Trustees of the Colorado School of Mines

P David Flammer

Russell Hollingsworth

Jonathan Peltzer

A spectroscopic polarimeter and methods of manufacturing the same are provided. The spectroscopic polarimeter is described as being fabricated by etching or patterning grooves into a substrate with a centrally smooth area, laying down an opaque thin layer of metal, etching out a central cavity from the metal, laying down a thin layer of dielectric material, and then laying down metal over the cavity. Optionally, before or after the dielectric layer is laid, a thicker metal barrier at the edge of the design can be laid as well.

Spectroscopic polarimeter

The present invention provides a hybrid dielectric/SPP waveguide that can form either a single mode, single polarization waveguide, or a multi-mode waveguide. When multi-mode, this invention effectively transfers energy back and forth between the dielectric waveguide and metal surface. This improves on standard SPP modes, yielding longer range propagation along with high intensity near the metal surface at decisive locations. When single-mode, this hybrid waveguide allows for control of propagation and confinement for applications such as telecommunications optics integrated on silicon microchips. Gratings may be patterned in the metal for coupling light into and out of the modes or for use as mirrors in the mode. For areas where very long ranges are required, a metal grating may be used to couple light into the mode, but then the metal may be removed in other regions and make the range of the mode virtually infinite (limited by surface roughness).

Growing community of inventors

Golden, CO, United States of America

P David Flammer