Tunable resonant leaky-mode N/MEMS elements and uses in optical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8938141-B2
Application number	US-21808108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2008
Priority date	Jul 30, 2004
Publication date	Jan 20, 2015
Grant date	Jan 20, 2015

Abstract

Mechanically tunable electromagnetic and photonic devices featuring enhanced spectral tunability with minimal mechanical movement are provided. These nano/micro-electromechanically (N/MEMS) tunable elements, including filters and pixels, rely on leaky-mode resonance effects in subwavelength photonic lattices that constitute periodic wavelengths. Such elements can operate in reflection (bandstop) or transmission (bandpass) modes, and can be arranged in one-dimensional or two-dimensional arrays, or operated as single units, and their spectral regions are controlled by the element design. Input electromagnetic radiation illuminates the element and is then filtered, modulated, analyzed or tuned by the element. Mechanical motion alters the structural symmetry, and therefore, the tuning properties, of the nanostructured subwavelength resonance elements. Further, incorporating metals and dielectrics to generate coexisting plasmonic and leaky-mode resonance effects adds to the versatility of the potential applications.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dynamically tunable device, comprising:
a double-grating structure that includes a first fixed grating and a second mobile grating,
wherein the first fixed grating and the second mobile grating are operatively connected with a relative displacement imposed therebetween by nano/micro-electromechanical (N/MEMS) means to form a resonant leaky-mode waveguide grating.

2. The dynamically tunable device of claim 1 , further comprising functionality selected from the group consisting of tunable filter functionality; tunable variable reflector functionality; tunable modulator functionality; tunable pixel functionality; tunable polarizer functionality; tunable analyzer functionality; tunable acoustic sensor functionality; tunable mechanical sensor functionality; tunable biosensor functionality; and a combination thereof.

3. The dynamically tunable device of claim 1 , wherein the double-grating structure is a membrane suspended in a medium selected from the group consisting of a vacuum, a gas or a liquid.

4. The dynamically tunable device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fixed grating and the second mobile grating is mounted on a substrate.

5. The dynamically tunable device of claim 1 , wherein the double-grating structure is integrated with at least one of a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) actuator and an electronic control circuit.

6. The dynamically tunable device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fixed grating and second mobile grating is fabricated from at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon nitride and silicon dioxide.

7. The dynamically tunable device of claim 1 , wherein the double-grating structure includes metal components with plasmonic effect functionality.

8. The dynamically tunable device of claim 1 , further comprising means for one-dimensional periodic modulation.

9. The dynamically tunable device of claim 1 , further comprising means for two-dimensional periodic modulation.

10. An assembly, comprising:
a housing, and
a dynamically tunable device that includes a double-grating structure mounted with respect to the housing, the double-grating structure including a first fixed grating and a second mobile grating, wherein the first fixed grating and the second mobile grating are operatively connected with a relative displacement imposed by nano/micro-electromechanical (N/MEMS) means therebetween to form a resonant leaky-mode waveguide grating.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the dynamically tunable device operates in reflection or transmission mode.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the dynamically tunable device functions as part of a compact spatial light modulator, a tunable multispectral detector, a multispectral analysis system, a pattern recognition system, an electromagnetic/optical damage avoidance system, a polarization discrimination and analysis system, an electromagnetic screening system, a spectrum analyzer, a tunable laser, or a combination thereof.

13. A system for information display, comprising:
at least one tunable double-grating pixel that includes a first fixed grating and a second mobile grating, wherein the first fixed grating and the second mobile grating are operatively connected with a relative displacement imposed by nano/micro-electromechanical (N/MEMS) means therebetween to form a resonant leaky-mode waveguide grating.

14. The system of information display of claim 13 , wherein the at least one tunable double-grating pixel includes a single tunable double-grating pixel, a linear array of tunable double-grating pixels, a two-dimensional array of tunable double-grating pixels, or a combination thereof.

15. The system of information display of claim 13 , wherein the at least one tunable double-grating pixel is illuminated by a white light source.

16. The system of information display of claim 15 , wherein the white light source is selected from the group consisting of light-emitting diodes, arc lamps, and halogen bulbs.

17. The system of information display of claim 13 , wherein the at least one tunable double-grating pixel is illuminated by a narrow-line light source selected from the group consisting of a laser and light-emitting diode.

18. The system of information display of claim 13 , further comprising at least one optical system selected from the group consisting of a projection lens, a scanning minor, a fiber cable, and combinations thereof.

19. The dynamically tunable device of claim 1 , wherein a coupling between an unbound input wave and a leaky mode occurs.

20. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein a coupling between an unbound input wave and a leaky mode occurs.

21. The system of information display of claim 13 , wherein a coupling between an unbound input wave and a leaky mode occurs.

Assignees

• Magnusson Robert
• Univ Connecticut

Inventors

• Magnusson Robert

Classifications

• H01S5/4081

  Near-or far field control · CPC title

• G02B6/124 Primary

  Geodesic lenses or integrated gratings · CPC title

• G02B6/1226

  involving surface plasmon interaction · CPC title

• H01S5/1032

  Coupling to elements comprising an optical axis that is not aligned with the optical axis of the active region · CPC title

• H01S5/11

  Comprising a photonic bandgap structure · CPC title