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Physical Measurement Laboratory

Applied Physics Division

Patents

Searches Patent Title, Abstract, Body, Technology Type, and NIST Inventors
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24
Commercial Fiber Optic FC-Style Connector (does not depict the invention).

Fiber Optic Safety Lock

NIST Inventors
Joshua Hadler
The patent-pending NIST Fiber Optic Safety Lock (“Safety Lock”) ensures continuous connection of fiber optic cables, thereby preventing laser hazards and critical system failures. The device features a specially designed fiber connector lock that requires a tool to access the connector. The Safety

System And Method For Parameter Multiplexed Gradient Descent

NIST Inventors
Adam McCaughan , Sonia Buckley and Andrew Dienstfrey
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and model-free methods for perturbing neural network hardware parameters and measure the neural network response that are implemented natively within the neural network hardware and without requiring a knowledge of the internal structure of the
Diagram showing the circuit for resetting the Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) after the Light Emitting Diode (LED) has emitted a photonic pulse.

Superconducting Opto-Electronic Transmitter Circuit

NIST Inventors
Sonia Buckley , Adam McCaughan and Jeff Shainline
This invention describes a family of circuits that receive an input current or voltage pulse when a superconducting element has been driven above threshold, producing an amplified current or voltage pulse to drive a light source, and reset to the resting state after light has been generated.
Perspective view of tweezer.

Chip Tweezers

This invention is a precision tool, specifically a type of specialized tweezer, for manipulating small samples of various materials, especially fragile microchips. These tweezers are specially designed to safely pick up and handle small, delicate items without touching their top or bottom surfaces
Chart illustrating the fiber channel structure.

A Better Way to Connect Fiber Optics to Computer Chips

NIST Inventors
Saeed Khan and Jeff Shainline
This invention provides a way to efficiently connect optical fibers to semiconductor chips. It improves the transfer of light signals between the fiber and the chip, reducing loss and increasing performance. The design allows for better alignment and integration, making it easier to manufacture and

Ultra-Sensitive Camera for Clearer Images in Medicine, Space, and Security

NIST Inventors
Adam McCaughan
This invention introduces a thermally coupled imager designed to detect and track single photons with high accuracy. It integrates a thermal detection layer with photon-sensitive pixels to enhance imaging precision. The system improves time and position-sensitive imaging, making it ideal for

Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting Thermometry

NIST Inventors
Kathryn Keenan and Megan Poorman
A method for temperature quantification using magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) includes acquiring MRF data from a region of interest in a subject using an MRF pulse sequence with smoothly varying RF phase for MR resonant frequencies that is played out continuously. For each of a plurality of

Fiber-To-Chip Coupler

NIST Inventors
Jeff Shainline and Saeed Khan
A fiber-to-chip coupler includes a substrate, a waveguide on a top surface of the substrate, an optical fiber axially aligned to the waveguide, and a cap. The waveguide has a uniform region with uniform width and a tapered-waveguide region having a width that adiabatically increases from a minimum

Quantum Waveguide Infrared Photodetector

A novel quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) is proposed, which provides an unprecedented signal-to-noise ratio compared any other infrared detector. The key feature is the ability to inject light in the absorbing regions in the plane of the detector material layers, rather than surface normal

Ultra-Fast, Energy-Efficient Processor for Smarter Computing

NIST Inventors
Jeff Shainline
This invention introduces a fluxonic processor, which operates using superconducting circuits to process information efficiently. It leverages synaptic and dendritic signal processing, mimicking neural networks for advanced computing. The processor is designed to handle complex computations with

Photoacoustic Photon Meter And Process For Measuring Photon Fluence

NIST Inventors
Kimberly A. Briggman , Chris Yung , Jeeseong C. Hwang and John H. Lehman
A photoacoustic photon meter includes: a photoacoustic generative array including carbon nanotubes disposed in a photoacoustic generating pattern, such that the carbon nanotubes: receive photons comprising optical energy, and produce thermal energy from the optical energy; and a superstratum
image for 10,837,828

Non-attenuating Meter for Determining Optical Energy of Laser Light

NIST Inventors
Joshua Hadler , John H. Lehman , Matthew Spidell and Paul A. Williams
A non-attenuating meter determines optical energy of laser light in an absence of optical attenuation of the laser light and includes: a recipient mirror that: receives laser light that propagates in a primary propagation direction; produces profile light; transmits the profile light through the

Recessed Carbon Nanotube Article and Method for Making Same

NIST Inventors
Chris Yung , Nathan A Tomlin and Dan Schmidt
A microbolometer structure including carbon nanotubes, a substrate (silicon, alumina, etc.) with an array of micromachined wells/holes/pockets, a weak thermal link (membrane or legs) at the base of each well/hole/pocket, a protection layer bonded to substrate over the wells for subsequent back side

Thermoelectric Devices Based On Nanophononic Metamaterials

NIST Inventors
Kris A. Bertness and Joel Weber
A nanophononic metamaterial-based thermoelectric energy conversion device and processes for fabricating a nanophononic metamaterial-based thermoelectric energy conversion device is provided. In one implementation, for example, a nanophononic metamaterial-based thermoelectric energy conversion device

Optical Phantom for Producing a Time-Resolved Diffuse Reflectance Spectrum

NIST Inventors
Jeeseong C. Hwang
An optical phantom produces a time-resolved diffuse reflectance spectrum and includes: a light source; a spatial light modulator; and an optical delay line including optical fibers of different length that produce different time-of-flight distributions, such that different time-of-flight

Liquid Crystal Thermometer for MRI

NIST Inventors
Elizabeth Mirowski , Michael Snow and Kathryn Keenan
Cost effective and quality assurance friendly magnetic resonance imaging thermometer using non-encapsulated liquid c1ystals to be incorporated in standard reference objects for magnetic resonance imaging.
Line drawing of the thermal impedance amplifier

Thermal Impedance Amplifier

NIST Inventors
Adam McCaughan , Varun Verma and Sonia Buckley
A thermal impedance amplifier includes: a resistive layer including: a resistance member; a first electrode in electrical communication with the resistance member; and a second electrode in electrical communication with the resistance member; a switch layer opposing the resistive layer and including
Powerpoint slide, showing via map and photograhpy, the distance from NIST Boulder to Valmont Butte

Optical Time Distributor and Process for Optical Two-Way Time-Frequency Transfer

NIST Inventors
Laura Sinclair , William C. Swann and JD Deschenes
An optical time distributor includes: a master clock including: a master comb; a transfer comb; and a free-space optical terminal; and a remote clock in optical communication with the master clock via a free space link and including: a remote comb that produces: a remote clock coherent optical pulse
Image of an map view with the text "Natural gas extraction east of Platteville Colorado. DCS could monitor over 100 sites from central location. Overlapping fields could ensure complete coverage".

Hub and Spoke System for Detecting and Locating Gas Leaks

NIST Inventors
Greg Rieker , Ian Coddington , Kuldeep Prasad and Anna Karion
A system for detecting gas leaks and determining their location and size. A data gathering portion of the system utilizes a hub and spoke configuration to collect path-integrated spectroscopic data over multiple open paths around an area. A processing portion of the system applies a high-resolution
A line drawing showing the entire structure, which includes the resonator and supporting substrate.

Reticulated Resonator, Process for Making and Use of Same

NIST Inventors
Raymond Simmonds , Katarina Cicak , Cindy Regal and Thomas Purdy
A reticulated resonator includes: a reticulated substrate that includes: a substrate frame; and a phononic structure in mechanical communication with the substrate frame and including a plurality of unit members arranged in a two-dimensional array; and a membrane disposed on the reticulated
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