Genvac Aerospace Corporation

Atomic Telecom

Other

Northwestern University

Amgen Inc.

Genvac Corporation

Laszlo A Takacs

Gerald T Mearini

Robert E Kusner

Andras Guttman

Hsiung Chen

Barry L Karger

William S Hancock

Manuel Duval

Patrick Berna

A method or platform for monoclonal antibody based biomarker discovery is disclosed. The method according to the invention provides for the integration of analyte collection, hybridoma screening and nanovolume integrated mass spectrometry (NVIMS) to achieve a robust screening system that is capable, for example, of cutting 4-6 years off of the classical biomarker discovery and development process. The invention provides a platform for the rapid, high-throughput production, isolation and characterization of, e.g., disease specific biomarkers together with highly specific monoclonal antibodies. The method of the invention has a variety of applications such as, but not limited to, drug testing, biohazard applications, ecological applications, physiological applications and/or pathology screening applications. The method of the invention is also capable of being performed or used as or with a high-throughput screening process or system of the invention.

Monoclonal antibody based biomarker discovery and development platform

A vacuum deposition system has been designed to produce thin film based demultiplexers with high throughput and production yields of greater than 25% for use in Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexer (DWDM) systems. The system employs a dense array of high yield fixtures and an ion assisted movable dual electron beam evaporation system. The fixture array increases acceptable yields of narrow band pass filters to 25&#x2013;75% compared to less than 5% in conventional coating systems used for DWDM. The movable e-beam system allows critical symmetry to be maintained while eliminating significant delays resulting from deposition of two materials from a single electron gun. The vacuum deposition system will enable production of more than 15,000 50&#x2013;200 GHZ filters which meet specifications for DWDM demultiplexers every 48 hours.

High throughput high-yield vacuum deposition system

An optical filter using alternating layers of materials with 'low' and 'high' indices of refraction and deposited with atomic layer control has been developed. The multilayered thin film filter uses, but is not limited to, alternating amorphous layers of atomically controlled Si (n=3.56) as the high index material and diamond-like carbon (DLC, n=2.0) as the low index material. The Si layers are grown with a self-limiting pulsed molecular beam deposition process which results in layer-by-layer growth and thickness control to within one atomic layer. The DLC layers are produced using an ion-based process and made atomically smooth using a modified Chemical Reactive-Ion Surface Planarization (CRISP) process. Intrinsic stress is monitored using an in-situ cantilever-based intrinsic stress optical monitor and adjusted during filter fabrication by deposition parameter modification. The resulting filter has sufficient individual layer thickness control and surface roughness to enable &#x2dc;12.5 GHz filters for next generation multiplexers and demultiplexers with more than 1000 channels in the wavelength range 1.31-1.62 &#x3bc;m.

Atomic layer controlled optical filter design for next generation dense wavelength division multiplexer

A method of constructing optical filters using alternating layers of materials with 'low' and 'high' indices of refraction and deposited with atomic layer control. The multilayered thin film filter uses, but is not limited to, alternating layers of single crystal, polycrystalline or amorphous materials grown with self-limiting epitaxial deposition processes well known to the semiconductor industry. The deposition process, such as atomic layer epitaxy (ALE), pulsed chemical beam epitaxy (PCB E), molecular layer epitaxy (MLE) or laser molecular beam epitaxy (laser MBE) can result in epitaxial layer by layer growth and thickness control to within one atomic layer. The alternating layers are made atomically smooth using a Chemical Reactive-Ion Surface Planarization (CRISP) process. Intrinsic stress is monitored using an in-situ cantilever based intrinsic stress optical monitor and adjusted during filter fabrication by deposition parameter modification. The resulting filter has sufficient individual layer thickness control and surface roughness to enable &#x2dc;12.5 GHz filters for next generation multiplexers and demultiplexers with more than 1000 channels in the wavelength range 1.31-1.62 &#x3bc;m.

Method of constructing optical filters by atomic layer control for next generation dense wavelength division multiplexer

A reflective optical switch device includes a diamond-like carbon (DLC) heat sink layer disposed adjacent a reflective layer. In one embodiment, the reflective optical switch is a MEMS mirror having a substrate layer, a DLC heat sink layer, which is vapor deposited on the substrate layer, and a reflective layer deposited over the heat sink layer. In another embodiment, the optical switch device is a reflective LC-based switch having a first substrate, a DLC heat sink layer deposited over the first substrate, and an LC medium provided between a reflective electrode layer and a transmissive electrode layer. The DLC heat sink enables rapid dissipation and distribution of laser light induced heat away from the local target area of the reflective surface, thereby reducing deformation of the reflective surface and/or alteration of the optical properties within the local region to enhance performance.

Diamond-like carbon heat sink for reflective optical switches and devices

An oxygen ion process, Chemical Reactive-Ion Surface Planarization (CRISP), has been developed which enables planarization of thin film surfaces at the atomic level. Narrow/broad band filters produced with vacuum deposited multilayered thin films are designed to selectively reflect/transmit light at specific wavelengths. The optical performance is limited by the ability to control the individual layer thickness, the &ldquo;roughness&rdquo; of the individual layer surfaces and the stoichiometry of the layers. The process described herein will enable reduction of surface roughness at the interfaces of multilayered thin films to produce atomically smooth surfaces. The application of this process will result in the production of notch filters of less than 0.3 nm full width at half maximum (FWHM) centered at the desired wavelength. This will enable optical filters designed for telecommunication components such as next generation dense wavelength division multiplexer (DWDM) systems with significant performance improvement beyond the state-of-the-art.

Chemical-organic planarization process for atomically smooth interfaces

A radio frequency magnetron device for generating radio frequency power includes a cathode at least partially formed from a diamond material. An anode is disposed concentrically around the cathode. An electron field is provided radially between the anode and the cathode. First and second oppositely charged pole pieces are operatively connected to the cathode for producing a magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to the electric field. A filament is provided within the electron tube which when heated produces primary electrons. Alternatively, a voltage is applied to the anode which causes primary electrons to emit from the diamond coated cathode. A portion of the primary electrons travel in a circular path and induce radio frequency power. Another portion of the primary electrons spiral back and collide with the cathode causing the emission of secondary electrons. The secondary electron emission sustains operation of the magnetron device once the device has been started.

Magnetron with diamond coated cathode

A method for manufacturing a free-standing solid diamond microchannel plate produces a base structure, including a silicon material, having a backing and a vertical extension. A chemical vapor deposition diamond material is deposited onto the backing. The diamond material is leveled with the vertical extension of the base structure. The silicon backing is removed from the leveled base structure.

Solid chemical vapor deposition diamond microchannel plate

A method of manufacturing an x-ray target by positioning an x-ray target having an alloy surface and a graphite surface in a sputtering chamber is disclosed. The x-ray target is then coated over the graphite surface with non-hydrogenated amorphous carbon.

Process for coating amorphous carbon coating on to an x-ray target

A method of manufacturing an x-ray target by positioning an x-ray target having an alloy surface and a graphite surface in a sputtering chamber. The x-ray target is then coated over the graphite surface with non-hydrogenated amorphous carbon.

A proteome analyzer includes a separation cassette having a first dimension separation compartment for separation of protein samples by isoelectric focusing and a second dimension separation compartment for separation of protein samples by SDS-polymer network electrophoresis. The first dimension compartment is a reservoir in which a porous material having capillary channels is disposed. The protein samples are disposed in the capillary channels and, in the presence of a pH gradient, are focused spatially by isolectric focusing upon application of an electric field. The second dimension compartment consists of two glass or plastic plates separated by a separation medium. The separation medium is an ultra-thin layer of a low concentration linear polymer supported by an inert matrix. The spatially focused protein samples are contacted with the separation medium in the presence of an electric field to initiate second dimension separation. The migrating SDS-protein complexes are fluorescently labeled by a dye in the separation medium during second dimension separation, and are detected by an illumination and detection system as they pass through a detection area. The detected SDS-protein complexes are imaged and displayed by computer analysis as two-dimensional maps representing the proteins in the sample.

High performance multidimensional proteome analyzer

An apparatus and method for improving the performance of a vacuum coating system includes a vacuum chamber enclosing a track. The track is substantially rectangular having a top surface and a bottom surface. A pair of legs are attached to the bottom surface of the track and support the track within the vacuum chamber. The legs have a top edge engaging the bottom surface of the track and a bottom edge secured to a bottom section of the vacuum chamber. The legs extend longitudinally along the bottom surface of the track. A rail is mounted on the top surface of the track and extends along a longitudinal axis of the track. A substantially planar platter having a top face and a bottom face is supported on top of the rail. The platter is adapted to slide from side to side along the rail across the length of the track. A stage carrying an electron beam evaporator is mounted on the top face of the platter. As such, the electron beam evaporator slides with the platter across the length of the track. A linear substrate feed assembly is disposed above the stage for feeding a substrate through the vacuum chamber. As the substrate travels through the vacuum chamber, it is coated by a deposition material transmitted from the electron beam evaporator.

Electron beam evaporation assembly for high uniform thin film

The present invention involves a variety of assay methods and devices for screening or diagnosing the occurrence of extrahepatic biliary atresia. In particular the methods and devices involve an antibody specifically for the detection of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in a test sample as indicative of extrahepatic biliary atresia.

Growing community of inventors

Shaker Heights, OH, United States of America

Laszlo A Takacs