Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Eaton Corporation

The Penn State Research Foundation

Northrup Grumman Corp.

Carl Baldwin Freidhoff

Robert Miles Young

Peter P Hairston

Clinton Ung

Harvey C Nathanson

Silai V Krishnaswamy

James E Degenford

Timothy T Braggins

Sameh S Wanis

Vivian W Ryan

Thomas J Smith, Jr

J Douglas Adam

F William Hopwood

Maurice G Fey

Graham A Whitlow

Dennis L Polla

Thomas V Congedo

Paul G Slade

Paul O Wayland

Saptharishi Sriram

Susan Trolier McKinstry

Peter J Schiller

Joseph C Kotvas

William J Lange

Philip E Carpentier

Euniki Hong

Saptharish Sriram

Silaipillayarputhur V Krishnaswamy

An apparatus for particle collection is provided. The apparatus includes a magnetic element configured to generate a tapered magnetic ion transport tunnel that collects particles from a local environment, a detector configured to perform one or more measurements of the collected particles, and ion optics configured to transport the collected particles to the detector.

Tapered magnetic ion transport tunnel for particle collection

An apparatus for radiation shielding is provided. The apparatus includes a first housing element and a first plurality of magnetic elements arranged in a first array on the first housing element. The first array is configured to generate a first tapered magnetic field and, using the first tapered magnetic field, deflect incoming radiation away from a protected element.

Radiation shield

A space ion analyzer in a spacecraft includes an axis and an aperture to receive an ion stream. An ion focuser to focus the ion stream along the axis responsive to a focus voltage, and an ion deflector deflects ions from the axis based on energies of the ions and a deflector voltage difference applied across plates of the ion deflector. A mass spectrometer on a chip (MSOC) directs ions from the ion deflector to an ion detector array responsive to an MSOC voltage difference applied to the MSOC. A focus voltage generator generates the focus voltage as a variable voltage referenced to a spacecraft ground. A deflector voltage generator generates the deflector voltage difference with a controllable magnitude and referenced to the spacecraft ground. An MSOC voltage generator generates the MSOC voltage difference with a controllable magnitude and referenced to a breaking potential controllable relative to the spacecraft ground.

Space ion analyzer with mass spectrometer on a chip (MSOC) using floating MSOC voltages

A method of manufacturing a miniature electromechanical system (MEMS) device includes the steps of forming a moving member on a first substrate such that a first sacrificial layer is disposed between the moving member and the substrate, encapsulating the moving member, including the first sacrificial layer, with a second sacrificial layer, coating the encapsulating second sacrificial layer with a first film formed of a material that establishes an hermetic seal with the substrate, and removing the first and second sacrificial layers.

Thin film encapsulation of MEMS devices

The present invention provides a MEMS piezoelectric switch that has an articulated unimorph bridge attached to a substrate. The bridge includes a passive layer of zirconia and at least one silicon-based material, an active layer of a piezoelectric material that has a high piezoelectric coefficient, at least one pair of interdigitated electrodes, disposed on the top surface of the active layer and across which the bias voltage is applied, and a top contact electrode. A bottom contact electrode is provided on the substrate, and signals flow through the switch when the top and bottom contact electrodes contact one another.

MEMS piezoelectric switch

Analysis of solid chemical and biological particles is achieved by a miniature mass spectrometer and apparatus attached thereto for vaporizing or ablating a stream of chemical and biological particles by a pulsed laser and/or pyrolysis heater sub-assembly at atmospheric pressure or, when desirable, in a vacuum. The mass spectrometer includes a collimation chamber, a repeller assembly, an internal ionization chamber, a mass filter and ion separation chamber, a drift space region, and a multi-channel ion detection array so as to permit the collection and analysis of ions formed over a wide mass range simultaneously. The apparatus for vaporizing or ablating includes an output port adjacent the input to the collimation and vaporization chamber so as to maximize the amount of vaporized material being fed into the mass spectrometer.

Miniature mass spectrometer for the analysis of chemical and biological solid samples

Analysis of biological small molecules such as toxins, spores or cells is achieved by miniature mass spectrometer apparatus and apparatus attached thereto for vaporizing and ionizing a liquid sample fed into an evacuated vaporization chamber as an electrospray. The mass spectrometer apparatus includes: a collimation chamber, a repeller assembly, an internal ionization chamber, a mass filter and ion separation chamber, a drift space region, and a multi-channel ion detection array so as to permit the collection and analysis of ions formed over a wide mass range simultaneously. The vaporization chamber includes an output port adjacent the input to the collimation chamber so as to maximize the amount of vaporized material being fed into the mass spectrometer apparatus.

Miniature mass spectrometer for the analysis of biological small molecules

The invention provides systems and methods for detecting aerosols. The systems and methods can be used to detect harmful aerosols, such as, bio-aerosols.

Systems and methods for use in detecting harmful aerosol particles

A MEMS mass spectrometer having metal walls connected between a lid and base, with the walls defining a plurality of interior chambers including sample gas input chambers, an ionizer chamber, a plurality of ion optics chambers and a ion separation chamber. A detector array at the end of the ion separation chamber includes a plurality of V-shaped detector elements positioned along two parallel lines and arranged to intercept all of the ionized beams produced in the mass spectrometer.

MEMS mass spectrometer

The disclosed invention relates to achieving micromachined piezoelectrically-actuated diaphragms. The piezoelectric diaphragm includes a central, inactive electrode free region and an annular shaped interdigitated electrode adjacent to the outer periphery of the central region. The diaphragm also may have an inactive annular, electrode free region and an active central, interdigitated electrode region. The diaphragms may be used in, such as, miniature pumps. The pumps may include a plurality of chambers to generate peristaltic pumping of fluids.

IDT electroded piezoelectric diaphragms

A solid state compact ion gauge includes an electron source, a gate electrode, an electron collector, a gas ionizer, an ion anode, and a detector all formed within a cavity of a semiconductor substrate formed of two halves bonded together and having open sides for receiving a gase sample. A sample of gas having multiple gas constituents flows into the cavity from the side where gas molecules collide with electrons flowing from the source to the collector forming ions. The ions are forced under an electric field to the detector which includes a set of detectors for sensing the constituent ions.

Compact ion gauge using micromachining and MISOC devices

Growing community of inventors

New Freedom, PA, United States of America

Carl Baldwin Freidhoff