Patents: - Variable contrast, wide viewing angle LCD light-switching filter: US8542334(B2) United States Patent Office, 24. Sep. 2013 [COBISS.SI-ID 25659687], and - Variable contrast, wide viewing angle liquid crystal light attenuation filter: patent US8026998 (B2) US Patent and Trademark Office, 27. Sep. 2011 [COBISS.SI-ID 19329831] were granted to protect the concept of the optical filter allowing for high, electrically controlled, variable light attenuation. It exhibits low light attenuation dependence for the oblique incidence of light in compliance with the EN 379 Standard. According to the invention, the problem is solved by novel modifications of the STN LC shutters, allowing for the adaptation of the light transmission/driving voltage characteristics to the driving electronics as well as "symmetrizing" the overall optical birefringent properties, which in turn results in a high degree of their angular compensation. The patents were crucial for the success of the spinoff company Balder d.o.o. that makes protection glasses for welding. Recently the company was bought by Kimberley Clark.
F.32 International patent
Granting of US patent (REMŠKAR, Maja, VIRŠEK, Marko, KOCMUR, Miha, JESIH, Adolf. Procedure for synthesis of threadlike tungsten oxide W[sup]5O[sup](14) : US8496907 B2. United State Patent, 30. jul. 2013 [COBISS.SI-ID 20624167]), which protects new synthesis path to these technologicaly important oxides, which are electrically conductive, are good electron emitters and represent also the starting material for formation of WS2 nanobuds. The US patent (MRZEL, Aleš, REMŠKAR, Maja, JESIH, Adolf, VIRŠEK, Marko. Process for the synthesis of nanotubes and fullerene-like nanostructures of transition metal dichalcogenides, quasi one-dimensional structures of transition metals and oxides of transition metals : patent US 8007756 B2 United States Patent, 30. avg. 2011[COBISS.SI-ID 16432935]) protects synthesis of transition metal dichalcogenide nanotubes and fullerene-like nanoparticles using chemical transformation from Mo-S-I nanowires. This methods is currently the only one which enables production of large quantities of MoS2 nanotubes.
F.32 International patent
Slobodan Žumer was the president of The International Liquid Crystal Society in the 2008-2012 term. The Society unites scientists, engineers and students working in the broad field of fundamental and applied aspects of different liquid crystal systems, including thermotropic, lyotropic, polymer and polymer modified liquid crystals. The Society fosters communication among members, establishes the venue of the biennial international conferences, and publishes Liquid Crystals Today, as well as ELC. The Society also takes care about the awards for the most successful researches.
D.03 Membership in foreign/international boards/committees
The patent “MUŠEVIČ, Igor, ŠKARABOT, Miha, ŽUMER, Slobodan, RAVNIK, Miha; Metamaterials and resonant materials based on liquid crystal dispersions of colloidal particles and nanoparticles : EP 1975656 B1 European Patent, 8. jun. 2011 [COBISS.SI-ID 20779815]” protects the procedure of the formation of composite materials composed of liquid crystal, microparticles, and nanoparticles. In such dispersion nanoparticles spontaneously assemble in disclination loops that encircle colloidal particles. Electrical properties of such structures resemble ring microresonators. This enables formation of metamaterials with negative magnetic response close to the EM resonance of ring microresonators. The patent “RASING, Theo, LAZARENKO, Sergiy, MUŠEVIČ, Igor, ŠKARABOT, Miha, UPLAZNIK, Marko; Multistable liquid crystal device : EP 1927885B1 European Patent, 27. jul. 2011 [COBISS.SI-ID 20490279]” protects the discovery and the fabrication procedure of multistable liquid crystal cell, which multistability is based on the topographical 3D microstructured substrates. Liquid crystal molecules are oriented along one of the energetically equivalent directions, which are determined by 3D geometry of the substrate. By using external electrical or optical field one can switch LC molecules between these equivalent states and such LC cell can be used as a display or other optical device.
F.32 International patent
Extremely large number of invited talks at international conferences and workshops indicates strong impact of our research and is consisted with fast growth of citations. In the last 6 years the yearly contributions to the group member citations in Web of Science have increased from 800 to 1400 citations per year. In total members of the group have more than 14000 citations.
B.04 Guest lecture