[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28452-28453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13426]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Notice of Government Owned Inventions Available for Licensing

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology Commerce.

SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are owned in whole or in part by 
the U.S. Government, as represented by the Department of Commerce. The 
Department of Commerce's ownership interest in the inventions are 
available for licensing in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 and 37 CFR 
Part 404 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of 
Federally funded research and development.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Technical and licensing information on 
these inventions may be obtained by writing to: National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Office of Technology Partnerships, Building 
820, Room 213, Gaithersburg, MD 20899; Fax 301-869-2751. Any request 
for information should include the NIST Docket No. and Title for the 
relevant invention as indicated below.


[[Page 28453]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIST may enter into a Cooperative Research 
and Development Agreement (``CRADA'') with the licensee to perform 
further research on the inventions for purposes of commercialization. 
The inventions available for licensing are:

    NIST Docket Number: 96-012US.
    Title: A Device for Spatially-Resolved, High-Sensitivity 
Measurement of Optical Absorption Based on Intra-Cavity Total 
Reflection.
    Abstract: This device permits the sensitive measurement of the 
optical absorption of matter in any state with diffraction-limited 
spatial resolution using total internal reflection within a high-Q 
(high-quality, low-loss) optical cavity. Its use provides qualitative 
and quantitative analysis of material composition and rates of chemical 
reactions. The device is especially well suited for thin film 
diagnostics.

    NIST Docket Number: 96-025CIP.
    Title: Intra-Cavity Total Reflection For High Sensitivity 
Measurement Of Optical Properties.
    Abstract: An optical cavity resonator device is provided for 
conducting sensitive measurement of optical absorption by matter in any 
state with diffraction-limited spatial resolution through utilization 
of total internal reflection within a high-Q (high quality, low loss) 
optical cavity. Intracavity total reflection generates an evanescent 
wave that decays exponentially in space at a point external to the 
cavity, thereby providing a localized region where absorbing materials 
can be sensitively probed through alteration of the Q-factor of the 
otherwise isolated cavity. When a laser pulse is injected into the 
cavity and passes through the evanescent state, an amplitude loss 
resulting from absorption is incurred that reduces the lifetime of the 
pulse in the cavity. By monitoring the decay of the injected pulse, the 
absorption coefficient of manner within the evanescent wave region is 
accurately obtained from the decay time measurement.

    NIST Docket Number: 97-040US.
    Title: Superconducting Transition-Edge Sensor with Weak Links.
    Abstract: The invention comprises the use of one or more localized 
weak-link structures, and damping on the electrical bias circuit, to 
improve the performance of superconducting transition-edge sensors 
(TES). the weak links generally comprise an area or areas having a 
reduction in cross-sectional geometry in an otherwise uniform bilayer 
TES applied to a substrate. The weak links control the dissipation of 
power in the sensor, making it quieter and making its electrical 
response smoother and less hysteretic. The TES response is also made 
smoother by implementing a damping circuit on the electrical output of 
the TES.
Raymond G. Kammer,
Director.
[FR Doc. 99-13426 Filed 5-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-M