Lucent Technologies Inc.

Alcatel Lucent

Alcatel-lucent USA Inc.

Girsh Blumberg

Brian Scott Dennis

Peter Brent Littlewood

Dmitro M Egorov

Aref Chowdhury

Vladimir Anatolyevich Aksyuk

Carl Johannes Schlockermann

Benard Yurke

A method for detecting or identifying a chemical analyte includes measuring a nontrivial set of correlations between optical illumination wavelengths of a sample and emission wavelengths of the sample. The method includes comparing the measured set of correlations to a reference nontrivial set of correlations between optical illumination and emission wavelengths of a specific chemical analyte. The method also includes determining whether the specific chemical analyte is present in the sample based on a result of the comparing.

Detection of chemical analytes via optical correlations

According to one embodiment of the invention, a plasmonic device has a beam splitter adapted to split a surface-plasmon (SP) input beam into first and second SP beams and direct them along first and second propagation paths, respectively. One of the propagation paths has a plasmonic-beam interaction region adapted to controllably change the phase of the corresponding split beam within that interaction region in response to an SP control signal applied thereto. The plasmonic device further has an SP beam mixer adapted to receive the first and second beams from their respective propagation paths and to mix them to produce an SP output signal. In various configurations, the plasmonic device can operate as a plasmonic-signal amplifier, a plasmonic-beam router, a 1&#xd7;2 plasmonic-beam switch, and/or a plasmonic modulator.

Plasmonic device for modulation and amplification of plasmonic signals

According to one embodiment, a surface-plasmon (SP) beam generated by an SP source and directed via an SP waveguide is applied to a gate node of a field-effect transistor (FET). The FET also has a source node and a drain node. In a representative configuration, the gate, source, and drain nodes are electrically biased to pass an electrical current between the source and drain nodes in a manner that makes the electrical current responsive to the intensity of the SP beam.

Surface-plasmon detector based on a field-effect transistor

An apparatus includes a substrate having a metallic surface, a structure, and a dielectric object facing the metallic top surface. The structure is configured to optically produce surface plasmon polaritons that propagate on the metallic surface. The dielectric object is controllable to adjust values of the dielectric constant at an array of different positions along and near to the metallic surface.

Surface plasmon polariton modulation

A frequency-conversion method that uses a nonlinear optical process to transfer energy between a surface-plasmon (SP) wave that is guided along an electrically conducting strip and a light beam that is guided along an optical waveguide whose core is adjacent to the electrically conducting strip. A periodic structure spatially modulates the nonlinear susceptibility of the waveguide core with a spatial period that is related to a momentum mismatch in the nonlinear optical process. The spatial modulation provides quasi-phase matching for the SP wave and the light beam and enables efficient energy transfer between them.

Surface-plasmon-assisted optical frequency conversion

An optical frequency converter that uses a nonlinear optical process to transfer energy between a surface-plasmon (SP) wave that is guided along an electrically conducting strip and a light beam that is guided along an optical waveguide whose core is adjacent to the electrically conducting strip. The optical frequency converter has a periodic structure that spatially modulates the nonlinear susceptibility of the waveguide core with a spatial period that is related to a momentum mismatch in the nonlinear optical process. The spatial modulation provides quasi-phase matching for the SP wave and the light beam and enables efficient energy transfer between them.

Apparatus comprises a tuning fork having first and second tines, a first magnet disposed on the first tine, and a second magnet disposed on the second tine. In one embodiment the magnets comprise permanent magnets; in another they comprise electromagnets. In a preferred embodiment the magnets have magnetic moments oriented essentially parallel to the axis of the tines and anti-parallel to one another. In operation, the apparatus is made to oscillate at or near its resonant frequency, and in the presence of a magnetic field a parameter of the oscillation (e.g., its frequency, phase or amplitude) is altered in a fashion that allows the magnitude or direction of the magnetic field to be determined. In a preferred embodiment, the tuning fork is disposed within a vacuum enclosure, which increases the Q of the apparatus.

Tuning fork magnetometer

An apparatus includes an object formed of a quasi-1D crystalline material that is capable of supporting a free sliding density wave state. The apparatus also includes first and second input terminals that connect across a portion of the object and first and second output terminals that connect across the same portion of the object.

Voltage regulators

A method for producing a 3D image includes providing a pixel-by-pixel map over a preselected aperture of relative phases for coherent light scattered by or transmitted through a desired scene. The method includes positioning micro-mirrors of a reconfigurable mirror array to produce reflected light whose wave front has the pixel-by-pixel map over the preselected aperture in response to the array being illuminated with a coherent light beam. The method includes illuminating the reconfigurable mirror array with the coherent light beam to enable producing a 3D image of the desired scene.

Light wave front construction

An apparatus includes a chamber, an electro-mechanical driver, a window, and a mechanical cantilever. The chamber has an interior in which the mechanical cantilever is located. The mechanical cantilever has a first end that is attached to the electro-mechanical driver and has second end that is free. The driver is configured to drive the mechanical cantilever to perform an oscillatory motion. The window is located along a wall of the chamber to enable external light to enter the chamber and illuminate a portion of the mechanical cantilever. The mechanical cantilever is configured to mechanically respond to being illuminated by the external light entering the chamber via the window.

Cantilever light detectors having a mechanical cantilever to mechanically respond to illuminated light

An apparatus includes a sample stage, a cantilever mount, a cantilever-force detector, a cantilever feedback system, and a sample stage feedback system. The sample stage is configured for holding a sample. The cantilever mount is configured for mechanically fixing a mechanical cantilever having a scanning tip. The cantilever-force detector is configured to produce an electrical cantilever-force error signal. The cantilever feedback system is configured to electromechanically drive the mechanical cantilever in a manner responsive to the cantilever-force error signal. The sample stage feedback system is configured to electromechanically displace the sample stage in a manner responsive to the cantilever-force error signal. The cantilever feedback system and the sample stage feedback system are connected to receive the cantilever-force error signal in parallel.

Atomic force microscope

An apparatus includes an optical fiber and an electrically conducting layer. The optical fiber has a tapered portion with a lateral surface and an end face. The electrically conducting layer is located on a portion of the lateral surface of the tapered portion. The tapered portion and electrically conducting layer are configured to generate surface plasmons that propagate along a surface of the conducting layer in response to light of a preselected wavelength arriving at an end of the tapered portion.

Plasmon-enhanced tapered optical fibers

A method for routing optical signals includes producing a jet of surface plasmons on a metal surface in response to receiving an optical signal from an input optical waveguide. The method includes selectively producing an optical signal in a first output optical waveguide from the produced jet in response to the received optical signal having a first wavelength. The method also includes selectively producing an optical signal in a second output optical waveguide from the produced jet in response to the received optical signal having a second wavelength.

Optical routers based on surface plasmons

An optical router includes a substantially transparent dielectric layer, a metal layer with a first side that forms an interface with the dielectric layer, an input optical waveguide, and an output optical waveguide. The input optical waveguide is positioned to illuminate a portion of the interface. The interface is configured to cause light from the input waveguide to produce surface plasmons that radiate light to the output optical waveguide.

An apparatus for performing optical routing includes a metal layer having first and second sides, a regular array of structures positioned along the first side, and an input optical waveguide positioned to illuminate a portion of the first side. The illuminated portion of the side is adjacent to ones of the structures. The apparatus also includes a plurality of output optical waveguides positioned to receive light radiated from portions of the metal layer not illuminated by the input optical waveguide.

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New Providence, NJ, United States of America

Girsh Blumberg