Nthdegree Technologies Worldwide Inc.

United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Mark Allan Lewandowski

Mark David Lowenthal

William Johnstone Ray

Neil O Shotton

Jeffrey Baldridge

Brad Oraw

Eric Anthony Perozziello

Richard A Blanchard

Donald Odell Frazier

Kirk A Fuller

Lixin Zheng

David Michael Chesler

Neil O Shotto

An exemplary printable composition comprises a liquid or gel suspension of a plurality of metallic nanofibers or nanowires; a first solvent; and a viscosity modifier, resin, or binder. In various embodiments, the metallic nanofibers are between about 10 microns to about 100 microns in length, are between about 10 nm to about 120 nm in diameter, and are typically functionalized with a coating or partial coating of polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a similar compound. An exemplary metallic nanofiber ink which can be printed to produce a substantially transparent conductor comprises a plurality of metallic nanofibers; one or more solvents such as 1-butanol, ethanol, 1-pentanol, n-methylpyrrolidone, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, 1-hexanol, acetic acid, cyclohexanol, or mixtures thereof; and a viscosity modifier, resin, or binder such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a polyimide, for example.

Metallic nanofiber ink, substantially transparent conductor, and fabrication method

The present invention provides an electronic apparatus, such as a lighting device comprised of light emitting diodes (LEDs) or a power generating apparatus comprising photovoltaic diodes, which may be created through a printing process, using a semiconductor or other substrate particle ink or suspension and using a lens particle ink or suspension. An exemplary apparatus comprises a base; at least one first conductor; a plurality of diodes coupled to the at least one first conductor; at least one second conductor coupled to the plurality of diodes; and a plurality of lenses suspended in a polymer deposited or attached over the diodes. The lenses and the suspending polymer have different indices of refraction. In some embodiments, the lenses and diodes are substantially spherical, and have a ratio of mean diameters or lengths between about 10:1 and 2:1. The diodes may be LEDs or photovoltaic diodes, and in some embodiments, have a junction formed at least partially as a hemispherical shell or cap.

Light emitting, photovoltaic or other electronic apparatus and system

An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes generally includes a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary apparatus may include: a plurality of diodes; at least a trace amount of a first solvent; and a polymeric or resin film at least partially surrounding each diode of the plurality of diodes. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.

Apparatus with forward and reverse-biased light emitting diodes coupled in parallel

Light emitting apparatus having at least one reverse-biased light emitting diode

An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary apparatus comprises: a plurality of diodes; at least a trace amount of a first solvent; and a polymeric or resin film at least partially surrounding each diode of the plurality of diodes. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.

Apparatus with light emitting diodes

Bidirectional lighting apparatus with light emitting diodes

Apparatus with light emitting or absorbing diodes

An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary method of fabricating an electronic device comprises: depositing one or more first conductors; and depositing a plurality of diodes suspended in a mixture of a first solvent and a viscosity modifier. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.

Method of manufacturing a light emitting, power generating or other electronic apparatus

An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary method of making a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises: adding a viscosity modifier to a plurality of diodes in a first solvent; and mixing the plurality of diodes, the first solvent and the viscosity modifier to form the liquid or gel suspension of the plurality of diodes. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.

Method of manufacturing a printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes

An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. In other exemplary embodiments a second solvent is also included, and the composition has a viscosity substantially between about 100 cps and about 25,000 cps at about 25&#xb0; C. In an exemplary embodiment, a composition comprises: a plurality of diodes or other two-terminal integrated circuits; one or more solvents comprising about 15% to 99.9% of any of N-propanol, isopropanol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, N-octanol, ethanol, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, cyclohexanol, and mixtures thereof; a viscosity modifier comprising about 0.10% to 2.5% methoxy propyl methylcellulose resin or hydroxy propyl methylcellulose resin or mixtures thereof; and about 0.01% to 2.5% of a plurality of substantially optically transparent and chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.

Printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes

An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes generally includes a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary apparatus may include a plurality of diodes; at least a trace amount of a first solvent; and a polymeric or resin film at least partially surrounding each diode of the plurality of diodes. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.

Growing community of inventors

North Port, FL, United States of America

Mark Allan Lewandowski