University of California

Numerical Design, Inc.

Ondavia, Inc.

Leland Stanford Junior University

Numerical Designs, Inc.

Brian Piorek

Carl D Meinhart

Seung Joon Lee

Nicholas B Judy

Juan G Santiago

Martin Moskovits

Sanjoy Banerjee

Noel C MacDonald

Payam Bozorgi

Gaurav Soni

Changsong Ding

Casey Patrick Hare

Tj Reed

Ian Cutler

Philip Strong

Norman Douglas Bradley

Methods and apparatus for vaporizing liquid into the surrounding environment, including directing liquid from a liquid source to a vaporization port where the vaporization port has lateral dimensions varying from 10 um to 300 um, applying heat to the liquid in the vaporization port with an at least one heating element located in thermal communication to the vaporization port, and releasing vaporized liquid from the vaporization port into the surrounding environment so that fluid is transported through the depth of the structure.

Microfluidic-based apparatus and method for vaporization of liquids

Methods and apparatus for vaporizing liquid from a liquid source into the surrounding environment, are disclosed, where the apparatus comprises at least one manifold comprising at least one liquid port formed by a through-hole and at least one ridge structure, wherein the liquid port is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the one ridge structure At least one vaporization port is included in a planar structure connecting a first side of the structure to a second side, in fluid communication with the at least one ridge structure and the surrounding environment, wherein fluid flow through the liquid and vaporization ports is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the structure, and the ridge structures are substantially parallel to the plane of the structure. At least one heating element is present that is in thermal communication to the at least one vaporization port and at least one ridge structure.

Methods and apparatus for vaporizing liquid into the surrounding environment, including directing liquid from a liquid source through an inverse-opal wicking structure to a vaporization port where the vaporization port is formed by a through-hole in a structure connecting a first side of the structure to a second side, with all dimensions ranging from 10 um to 300 um, that is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the surrounding environment so that fluid is transported through the vaporization port between the first and the second side. The methods and apparatus includes plurality of heating elements that may be individually and/or selectively addressable by at least three electrode leads.

Methods and apparatus for vaporizing liquid from a liquid source into the surrounding environment, are disclosed, where the apparatus comprises at least one manifold comprising at least one liquid port formed by a through-hole and at least one ridge structure, wherein the liquid port is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the one ridge structure. At least one vaporization port is included in a planar structure connecting a first side of the structure to a second side, in fluid communication with the at least one ridge structure and the surrounding environment, wherein fluid flow through the liquid and vaporization ports is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the structure, and the ridge structures are substantially parallel to the plane of the structure. At least one heating element is present that is in thermal communication to the at least one vaporization port and at least one ridge structure.

Provided are methods, devices and systems that utilize free-surface fluidics and SERS for analyte detection with high sensitivity and specificity. The molecules can be airborne agents, including but not limited to explosives, narcotics, hazardous chemicals, or other chemical species. The free-surface fluidic architecture is created using an open microchannel, and exhibits a large surface to volume ratio. The free-surface fluidic interface can filter interferent molecules, while concentrating airborne analyte molecules. The microchannel flow enables controlled aggregation of SERS-active probe particles in the flow, thereby enhancing the detector's sensitivity.

Device and methods of detection of airborne agents

Titanium-based thermal ground planes are described. A thermal ground plane in accordance with the present invention comprises a titanium substrate comprising a plurality of pillars, wherein the plurality of Ti pillars can be optionally oxidized to form nanostructured titania coated pillars, and a vapor cavity, in communication with the plurality of titanium pillars, for transporting thermal energy from one region of the thermal ground plane to another region of the thermal ground plane.

Titanium-based thermal ground plane

This disclosure provides a system component and method for analysis of airborne analytes by absorbing the analytes into a liquid and interrogating the liquid with an analytical instrument. In some examples, a cartridge with a microfluidic chip contains a vessel of a colloidal solution of nanostructured particles in a liquid. The vessel is broken, releasing the solution into microfluidic containers on the chip. Air having analytes is passed over the chip leading to absorption of airborne analytes into the solution. The analytes bind with the nanostructures and are detected optically. Techniques are disclosed for filling the vessel in a way that maintains the efficacy of the solution until it is needed for measurement.

Systems for analyte detection

Solid-type SERS-active substrates (e.g., noble metallic nanostructured powders or noble metallic nanoparticle-coatings on beads, microbeads, particles, etc.) are contained within optically-transparent modules. The modules allow for the controlled introduction of analyte-bearing fluid(s) into SERS-active substrates. The modules also allow for the monitoring of SERS signals emanating from analyte(s) which have accumulated on the confined SERS-active substrates. These SERS signals may be monitored over time by direct readout of the SERS substrates through the optically transparent module for chemical analysis and chemical detection applications.

SERS-active absorbers for the analysis of analytes

For a rapid and real-time SERS detection of organic chemicals in the air and the interfaces of air/solids, colloidal silver and/or gold nanoparticles solution is sprayed, in the form of nano-/micro-sized droplets, at the desired target area where the analytes of interest are present, e.g., in the air or onto certain organic/inorganic interfaces.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Brian Piorek