Microcavity apparatus and systems for maintaining a microcavity over a macroscale area
First Claim
1. A microscale generator comprising:
- a first element for receiving energy;
a second element, opposite said first element, for transferring energy;
at least one panel on either of the first element or the second element, the panel facing the other element;
a device for controlling the distance between the at least one panel and the facing element to form a sub-micron gap between the panel and the facing element for increasing energy transfer to the element for receiving; and
a converter, responsive to the energy transfer, for generating electricity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microcavity apparatus and systems for maintaining microcavity spacing over a macroscopic area. An application of this invention is a microscale generator. This microscale generator includes a first element for receiving energy; a second element, opposite the first element for transferring energy; at least one panel on either of the first element or the second element, the panel facing the other element; a device for controlling the distance between the at least one panel and the facing element to form a predetermined, sub-micron gap between the panel and the facing element for increasing energy transfer to the element for receiving; and a device, responsive to the energy transfer, for generating electricity.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A microscale generator comprising:
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a first element for receiving energy;
a second element, opposite said first element, for transferring energy;
at least one panel on either of the first element or the second element, the panel facing the other element;
a device for controlling the distance between the at least one panel and the facing element to form a sub-micron gap between the panel and the facing element for increasing energy transfer to the element for receiving; and
a converter, responsive to the energy transfer, for generating electricity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A thermophotovoltaic generator comprising:
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a first element for receiving energy;
a second element, opposite the first element, for transferring energy;
at least one panel on either or both of the first element and the second element, the panel facing the other element;
an actuator for controlling the distance between the at least one panel and the facing element to form a sub-micron gap between the panel and the facing element for increasing energy transfer to the element for receiving; and
a converter, responsive to the energy transfer, for generating electricity. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for maintaining a microcavity over a macroscale, the system comprising:
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a first element;
a second element spaced from the first element;
an array of panels mounted on the second element having surfaces facing the first element defining a sub-micron gap between the panel surfaces and the first element; and
a device associated with each panel which allows each panel to move with respect to the second element to position each panel'"'"'s surface at a spacing from the first element thereby defining a microcavity between the first and second elements. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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- 30. A microelectro mechanical cell comprising a pair of juxtaposed parallel opposing planar surfaces separated by a microgap of spacing, one surface comprising a mosaic of similar planar silicon surfaces each provided with silicon dioxide protrusions at a plurality of points on each silicon surface, the mosaic being mounted against the other surface with said protrusions of each silicon surface contacting the other surface.
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34. A method of constructing a microelectro mechanical cell comprising a planar photovoltic surface juxtaposed with a parallel mosaic of planar silicon surfaces therefrom to define a microgap there between to provide such a microgap of uniform spacing that comprises oxidizing a plurality of marginal points of each silicon surface that is to oppose the photovoltic surface to grow corresponding silicon oxide protrusions from the silicon surfaces;
- and juxtaposing the mosaic and photovoltic surfaces with the silicon oxide protrusions of each silicon surface resting on the opposing points of the juxtapose photovoltic surface.
- View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
Specification