Optical modulator including nanostructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9817250-B2
Application number	US-201615131431-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2016
Priority date	Jul 21, 2015
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

An optical modulator includes a plurality of nanostructures, each nanostructure of the plurality of nanostructures having a refractive index that is variable; a first insulation layer having a refractive index that is less than the individual refractive indexes of the plurality of nanostructures and surrounding the plurality of nanostructures; and a refractive index changer configured to change the refractive indexes of the plurality of nanostructures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical modulator comprising:
a plurality of nanostructures, each nanostructure of the plurality of nanostructures having a refractive index that is variable;
a first insulation layer having a refractive index that is less than the individual refractive indexes of the plurality of nanostructures and surrounding the plurality of nanostructures; and
a refractive index changer configured to change the refractive indexes of the plurality of nanostructures.

2. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the refractive index changer comprises:
a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer spaced apart from the first electrode layer, the plurality of nanostructures being provided between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; and
a voltage source configured to apply voltage between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to change the refractive indexes of the plurality of nanostructures.

3. The optical modulator of claim 2 , wherein the second electrode layer comprises a plurality of second sub-electrodes.

4. The optical modulator of claim 3 , wherein the first electrode layer is a common electrode configured to apply a voltage to the second sub-electrodes.

5. The optical modulator of claim 3 , further comprising an electrical addressing structure configured to control the voltage applied to the second sub-electrodes.

6. The optical modulator of claim 3 , wherein the second electrode layer further comprises a second insulation layer in which the second sub-electrodes are embedded.

7. The optical modulator of claim 6 , wherein a refractive index of the second insulation layer is greater than the refractive index of the first insulation layer.

8. The optical modulator of claim 3 , wherein the nanostructures are provided on the second sub-electrodes.

9. The optical modulator of claim 3 , wherein the second sub-electrodes include a doped silicon material.

10. The optical modulator of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is configured to transmit light.

11. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructures comprise a non-centrosymmetric material.

12. The optical modulator of claim 11 , wherein the non-centrosymmetric material comprises III-V group compounds.

13. The optical modulator of claim 12 , wherein the non-centrosymmetric material comprises one of GaP, InP and GaAs.

14. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructures are doped with a metal impurity.

15. The optical modulator of claim 14 , wherein the metal impurity comprises one of Fe, Cu, Cr and Mg.

16. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructures each respectively have a cross-section in a shape of a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, or a square.

17. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein a distance between centers of two adjacent nanostructures, among the plurality of nanostructures, is less than or equal to λ, where λ is a resonance wavelength of the optical modulator.

18. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructures each respectively have a height that is λ/4 to λ, where λ is a resonance wavelength of the optical modulator.

19. The optical modulator of claim 1 , further comprising a polarization plate provided on the plurality of nanostructures.

20. The optical modulator of claim 1 , further comprising a color filter provided on the plurality of nanostructures.

21. The optical modulator of claim 2 , wherein the nanostructures are arranged in a shape or a pattern which changes depending on a location of the nanostructures within the optical modulator.

22. The optical modulator of claim 21 , wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are configured to apply an identical voltage to the plurality of nanostructures.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• California Inst Of Techn

Inventors

• Han Seunghoon
• ALAM Muhammad Zulfiker
• Atwater Harry

Classifications

• G02F1/19

  based on variable-reflection or variable-refraction elements not provided for in groups G02F1/015 - G02F1/169 · CPC title

• Y10S977/932

  for electronic or optoelectronic application · CPC title

• G02F1/0121

  Operation of devices; Circuit arrangements, not otherwise provided for in this subclass · CPC title

• G02B5/008

  Surface plasmon devices (diffractive gratings with a pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength G02B5/1809; surface plasmons in integrated optics G02B6/1226; optical analysis of materials by means of surface plasmons G01N21/553) · CPC title

• G02F2203/10

  plasmon · CPC title