USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Kevin A Boulais

Francisco Santiago

Tak Kin Chu

Michael F Stumborg

Victor H Gehman, Jr

Karen J Long

Walter D Sessions

Simin Feng

Pearl Rayms-Keller

Robert B Nichols

Michael S Lowry

Donald W Rule

Alfredo N Rayms-Keller

Reniery Cevallos

Lucas R Hale

William F Smith

Blaise L Corbett

Joon Y Choe

Peter L Wick, Jr

Frank L Wallace

Craig Andrew Calcagno

Natasha Laguodas Wilkerson

Sarah C Weston

Alexander Strugatsky

Thomas L Wilson

Michael H Fugate

Charles E Mannix

Wayne L Hopkins

Francesco Santiago

A light transmission system is provided for operating an optically responsive circuit. The system includes a light guide film (LGF) to transmit light emitted from its edge, and a scattering node for directing the light to the circuit. The circuit is disposed on a proximate face of the LGF. The scattering node is disposed on a distal face of the LGF opposite the circuit. The circuit can be an integrated circuit, a light detection sensor or a photovoltaic cell.

Flexible light guide film for electronic activation and control

An optically tunable metamaterial unit cell is provided for photonic switching. The cell is optically tunable and includes a dielectric substrate with upper and lower surfaces. The cell further includes arrays of metamaterial elements and a layer of photo-capacitive material. The arrays are disposed the upper surface of the dielectric substrate. The metamaterial is capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation. The layer of photo-capacitive material overlaps the arrays of metamaterial elements. The photo-capacitive material is optically tunable.

Optically controlled reflect phased array based on photosensitive reactive elements

A control device is provided for photonic switching. The device includes an optically tunable metamaterial unit cell. This structure includes a dielectric substrate; at least two arrays of metamaterial elements located on the top surface thereof, the metamaterial being capable of reflecting electromagnetic radiation, and a layer of photo-capacitive material overlapping the at least two arrays of metamaterial elements, the photo-capacitance of the photo-capacitive material being optically tunable; and a reflectarray or phased array system containing the unit cell.

A metal lens is provided for length compacting a horn antenna across a frequency bandwidth. The metal lens includes a feed guide segment having an input cross-section, an intermediate segment, and an exit segment. The feed guide segment receives a signal from the horn antenna along a carry direction; an intermediate segment that expands from the input cross-section laterally to the carry direction. The intermediate segment incorporates an intermediate split vane perpendicular to the carry direction to divide the signal along the carry direction. The exit segment incorporates a plurality of terminating split vanes lateral to the carry direction for transmitting the output signals.

Broadband metal lens antenna

A radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag is provided for receiving and reflecting electromagnetic energy at select frequency bands of visible and infrared wavelengths. The RFID tag includes an electrically conductive backplane; a dielectric substrate disposed on the backplane; a light guide film (LGF) disposed on the substrate, and metamaterial elements. The LGF has an exposed surface segregated into domains. The metamaterial devices are disposed on a domain. Each device is tuned to respond to a corresponding frequency among the select frequency bands.

Dynamically interactive RFID tag with optical control

A metamaterial cloak is provided for extending deflection of an electromagnetic beam for a vertical beam angle other than bore sight. The cloak deflects an electromagnetic beam from a source in an environment and includes a laminate structure and an electromagnetic guide. The structure includes a plurality of conductive metal plates and metamaterial layers sandwiched therebetween within a planar shape. The electromagnetic guide is disposed around the laminate structure to provide a frontal face to the source. The guide matches impedance of the laminate structure.

Elevation angle correction for a two-dimensional metamaterial cloak

Chaff is provided for deployment from an aerial platform for retro-reflecting electromagnetic radiation projected to the platform. The chaff includes a plurality of retro-reflecting particles, with each particle being a retro-reflector. The plurality forms a cloud having aerial buoyancy. The particles can be a corner reflector with adjacent sides substantially perpendicular to one another, and in particular a trihedral corner reflector. Alternatively, the particles can be lens reflectors, such as a cat's eye. In addition, chaff is provided for deployment from an aerial platform for retro-reflecting electromagnetic radiation projected to the platform. The chaff includes a plurality of retro-reflecting particles and a substrate. Each particle of the plurality is a retro-reflector. The substrate attaches the plurality of particles.

Retroreflecting chaff for laser defense

A metamaterial control device is provided for controlling electromagnetic radiation. The device uses a light-guide film (LGF), with the LGF being capable of receiving light emission along an edge. The device includes a substrate disposed on a non-edges surface of the LGF, electromagnetic cellular structures that are controllable, and an optically sensitive component within some or all cells. The substrate is composed of metamaterial and having an interface that corresponds to an extractor on the non-edge surface for scattering light therefrom. Alternatively, the substrate can constitute the LGF itself. The cell structure is disposed around the extractor. The optically sensitive component is disposed to cover the extractor. The component changes in response to receiving the light from the extractor and changes in response to intensity of the light.

Light guide film control for optically tunable metamaterials

A dielectric composite material is provided for switch control by optical stimulus. The material includes a plurality of photo-conductive particulates; and a transparent binder for containing the plurality of particulates to form a photo-conductive pigment based matrix. The pigment based matrix is disposed on to overlap first and second separate electrodes to produce an electrical junction. Capacitance of the pigment based matrix changes from a first value absent the optical stimulus to a second value in response to illumination at a specific electromagnetic frequency and intensity by the optical stimulus.

Optically controllable composite dielectric

An electromagnetic reflector for reflecting an electromagnetic signal is provided based on meta-surface phase control using photo-capacitive materials, varactors or other tuning means. The shape of the metamaterial unit cell enhances the resonance and phase shift. The reflector includes first and second cells having respective first and second phase states, along with a switch for selecting between the first and second cells.

Discrete phased electromagnetic reflector based on two-state elements

A cloak is provided for concealing an object to an electromagnetic field. A first vane encloses the object and a second vane encloses the first vane. The distance between the first and second vanes varies relative to the object, so as to conceal the object to the electromagnetic field.

Electromagnetic cloak using metal lens

A material is provided for switching dielectric constant between distinct first and second values responsive to electromagnetic radiation having a specified energy. The material includes a medium transparent to the radiation and a plurality of particulates. Each particulate has a dipole that assumes one of distinct first and second parameters that correspond to the first and second values. The particulates are suspended within the medium. The parameters are either dipole span or charge strength. The dipole of each particulate sets to the first parameter by default and sets to the second parameter in response to the radiation. The particulates can be composed from undoped semi-insulating gallium arsenide. The medium can be polymethylmethacrylate, for example.

Broadband artificial dielectric with dynamically optical control

A photocapacitor device is provided for responding to a photon having at least a specified energy. The photocapacitive device includes a first portion composed of a photocapacitive material; a second portion composed of a non-photocapacitive material; and a depletion region disposed between the first and second portions. The photocapacitive and non-photocapacitive materials respectively have first and second Fermi-energy differences, with the second Fermi-energy difference being higher than the first Fermi-energy difference.

Semiconductor photocapacitor device

A micro designator dart engages a target to allow for designation and tracking of the target by transmitting a radio-frequency identification code. The housing of the micro designator dart is configured to enclose its components and deform upon impact with a target to allow a target-engaging member to physically attach the micro designator dart to the target. Also upon impact with the target, an impact-sensitive triggering mechanism in the micro designator dart activates a power source, causing a transmitter to send a predetermined coded infrared signal to the seeker unit of a precision guided munitions system. The micro designator dart may also include a self-destruct device.

Micro designator dart

An optically tunable cavity for an electronic device concurrently achieves high bandwidth (for example, at least about 10 percent, typically greater than about 50 percent) with high DC-RF efficiency (for example, at least about 50 percent, typically greater than about 85 percent). The electronic device may be a vacuum electronic device, including linear-beam and cross-field devices, with either an input circuit or an output circuit, or both, containing a photocapacitance-controlled resonator embedded such that a laser beam can impinge upon a semiconductor gap of the resonator. The laser beam may instantaneously change the resonant mode of the overall loaded cavity, thus allowing for amplification or oscillation of the desired frequency throughout the vacuum electronic device.

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La Plata, MD, United States of America

Kevin A Boulais