Alec D Gallimore

7516610, Apr 14, 2009

Oct 6, 2006

11/545037

Brian E. Gilchrist - Ann Arbor MI, US
Alec D. Gallimore - Ann Arbor MI, US
Michael Keidar - Oak Park MI, US
Louis Musinski - Ann Arbor MI, US
Thomas M. Liu - Ann Arbor MI, US

The Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor MI

F03H 1/00
H05H 1/00

60202, 60204

A scalable flat-panel nano-particle MEMS/NEMS thruster includes a grid having a plurality of electrodes to establish electrical fields. A liquid is disposed in a liquid reservoir of the grid. The liquid is positioned within the electrical fields. A plurality of nano-particles are suspended in the liquid. A plurality of MEMS and NEMS micron-size vias are disposed in the grid. The electrical fields extract the plurality of nano-particles from the liquid and accelerate the nano-particles in the vias to provide propulsion system thrust.

7791260, Sep 7, 2010

Jul 26, 2007

11/828917

Alec Gallimore - Ann Arbor MI, US
Joshua Rovey - Champaign IL, US

The Regents of The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor MI

F03H 1/00

3133591, 3133601, 60202, 315 81

A gas-fed hollow cathode keeper can reduce ion bombardment erosion by expelling gas through the keeper faceplate. The expelled gas effectively creates a high-pressure “shield” around the keeper such that bombarding ions suffer energy-reducing collisions before impacting the keeper. If the bombarding ion energy is reduced enough, the erosion is eliminated since sputtering is a threshold phenomenon.

8453427, Jun 4, 2013

Jul 21, 2009

12/506526

Brian E. Gilchrist - Ann Arbor MI, US
Alec D. Gallimore - Ann Arbor MI, US
Thomas M. Liu - Ann Arbor MI, US
Louis Musinski - Waltham MA, US
Joanna Mirecki Millunchick - Ann Arbor MI, US

The Regents of The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor MI

H05H 1/00

60202, 60204

A nano-particle field extraction system comprising a grid having a plurality of electrodes each defining an electrical field, wherein the grid has a plurality of vias extending therethrough. The system further comprises a reservoir having a generally dry mixture disposed therein, a plurality of particles suspended in the generally dry mixture, a biasing member applying a biasing force to the generally dry mixture in the reservoir, and a sieve electrode system in electrical communication with the grid. The sieve electrode system has a plurality of through-holes extending from the reservoir to the grid, such that the sieve electrode system cooperates with the biasing member to extract at least one particle from the generally dry mixture and into the grid whereby the electrical fields charge and accelerate the particle in the vias.

20020194833, Dec 26, 2002

Jun 13, 2002

10/170970

Alec Gallimore - Ann Arbor MI, US
Brian Beal - Ann Arbor MI, US

F03H001/00

060/202000

A linear gridless ion thruster (LGIT) is provided to serve as an ion source for spacecraft propulsion or plasma processing. The LGIT is composed of two stages: (1) an ionization stage composed of a hollow cathode, anode, and cusp magnetic field circuit to ionize the propellant gas; and (2) an acceleration stage composed of a downstream cathode, upstream anode, and a radial magnetic field circuit to accelerate ions created in the ionization stage. The LGIT replaces grids used in conventional ion thrusters (Kaufman guns) to accelerate ions with Hall-current electrons as in the case with conventional Hall thrusters.

20090308729, Dec 17, 2009

Jun 12, 2009

12/483292

ALEC D. GALLIMORE - Ann Arbor MI, US

C01B 3/02
B01J 19/08
B01J 19/12
G01N 33/00

204156, 42218604, 42218603, 422 83, 204164

An apparatus and method for hydrogen production by dissociating water molecules in response to plasma output from a plasma source. This plasma source can have an RF antenna, capable of operating in capacitive, inductive, or helicon mode when operating conditions match those required to excite these modes. Hydrogen is produced by injecting water vapor into the plasma source. According to the principles of the present teachings, the apparatus and method are, thus, capable of dissociating water molecules into their constituent species.

20160207642, Jul 21, 2016

Aug 27, 2014

14/914065

- Ann Arbor MI, US
John Patrick SHEEHAN - Ann Arbor MI, US
Alec D. GALLIMORE - Ann Arbor MI, US

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - Ann Arbor MI

B64G 1/40
F03H 1/00

A plasma propulsion system with no internal electrodes is described. Gas is flowed into an insulated axisymmetric plasma liner. A radio frequency antenna generates an inductive or helicon plasma discharge within the liner. The plasma is accelerated through a converging/diverging magnetic field out of the liner, generating thrust.