University of Missouri

Other

Robert V Tompson, Jr

Mark A Prelas

Sudarshan Loyalka

Tushar K Ghosh

Dabir S Viswanath

Tetsuo Endo

Hiroshi Ogasa

Annie Tipton

Daniel E Montenegro

Tushar K Ghos

George Vosnidis

Jason B Rothenberger

Gregory A Holscher

Fariborz Golshani

The invention provides methods, devices and systems for excimer fluorescence energy conversion from isotopes. Unprocessed spent nuclear fuel can be used as an isotope, and processed spent nuclear fuel can be used as an isotope. A method includes placing an excimer in the path of radiation decay from the isotope. The excimer is selected according to the isotope to absorb the radiation decay and emit photons in response. Surrounding environment is shielded from the radiation decay. Photons generated from the fluorescence of the excimer are received with photovoltaic material to generate electrical energy. The electrical energy is applied to a load. Systems of the invention can be based upon spent storage casks and handle unprocessed spent nuclear fuel, or can be greatly reduced in size and handle processed fuel, with single isotope isolation allowing consumer battery sized systems.

Isotope energy conversion and spent nuclear fuel storage systems

A method for detecting surface and bulk deep states in semiconductor materials is provided. In various embodiments, the method comprises configuring a detection circuit of charge based deep level transient spectrometer in one of a parallel mode and a series mode by controlling the configuration of a switching circuit of the detection circuit. The method additionally comprises generating digitized voltage charge outputs of a device under test utilizing the detection circuit as controlled via execution of an analog-to-digital conversion and timing program by a control system of the charge based deep level transient spectrometer. Furthermore, the method comprises obtaining desired information about deep level transients of the device under test based on the digitized voltage charge outputs via execution of a control system operable to execute a Q-DLTS data analysis program by the control system.

Deep level transient spectrometer

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of simultaneously co-doping a wide band gap material with p-type and n-type impurities to create a p-n junction within the resulting wide band gap composite material. The method includes disposing a sample comprising a dopant including both p-type and n-type impurities between a pair of wide band gap material films and disposing the sample between a pair of opposing electrodes; and subjecting the sample to a preselected vacuum; and heating the sample to a preselected temperature; and applying a preselected voltage across the sample; and subjecting the sample to at least one laser beam having a preselected intensity and a preselected wavelength, such that the p-type and n-type impurities of the dopant substantially simultaneously diffuse into the wide band gap material films resulting in a wide band gap compound material comprising a p-n junction.

Systems and methods for co-doping wide band gap materials

A chemical and biological agent sensor includes an electrostatic thin film supported by a substrate. The film includes an electrostatic charged surface to attract predetermined biological and chemical agents of interest. A charge collector associated with said electrostatic thin film collects charge associated with surface defects in the electrostatic film induced by the predetermined biological and chemical agents of interest. A preferred sensing system includes a charge based deep level transient spectroscopy system to read out charges from the film and match responses to data sets regarding the agents of interest. A method for sensing biological and chemical agents includes providing a thin sensing film having a predetermined electrostatic charge. The film is exposed to an environment suspected of containing the biological and chemical agents. Quantum surface effects on the film are measured. Biological and/or chemical agents can be detected, identified and quantified based on the measured quantum surface effects.

Electrostatic thin film chemical and biological sensor

An adsorbent for HC in an exhaust gas is an agglomerate of double-structure particles, each of which includes an HC-adsorbing zeolite core, and a ceramic coat wrapping the zeolite core and having a plurality of through-pores communicating with a plurality of pores in the zeolite core. Each of the double-structure particles is at least one of a double-structure particle including the zeolite core comprising a single zeolite particle, and a double-structure particle including the zeolite core comprising a plurality of zeolite particles. Each of the through-pores in the ceramic coat has such a shape that the HC is easy to flow into the through-pore and difficult to flow out of the through-pore.

Adsorbent for HC in exhaust gas, and process for producing the same

A low free energy method for more rapidly diffusing an impurity as exemplified by boron, into a natural or synthetic diamond or other crystalline element in powdered or granular form, without degradation of the crystalline structure. The present method includes the steps of providing a mixture of the diamond or other crystalline element and the impurity in a solid phase; treating the mixture to bring the impurity into conforming contact with the outer surface of the crystalline element; and heating the mixture to a temperature between about 200&deg; C. and about 2000&deg; C. As an example, a diamond is disclosed having boron as an impurity diffused into the crystalline structure thereof by the present method, at a ratio of from about 0.1 part of the impurity per 1 million parts of the diamond to about 600 parts of the impurity per 1 million parts of the diamond.

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, MO, United States of America

Robert V Tompson, Jr