Microfabrica Inc.

Physical Domains, LLC

University of California

Elliott R Brown

Dennis R Smalley

Adam L Cohen

Michael S Lockard

Christopher A Bang

Morton Grosser

John D Evans

Abraham Hartenstein

Rodney F Sinclair

Songi Han

Evan R McCarney

Brandon D Armstrong

Ravinath Kausik

Hanna Pavlova

Mark Lingwood

RF and microwave radiation directing or controlling components are provided that may be monolithic, that may be formed from a plurality of electrodeposition operations and/or from a plurality of deposited layers of material, that may include switches, inductors, antennae, transmission lines, filters, hybrid couplers, antenna arrays and/or other active or passive components. Components may include non-radiation-entry and non-radiation-exit channels that are useful in separating sacrificial materials from structural materials. Preferred formation processes use electrochemical fabrication techniques (e.g. including selective depositions, bulk depositions, etching operations and planarization operations) and post-deposition processes (e.g. selective etching operations and/or back filling operations).

Miniature RF and microwave components and methods for fabricating such components

Multi-layer, multi-material fabrication methods include depositing at least one structural material and at least one sacrificial material during the formation of each of a plurality of layers wherein deposited materials for each layer are planarized to set a boundary level for the respective layer and wherein during formation of at least one layer at least three materials are deposited with a planarization operation occurring before deposition of the last material to set a planarization level above the layer boundary level and wherein a planarization occurs after deposition of the last material level above the layer boundary level and wherein a planarization occurs after deposition of the last material whereby the boundary level for the layer is set. Some formation processes use electrochemical fabrication techniques (e.g. including selective depositions, bulk depositions, etching operations and planarization operations) and post-deposition processes (e.g. selective etching operations and/or back filling operations).

Method for fabricating miniature structures or devices such as RF and microwave components

Embodiments of the invention are directed to retrodirective radio-frequency systems wherein a transmit antenna array includes at least one row of N transmit elements and a receive antenna array includes at least one row of N receive elements that correspond one-to-one to the transmit elements and wherein the transmit and receive elements are located on spaced planes, and centered about a common axis and located at common transmit distance and a common receive distance, respectively. In some embodiments the one row of transmit and receive elements comprises 'n' rows of elements, where 'n' is an integer greater than one, thereby forming a two-dimensional array. In some embodiments the total transmit radiation pattern provides an azimuth coverage of 360 degrees. In other embodiments, it may provide less coverage but be operable as independent sectors. In some embodiments, the desired transmit wave form will be identical between all transmit elements of the array, one possible example being pseudo random noise imparted on a sinusoidal carrier.

Omnidirectional retrodirective antennas

Low-profile omnidirectional retrodirective antennas

Embodiments provide radio-frequency systems that can automatically detect, focus-on, and track objects in the environment without the need for expensive electronic scanning and phase-shifting components. Some embodiments are directed to retrodirective systems including: (1) quiescently broadcast pseudorandom-modulated radiation, such as pseudorandom bit sequences, in the absence of a target, over a field-of-view comparable to the beam solid angle of a single element in the transmit array; (2) a receive antenna element or array, in a desired spatial relationship with respect to the transmit antenna array, that receives reflected pseudorandom radiation from a target; and (3) an electronic signal-processing and feedback channel between the receive and transmit arrays that carries out cross-correlation between the received radiation and the transmitted pseudorandom signals and computes complex correlation coefficients to form a re-transmitted beam. Some embodiments are useful for short-range applications involving small and fast moving targets.

Retrodirective transmit and receive radio frequency system based on pseudorandom modulated waveforms

A method and apparatus are provided for treating hydrated material in a fluid that contains water in which a stable nitroxide is attached to the hydrated material. A dynamic nuclear polarization process (DNP) is conducted on the hydrated material whereby to hyperpolarize the water. A polarization cell contains the hydrated material to obtain hyperpolarized water free from the nitroxide. The dynamic nuclear polarization process is conducted using components comprising a tunable, solid state high power X-band driver and an X-band resonator for microwave transmission to the hydrated material. The components can also include a radio-frequency nuclear magnetic resonance probe, a permanent magnet formed to receive the hydrated material, a portable nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, and an electron spin resonance detector. The components can be sized to be portable, and include electrical input and output and a lap-size hard-case with access to the electrical input and output.

Dynamic nuclear polarization enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance of water under ambient conditions

RF and microwave radiation directing or controlling components are provided that may be monolithic, that may be formed from a plurality of electrodeposition operations and/or from a plurality of deposited layers of material, that may include switches, inductors, antennae, transmission lines, filters, and/or other active or passive components. Components may include non-radiation-entry and non-radiation-exit channels that are useful in separating sacrificial materials from structural materials. Preferred formation processes use electrochemical fabrication techniques (e.g. including selective depositions, bulk depositions, etching operations and planarization operations) and post-deposition processes (e.g. selective etching operations and/or back filling operations).

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Glendale, CA, United States of America

Elliott R Brown