US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Adam A Wilson

Gabriel L Smith

Darin J Sharar

Nathan Scott Lazarus

Cory R Knick

Patrick J Taylor

Dennis L Waldron

Jay R Maddux

Sensor interconnects and supports and methods of making them utilize phonon disruptors for increased thermal resistance while maintaining acceptable electrical signal quality in materials. Phonon disruptors include, but are not limited to, structural features such as interfaces, grain boundaries, and point scattering sites, for example, that are designed to scatter heat carriers while allowing electrons to pass through the material. Some embodiments herein involve designing selected stacks of alternating or sequential material pairs within sensor interconnects.

Phonon disruptors for increased thermal resistance without sacrificing electrical signal quality in thermal sensors

Sensor interconnects and supports and methods of making them utilize phonon disruptors for increased thermal resistance while maintaining acceptable electrical signal quality in materials. Phonon disruptors include the use of an electrically conductive alloy material or intermetallic material of at least two or more elements to promote scattering of phonons. These materials are selected to scatter heat carriers while allowing electrons to pass through the material.

Phonon disruptors for increased thermal resistance without sacrificing electrical signal quality in thermal sensors using alloy and intermetallic materials

A method and apparatus for using a laser to form and release an element of an actuator. The method comprising forming an actuator from sheet stock using a laser, where the actuator is three dimensional; releasing an element of the actuator from the sheet stock using the laser; and moving the released part relative to the sheet stock using laser ablation propulsion.

Method and apparatus for performing contactless laser fabrication and propulsion of freely moving structures

A method and apparatus for using a laser to form and release an element of an actuator. The method comprising forming an actuator from sheet stock using a laser, where the actuator is three dimensional; and releasing an element of the actuator from the sheet stock using the laser.

A scanning probe microscope includes a cantilever structure; and a metallization layer on the cantilever structure. The cantilever structure and the metallization layer expand and contract at equivalent rates upon thermal loading. The cantilever structure and the metallization layer may include matching coefficient of thermal expansion levels. The cantilever structure may include SiN. The metallization layer may include 50 nm of Ti. The metallization layer may include 50 nm of Cr. The metallization layer may include 5 nm of Ti and 45 nm of Ge. The cantilever structure may include no thermally-induced deflections.

High-sensitivity, low thermal deflection, stress-matched atomic force microscopy and scanning thermal microscopy probes

A passive thermal oscillator combines a thermoelectric device and a passive analog electrical circuit to produce a time-oscillating temperature difference. The oscillator makes use of a temperature difference imposed across a thermoelectric device to produce a Seebeck voltage to periodically trigger electrical current to pass through a switch. The periodic electrical current causes periodic Peltier cooling producing a time-oscillating temperature difference across the thermoelectric device. There is no requirement for additional external energy input because the thermal energy generates a voltage that is used as the driving force. The operation is purely passive. So long as there is a temperature difference across the thermoelectric device, then the passive thermal oscillator oscillates. The passive thermal oscillator can integrate multiple energy conversion device technologies to operate cooperatively. The cooperation of multiple energy conversion technologies yields a much higher overall system efficiency than just the conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy.

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Columbia, MD, United States of America

Adam A Wilson