IP Library Granted Patent US 11,204,321
Granted Patent B2
US 11,204,321 · App. 17/000,469 · Granted Dec 21, 2021

Humidity sensor

Inventors: Hanyu Zhang (Indianapolis, IN); Elisa M. Link (Denver, CO)
Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
G01N21/64C23C16/305C23C16/56G01N2201/062G01N2201/06113
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,204,321
App. No.
17/000,469
Granted
Dec 21, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a device that includes a light source, a detector; and a film having a first surface that includes a transition metal dichalcogenide, where the film is configured to interact with a volume of gas containing a concentration of water vapor, the light source is configured to shine a first light onto the first surface, the film is configured, as a result of the first light, to emit from the first surface a second light, the detector is configured to receive at least a portion of the second light, and the detector is configured to generate a signal proportional to an intensity of the second light.

Claims (45)

1. A device comprising:

a light source;

a detector; and

a film having a first surface comprising a transition metal dichalcogenide, wherein:

the film is configured to interact with a volume of gas containing a concentration of water vapor,

the light source is configured to shine a first light onto the first surface,

the film is configured, as a result of the first light, to emit from the first surface a second light,

the detector is configured to receive at least a portion of the second light, and

the detector is configured to generate a signal proportional to an intensity of the second light such that the intensity correlates to the concentration of water vapor.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises at least one of a light-emitting diode or a laser.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first light comprises a wavelength between about 400 nm and about 650 nm.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first light comprises a wavelength between about 515 nm and about 545 nm.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to provide a power between about 0.1 μW and about 10,000 μW.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second light comprises a wavelength between about 400 nm and about 1050 nm.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the detector is configured to detect visible light.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the detector comprises a silicon charge-coupled device.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the film has a thickness between about 0.1 nm and about 10.0 nm.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transition metal dichalcogenide comprises tungsten disulfide.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the transition metal dichalcogenide comprises at least one of tungsten disulfide, tungsten diselenide, tungsten ditelluride, molybdenum disulfide, hafnium disulfide, iridium disulfide, manganese diselenide, molybdenum diselenide, molybdenum ditelluride, niobium diselenide, niobium disulfide, platinum diselenide, platinum disulfide, rhenium diselenide, rhenium disulfide, rhenium ditelluride, zirconium disulfide, titanium(IV) sulfide, titanium disulfide, tungsten diselenide, tungsten ditelluride, hafnium diselenide, vanadium disulfide, or vanadium diselenide.

12. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a device comprising:

a light source;

a detector; and

a film having a first surface comprising a transition metal dichalcogenide, wherein:

the film is configured to interact with a volume of gas containing a concentration of water vapor,

the light source is configured to shine a first light onto the first surface,

the film is configured, as a result of the first light, to emit from the first surface a second light,

the detector is configured to receive at least a portion of the second light,

the detector is configured to generate a signal proportional to an intensity of the second light,

the processor is configured to receive the signal,

the processor comprises an algorithm that converts the signal to a variable that is proportional to the concentration of water vapor, and

the algorithm comprises a plot of relative humidity versus an integrated area of at least one of a photoluminescence intensity of an exciton (X 0 ), a photoluminescence intensity of a trion (X − ), or a photoluminescence intensity lower energy state (LES).

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the signal comprises a power intensity of the second light.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the variable comprises an integrated area of at least one of a photoluminescence intensity of an exciton(X 0 ), a photoluminescence intensity of a trion (X − ), or a photoluminescence intensity lower energy state (LES).

15. A method comprising:

exposing a film having a surface comprising a transition metal dichalcogenide to a volume of gas containing a concentration of water vapor;

directing a first light to the surface, resulting in the forming of a second light by the surface photoluminescing, wherein the second light comprises at least two wavelengths;

during the directing, measuring the intensity of each wavelength;

calculating from the spectral area, at least one Gaussian component; and

correlating the Gaussian component to the concentration of water vapor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the Gaussian component comprises at least one of a photoluminescence intensity of an exciton(X 0 ), a photoluminescence intensity of a trion (X − ), or a photoluminescence intensity lower energy state (LES).

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the correlating comprises creating a calibration plot of a relative humidity versus an integrated area of at least one of a photoluminescence intensity of an exciton(X 0 ), a photoluminescence intensity of a trion (X − ), or a photoluminescence intensity lower energy state (LES).

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the integrated area is completed for a time period between 1 second and 1000 seconds.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising an annealing of the film in an inert atmosphere at a temperature between about 100° C. and about 300° C.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 16, 2025
From: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
To: ALLIANCE FOR ENERGY INNOVATION, LLC
Reel/Frame 073993/0276 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jan 12, 2021
From: NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 054890/0963 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2020
From: ZHANG, HANYU; LINK, ELISA M.
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 053659/0268 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2020
From: ZHANG, HANYU; LINK, ELISA M.
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 053571/0782 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62890167 · Aug 22, 2019
Related Publication 20210055220A1 · Feb 25, 2021