University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc

Debashis Chanda

Alireza Safaei

Daniel Franklin

Michael Leuenberger

Sayan Chandra

Jonathan Lee

Sushrut Modak

Pablo Manuel Cencillo Abad

Rinku Saran

Abraham Vázquez-Guardado

A method of producing an organic non-wettable superhydrophobic fullerite film is presented. Non-wettable superhydrophobic fullerite films can be easily produced by growing nanofullerites via a sonication coupled crystallization protocol followed by multiple washings to obtain a pellet of nanofullerites. The pellet is aged for at least several weeks to allow for agglomeration into a gel which may then be applied to a substrate as a non-wettable superhydrophobic fullerite film.

Organic non-wettable superhydrophobic fullerite films

An inorganic paint pigment may include a fluid matrix, and paint flakes carried within the fluid matrix. Each paint flake may include a common aluminum layer having a first major surface and a second major surface opposing the first major surface, a first plasmonic aluminum reflector layer carried by the first major surface, and a second plasmonic aluminum reflector layer carried by the second major surface.

Inorganic paint pigment with plasmonic aluminum reflector layers and related methods

An active IR camouflage device may include a base layer, a first dielectric layer over the base layer, a phase transition material layer over the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer over the phase transition material layer, and a first metal layer over the second dielectric layer and defining a pattern of openings therein. The active IR camouflage device may have circuitry configured to selectively cause a transition from a first phase state to a second phase state of the phase transition material layer to control IR reflectance/emission of a top plasmonic layer, making it appear/disappear from the IR detector/camera. In some embodiments, the active IR camouflage device may also include a second metal layer between the base layer and the first dielectric layer.

Active ir camouflage device, plasmonic system, and related methods

A subwavelength gold hole/disk array that when coupled with a ground plane induces extraordinary transmission through the hole/disk array and zero back reflection. The hole/disk array functions as a 'light funnel' in couling incident radiation into the cavity with about 100% efficiency over a narrow resonant bandwidth, which results in frequency-selective perfect (&#x2dc;100%) absorption of the incident radiation. Such an optical frequency-selective absorber enables flexible scaling of detector response to any wavelength range by pattern dimensional changes, enabling uncooled frequency selective detection and 'color' imaging in the infrared domain. Methods and applications are disclosed.

Optical frequency-selective absorber-based infrared detector, methods, and applications

Various methods and devices for ultrasensitive infrared photodetection, infrared imaging, and other optoelectronic applications using the plasmon assisted thermoelectric effect in graphene are described. Infrared detection by the photo-thermoelectric uses the generation of a temperature gradient (&#x394;T) for the efficient collection of the generated hot-carriers. An asymmetric plasmon-induced hot-carrier Seebeck photodetection scheme at room temperature exhibits a remarkable responsivity along with an ultrafast response in the technologically relevant 8-12 &#x3bc;m band. This is achieved by engineering the asymmetric electronic environment of the generated hot carriers on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown large area nanopatterned monolayer graphene, which leads to a record &#x394;T across the device terminals thereby enhancing the photo-thermoelectric voltage beyond the theoretical limit for graphene. The results provide a strategy for uncooled, tunable, multispectral infrared detection.

Plasmon-assisted photothermoelectric effect based detection of infrared radiation on asymmetrically patterned graphene

Color derived from metallic nanostructures are often more efficient, more robust to environmental changes, and near impossible to damage or bleach due to overexposure. The embodiments combine these advantages with the millisecond re-configurability of liquid crystals to actively control a reflective color of a metallic nanostructure. Of the current technologies that boast active color tunability, many are pigmentation based (e-ink in e-readers) and/or need seconds to change color (photonic ink, electrochromic materials). Speed is an advantage of the embodiments and is comparable to current liquid crystal displays (&#x2dc;120 Hz). Traditional LC displays use static polymer films (color filters) and white back light to generate color. Being able to actively tune the color from a single metallic nanostructure allows for smaller pixel size, increased resolution, and decreased fabrication cost compared to a conventional RGB color pixel without needing external white light source for extremely low power operations.

Liquid crystal tunable plasmonic color generation device, method and applications

A display device may include a substrate, a plasmonic aluminum reflector layer over the substrate, and a conducting oxide layer over the plasmonic aluminum reflector layer. The display device may have a circular polarizer over the conducting oxide layer and configured to receive incident visible radiation. The incident visible radiation may cause plasmon resonance within the plasmonic aluminum reflector layer. The display device may include a circuit configured to apply a voltage between the conducting oxide layer and the plasmonic aluminum reflector layer to cause the plasmonic aluminum reflector layer to selectively reflect the incident visible radiation based on the voltage.

Plasmonic aluminum particle based display device and related methods

A method for molecular chirality detection is described. The method includes providing a substrate defining an array of hole-disks, each hole-disk coupled with an asymmetric optical cavity. Each asymmetric optical cavity having a back reflector separating a plasmonic pattern by an appropriate selection of thickness. The substrate is illuminated to simultaneously excite two degenerate localized surface plasmon modes producing a strong chiral near-field. The method may also include generating a characterization of chiral molecules on the substrate based on the strong chiral near-field. Substrates and detectors for molecular chirality detection are also described.

Molecular chirality detection technique using hybrid plasmonic substrates

A method is for making an optical detector device. The method may include forming a reflector layer carried by a substrate, forming a first dielectric layer over the reflector layer, and forming a graphene layer over the first dielectric layer and having a perforated pattern therein.

Optical detector device with patterned graphene layer and related methods

An optical detector device may include a substrate, a reflector layer carried by the substrate, and a first dielectric layer over the reflector layer. The optical detector device may include a graphene layer over the first dielectric layer and having a perforated pattern.

Dynamic, color-changing surfaces have many applications including but not limited to displays, wearables, and active camouflage. Plasmonic nanostructures can fill this role with the advantages of ultra-small pixels, high reflectivity, and post-fabrication tuning through control of the surrounding media. However, while post-fabrication tuning have yet to cover a full red-green-blue (RGB) color basis set with a single nanostructure of singular dimensions, the present invention contemplates a novel LC-based apparatus and methods that enable such tuning and demonstrates a liquid crystal-plasmonic system that covers the full red/green/blue (RGB) color basis set, as a function only of voltage. This is accomplished through a surface morphology-induced, polarization dependent, plasmonic resonance and a combination of bulk and surface liquid crystal effects that manifest at different voltages. The resulting LC-plasmonic system provides an unprecedented color range for a single plasmonic nanostructure, eliminating the need for the three spatially static sub-pixels of current displays. The system's compatibility with existing LCD technology is possible by integrating it with a commercially available thin-film-transistor (TFT) array. The imprinted surface readily interfaces with computers to display images as well as video.

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Oviedo, FL, United States of America

Debashis Chanda