USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Michael S Lowry

Kevin A Boulais

Pearl Rayms-Keller

Simin Feng

Karen J Long

Walter D Sessions

Robert B Nichols

William F Smith

Francisco Santiago

Reniery Cevallos

Francesco Santiago

Natasha Laguodas Wilkerson

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 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

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

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Fredericksburg, VA, United States of America

Michael S Lowry