Thomas E Furtak

Title: Innovations by Thomas E. Furtak

Introduction

Thomas E. Furtak is a notable inventor based in Golden, Colorado. He has made significant contributions to the field of optical technologies, holding a total of 3 patents. His work focuses on advancing the capabilities of optical elements and devices, particularly in relation to surface plasmon technologies.

Latest Patents

One of Furtak's latest patents is titled "Silicon-compatible surface plasmon optical elements." This invention provides fundamental science and novel device architectures for surface plasmon (SP)-based, complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible optical elements such as modulators, couplers, and switches. The primary focus of this work is on waveguides based on an ultra-long-range surface plasmon (ULRSP) waveguide mode recently discovered by his team. This mode exists at the metal-dielectric interfaces in a silicon-oxide-metal-silicon layer structure. While initial work focuses on noble metals to support the ULRSP, analysis shows that silicon processing-compatible metals such as copper and aluminum can also be utilized. The modeling has demonstrated that variation in the thickness of the oxide layer can yield unprecedented propagation lengths in such structures. Electrically-induced free carrier modulation of the dielectric constant in the silicon adjacent to the oxide can modulate the waveguide properties, allowing for the creation of novel silicon-compatible electro-optic devices. These waveguides function as the 'wiring' in new classes of optical chips. This invention also facilitates the integration of ULRSP waveguides and switches with other optical elements to create entirely new classes of hybrid optoelectronic technologies for defense applications, ranging from chip-based chemical agent detection to extremely high-performance processors and even all-optical computations.

Another significant patent by Furtak is the "All-optically prepared and controlled nematic liquid crystal light valve." This invention provides a device that acts as an optical switch to control the intensity of a light beam through the action of a second control beam. This behavior is achieved through photoinduced anisotropy that develops in a monomolecular layer coating the inside surfaces of a liquid crystal cell. One of the surfaces is permanently aligned prior to assembly by illuminating the surface with polarized light in the presence of oxygen. The other surface retains reversible behavior, adapting anisotropy according to the orientation of the polarization of the control beam. Accordingly, an optically controlled