Virgin Islands Microsystems, Inc.

Virgin Island Microsystems, Inc.

Other

Advanced Plasmonics, Inc.

Jonathan Gorrell

Mark Rogers Davidson

Michael E Maines

Jean Tokarz

Paul Hart

Lev Gasparov

Andres Trucco

Henry A Davis

When using micro-resonant structures, a resonant structure may be turned on or off (e.g., when a display element is turned on or off in response to a changing image or when a communications switch is turned on or off to send data different data bits). Rather than turning the charged particle beam on and off, the beam may be moved to a position that does not excite the resonant structure, thereby turning off the resonant structure without having to turn off the charged particle beam. In one such embodiment, at least one deflector is placed between a source of charged particles and the resonant structure(s) to be excited. When the resonant structure is to be turned on (i.e., excited), the at least one deflector allows the beam to pass by undeflected. When the resonant structure is to be turned off, the at least one deflector deflects the beam away from the resonant structure by an amount sufficient to prevent the resonant structure from becoming excited.

Switching micro-resonant structures by modulating a beam of charged particles

A device includes an integrated circuit (IC) and at least one ultra-small resonant structure formed on said IC. At least the ultra-small resonant structure portion of the device is vacuum packaged. The ultra-small resonant structure portion of the device may be grounded or connected to a known electrical potential. The ultra-small resonant structure may be electrically connected to the underlying IC, or not.

Integration of vacuum microelectronic device with integrated circuit

We describe an ultra-small resonant structure that produces electromagnetic radiation (e.g., visible light) at selected frequencies that can also be used or formed in conjunction with passive optical structures. The resonant structure can be produced from any conducting material (e.g., metal such as silver or gold). The passive optical structures can be formed from glass, polymer, dielectrics, or any other material sufficiently transparent using conventional patterning, etching and deposition techniques. The passive optical structures can be formed directly on the ultra-small resonant structures, or alternatively on an intermediate structure, or the passive optical structures can be formed in combination with other passive optical structures. The size and dimension of the passive optical structures can be identical with underlying structures, they can merely extend outwardly beyond an exterior shape of the underlying structure, or the passive optical structures can span across a plurality of the underlying structures, including in each instance embodiments with and without the intermediate structures.

Selectable frequency light emitter

A device () includes a substrate () having a surface (). A plurality of nano-resonate structures () is disposed in rows () and columns () on the surface (). A generally two-dimensional charged particle beam () passes over at least a portion of the plurality of nano-resonant structures () and at a particular height above the surface. At least a portion of the plurality of nano-resonant structures () interact in response to the generally two-dimensional charged particle beam () and generate electromagnetic energy ().

Coupling energy from a two dimensional array of nano-resonanting structures

An electronic transmitter or receiver employing electromagnetic radiation as a coded signal carrier is described. In the transmitter, the electromagnetic radiation is emitted from ultra-small resonant structures when an electron beam passes proximate the structures. In the receiver, the electron beam passes near ultra-small resonant structures and is altered in path or velocity by the effect of the electromagnetic radiation on structures. The electron beam is accelerated within a series of spiral-shaped anodes to an appropriate current density without the use of a high power supply. Instead, a sequence of low power levels is supplied to the sequence of anodes in the electron beam path. The electron beam is thereby accelerated to a desired current density appropriate for the transmitter or receiver application without the need for a high-level power source.

Spiral electron accelerator for ultra-small resonant structures

A charged particle beam including charged particles (e.g., electrons) is generated from a charged particle source (e.g., a cathode or scanning electron beam). As the beam is projected, it passes between plural alternating electric fields. The attraction of the charged particles to their oppositely charged fields accelerates the charged particles, thereby increasing their velocities in the corresponding (positive or negative) direction. The charged particles therefore follow an oscillating trajectory. When the electric fields are selected to produce oscillating trajectories having the same (or nearly the same) frequency as the emitted radiation, the resulting photons can be made to constructively interfere with each other to produce a coherent radiation source.

Micro free electron laser (FEL)

A diamond field emission tip and methods of forming such diamond field emission tips, for use with cathodes that will act as a source of and emit beams of charged particles.

Diamond field emission tip and a method of formation

A method and apparatus for modulating a beam of charged particles is described in which a beam of charged particles is produced by a particle source and a varying electric field is induced within an ultra-small resonant structure. The beam of charged particles is modulated by the interaction of the varying electric field with the beam of charged particles.

Ultra-small resonating charged particle beam modulator

We describe an ultra-small structure and a method of producing the same. The structures produce visible light of varying frequency, from a single metallic layer. In one example, a row of metallic posts are etched or plated on a substrate according to a particular geometry. When a charged particle beam passed close by the row of posts, the posts and cavities between them cooperate to resonate and produce radiation in the visible spectrum (or even higher). A plurality of such rows of different geometries are formed by either etching or plating from a single metal layer such that the charged particle beam will yield different visible light frequencies (i.e., different colors) using different ones of the rows.

Methods of producing structures for electron beam induced resonance using plating and/or etching

In an optical switch, a set of coherent electromagnetic radiation is selectively delayed and recombined to produce constructively or destructively combined radiation. When the radiation is constructively combined, a signal is transmitted out of the switch to a remote receiver. When the radiation is destructively combined, a signal is not transmitted out of the switch to a remote receiver.

Electro-optical switching system and method

A device and method is provided that includes a window for coupling a signal between cavities of a device or between cavities of different devices. A wall or microstructure is formed on a surface and defines a cavity. The window is formed in the wall and comprises at least a portion of the wall and is electrically conductive. The cavity can be sized to resonate at various frequencies within the terahertz portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and generate an electromagnetic wave to carry the signal. The window allows surface currents to flow without disruption on the inside surface of the cavity.

Coupling a signal through a window

A device for coupling energy in a plasmon wave to an electron beam includes a metal transmission line having a pointed end; a generator mechanism constructed and adapted to generate a beam of charged particles; and a detector microcircuit disposed adjacent to the generator mechanism. The generator mechanism and the detector microcircuit are disposed adjacent the pointed end of the metal transmission line and wherein a beam of charged particles from the generator mechanism to the detector microcircuit electrically couples the plasmon wave traveling along the metal transmission line to the microcircuit.

Coupling energy in a plasmon wave to an electron beam

A nano-resonating structure constructed and adapted to couple energy from a beam of charged particles into said nano-resonating structure and to transmit coupled energy outside the nano-resonating structure. A plurality of the nano-resonant substructures may be formed adjacent one another in a stacked array, and each may have various shapes, including segmented portions of shaped structures, circular, semi-circular, oval, square, rectangular, semi-rectangular, C-shaped, U-shaped and other shapes as well as designs having a segmented outer surface or area, and arranged in a vertically stacked array comprised of one or more ultra-small resonant structures. The vertically stacked arrays may be symmetric or asymmetric, tilted, and/or staggered.

Coupled nano-resonating energy emitting structures

A device includes at least one ultra-small resonant structure; and shielding constructed and adapted to shield at least a portion of said ultra-small resonant structure with a high-permeability magnetic material. The magnetic material is formed from a substance selected from a non-conductive magnetic oxide such as a ferrite; a cobaltite, a chromite, and a manganite. The magnetic material may be mumetal, permalloy, Hipernom, HyMu-80, supermalloy, supermumetal, nilomag, sanbold, Mo-Permalloy, Ultraperm, or M-1040.

Growing community of inventors

Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Jonathan Gorrell