike conventional physical deposition methods, this method yields cobalt films on 3-D surfaces with a smooth, dense surface morphology without surface damage. High stability towards oxygen and high thermal stability. Versatility: This method can be used for pure cobalt and for oxides, as well as for nickel and iron triads.
Dynamic Devices for Microwave Communications Dr. Eden from the University of IL has developed plasma devices that are instantaneously tuned to change their optical properties. This has applications in the microwave... Read More Dr. Eden from the University of IL has developed plasma devices that are instantaneously tuned to change their optical properties. This has applications in the microwave communications market, which has historically required many individual components that must be mechanically exchanged.
Multiplexed High Energy Lasers Dr. Eden from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has invented a new type of laser capable of creating thousands of near-perfect beams and combining them into... Read More Dr. Eden from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has invented a new type of laser capable of creating thousands of near-perfect beams and combining them into one high energy beam. This new laser has significant applications in manufacturing, defense, and research. 2015-170 Web1.png 2015-170 Web2.png
Improving 100X the sensitivity of room-temperature IR sensors Prof. Wasserman and Prof. Gong from the ECE department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, have partnered to develop a new sensor for infrared light... Read More Prof. Wasserman and Prof. Gong from the ECE department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, have partnered to develop a new sensor for infrared light. Combining the specific wavelength absorption of metamaterials and high sensitivity to temperature of laterally vibrating resonators, they have created new IR sensors that specifically detect target wavelengths, are 100X more sensitive than current detectors, and also are compatible to standard CMOS fabrication. These new IR sensors could be used in many different applications ranging from thermal detection, spectroscopy, or gas sensing. Publications: Gong, Songbin, Nai-Kuei Kuo, and Gianluca Piazza. "A 1.75 GHz piezoelectrically-transduced SiC lateral overmoded bulk acoustic-wave resonator." Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Conference (TRANSDUCERS), 2011 16th International. IEEE, 2011. Mason, Joshua, et al. "Strong coupling of molecular and mid-infrared perfect absorber resonances." Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE 24.1 (2012): 31-33. Mason, J. A., S. Smith, and D. Wasserman. "Strong absorption and selective thermal emission from a midinfrared metamaterial." Applied Physics Letters98.24 (2011): 241105 2015-141 Web.png
Terahertz Antenna for High Data Rate Communication Dr. Xiuling Li from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has invented a helical antenna using her self-rolled-up membrane technology that is capable of terahertz... Read More Dr. Xiuling Li from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has invented a helical antenna using her self-rolled-up membrane technology that is capable of terahertz transmission and reception. This has the potential to overcome the "terahertz" gap that plagues communications and can greatly increase data transfer rates. 2016-008 Web.png

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