Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.

Lambda Instruments, Inc.

Kenith Meissner

Erik Herz

Carvel Holton

Corey Paye

William B Spillman, Jr

Holey optical fibers (e.g. photonic fibers, random-hole fibers) are fabricated with quantum dots disposed in the holes. The quantum dots can provide light amplification and sensing functions, for example. When used for sensing, the dots will experience altered optical properties (e.g. altered fluorescence or absorption wavelength) in response to certain chemicals, biological elements, radiation, high energy particles, electrical or magnetic fields, or thermal/mechanical deformations. Since the dots are disposed in the holes, the dots interact with the evanescent field of core-confined light. Quantum dots can be damaged by high heat, and so typically cannot be embedded within conventional silica optical fibers. In the present invention, dots can be carried into the holes by a solvent at room temperature. The present invention also includes solid glass fibers made of low melting point materials (e.g. phosphate glass, lead oxide glass) with embedded quantum dots.

Optical fiber with quantum dots

Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a system comprising a spatially distributed multimode optical fiber; a pixelated photodetector configured to detect a plurality of optical signals provided from said fiber, a first portion of the optical signals indicative of modal conversion and a second portion of the optical signals indicative of modal interference, a predetermined area of said pixelated photodetector adapted to be illuminated by the first portion of the optical signals; and a signal processing module adapted to decode and interpret a plurality of detected variables related to the optical signals.

Growing community of inventors

College Station, TX, United States of America

Kenith Meissner