Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Hongrui Jiang

David James Beebe

Liang Dong

Chi-Wei Lo

Chensha Li

Abhishek K Agarwal

Alireza Ousati Ashtiani

Seyyed Mohammad J Moghimi

Guangyun Lin

Difeng Zhu

Daming Cheng

Sudheer S Sridharamurthy

Xuezhen Huang

Seyyed Mohammad Javad Moghimi

Ye Liu

Francisco J Atencia-Fernandez

Yen-Sheng Lu

Hewei Liu

Jae-Jun Kim

Chenhui Li

Jayer A Fernandes

Xi Zhang

A light modulator and method of forming the same is provided. The light modulator includes a membrane and a tuning electrode in spaced relation to the membrane. A light blocking fluid is received between the substrate and the tuning electrode and a light blocker is positioned between the tuning electrode and a central portion of the membrane. A pinning electrode is disposed between the light blocker and the membrane and is aligned with the central portion of the membrane. An electrostatic generator is configured to selectively apply an electrostatic force on the membrane causing the central portion of the membrane to deform towards pinning electrode causing the light blocking fluid to be displaced from between the membrane and the pinning electrode. A variable electrostatic generator is configured to selectively apply a variable electrostatic force on the membrane causing an outer portion of the membrane to deform towards the tuning electrode and causing the light blocking fluid to be displaced from between the outer portion of the membrane and the tuning electrode.

Pinned aperture light modulator and method

An infrared (IR) detection sensor for detecting IR radiation. The IR detection sensor including a plurality of nanowires positioned adjacent to each other so as to define a layer. The layer has an outer surface directable towards a source of IR radiation. First and second terminals are electrically coupled to the layer and a circuit is electrically coupled to the first and second terminals. The circuit is configured to determine a value of an electrical property, such as the resistance, of the layer in response to the IR radiation absorbed by the layer.

High efficiency room temperature infrared sensor

A tunable photonic device and method of fabricating the same are provided. The tunable photonic device including a substrate and an actuator having a first end supported by the substrate and a second end in spaced relation to the substrate. A photonic structure is operatively connected to the actuator and a stimulus generator configured to selectively generate a stimulus to act on the actuator. The stimulus acting on the actuator causes deformation of the actuator and moves the photonic structure between first and second positions.

Tunable photonic device with liquid crystal elastomer microactuators and method of fabricating the same

A optical phase shifter is provided for adjusting an optical phase of light propagating therethrough along an optical axis. The optical phase shifter includes first and second transparent slides defining a cavity therebetween. A sheet is received in the cavity and has first and second sides. The sheet includes a rigid inner portion alignable with the optical axis and is moveable along the optical axis between a first position and a second position. A tuning structure is operatively engageable with the rigid inner portion of the sheet to selectively move the rigid inner portion of the sheet along the optical axis so as to adjust the optical phase of light propagating through the optical phase shifter.

Optical phase shifter

A device is provided for securing a plurality of infrared radiation detectors from unwanted infrared radiation. The device includes a structure supporting the plurality of infrared radiation detectors. A plurality of nanowires are positioned adjacent to each other so as to define a layer. The layer has an inner surface positioned adjacent an outer surface of the structure and an outer surface directable towards a source of unwanted infrared radiation. The plurality of IR radiation detectors are aligned with a desired field of view so as to receive IR radiation radiating from any objects in the field of view such that a first portion of the IR radiation engages and is absorbed by IR radiation detectors, while a second portion of the IR radiation engages and is absorbed by IR radiation detector is absorbed by layer.

Device for securing an infrared radiation detector from unwanted infrared radiation and heat

A method and device for harvesting and storing solar energy is provided. The device converts solar energy to electrical energy via the photovoltaic effect. The device includes a pair of electrodes, at least one of which is transparent to allow solar energy to pass through. A medium is disposed between the electrodes which exhibits a combination of photovoltaic and ferroelectric properties. When solar energy passes through the transparent electrode and is received by the medium, electron-hole pairs establish a voltage potential between electrodes in the device via the photovoltaic effect. The voltage potential may be retained and the mobile charge may be stored in the absence of solar energy via the ferroelectric effect.

Method of storing electron hole pairs

A capacitive touch sensor is provided, The capacitive touch sensor includes a plate having an upper surface and lying in a plate plane. A generally planar, first electrode is spaced from the plate along an axis generally perpendicular to the upper surface of the plate. The first electrode movable with respect to the plate in response to a force. A plurality of second electrodes are interconnected to the plate and circumferentially spaced about the axis. Each of the plurality of the second electrodes has a corresponding differential capacitance with the first electrode. The differential capacitances between the first electrode and the plurality of second electrodes vary in the response to the movement of the first electrode.

Capacitive touch sensor

A device is provided for camouflaging an object from an infrared detection apparatus. The device includes a cloak positionable between the object and the infrared detection apparatus. The cloak includes a layer of infrared absorptive material including a plurality of silicon nanowires. A flexible substrate has a first surface operatively connected to an inner surface of the layer. The substrate includes a heat dissipation arrangement for dissipating heat generated by the cloak during operation. An array of infrared emitters is operatively connected to a second surface of the substrate. The array of infrared emitters selectively radiates an infrared pattern to disguise the object to the infrared detection apparatus.

Device for camouflaging an object from infrared and low light cameras

A passive solar tracking system to enhance solar cell output is provided. The passive solar tracking system includes a panel having at least one solar cell for solar-to-electric conversion and an actuator that is arranged for moving the panel to provide the variable facing direction of the panel. The actuator is directly driven by light such as sunlight to provide artificial heliotropism-type movements of the panel, so that the panel passively tracks and continuously faces the sun. The actuator may be made from a composite material including a matrix of liquid crystal elastomer material incorporating single-wall or multi-wall carbon nanotubes and an elastic skeleton defined by a 3D polyurethane fiber-network. An actuator housing may be arranged with respect to the actuator for enhancing delivery of stimulus to the actuator. The actuator housing may include a heat collector and a light concentrator for facilitating actuation of the actuator.

Passive solar tracking system to enhance solar cell output

A Fresnel zone plate is provided for encountering incident light having a wavelength. The Fresnel zone plate has a focal length and a wafer including alternating transparent and opaque zones, and a mourning surface. A plurality of silicon nanowires extend into opaque zone of the wafer. A mechanically stretchable tuning structure is mounted to the mounting surface such that stretching of the tuning structure varies the focal length of the Fresnel zone plate.

Fresnel zone plate

A variable-focus lens system that includes a lens assembly having an electrowetting liquid lens that can be wrapped onto a curved surface such as a lens without distorting a chamber holding the electrowetting liquid lens is provided. The lens assembly includes a container body having a cup, in which the chamber is defined, and supports that extend in different directions from the cup. A flexible base substrate is arranged under the container body. Both the container body and flexible base substrate may be made from a soft polymer material and made using low-temperature fabrication processes. The flexible base substrate may be thinner than the container body and provide a relatively large surface area that engages the curved surface such that the stresses associated with wrapping a micro lens assembly onto the curved surface may be primarily absorbed by the flexible base substrate.

Variable focus lens system

A system and method for recovering performance of a degraded solar cell are provided. The system includes a solar cell having electrodes arranged on opposing sides of an electrolyte and defining a solar cell polarity therebetween and a power source connected to the electrodes. A controller controls the power source for applying a voltage pulse(s) across the solar cell. The voltage pulse may be applied at the solar cell polarity so as to define a forward electrical bias of the solar cell.

Recovering performance of degraded solar cells with electrical pulses

Composite hydrogels and methods for making and using the composite hydrogels are provided. The composite hydrogels comprise graphene oxide flakes distributed in, and covalently bonded to, a thermo-responsive hydrogel polymer.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Hongrui Jiang