The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 22, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 09, 1998
Thomas W. Ebbesen, Plainsboro, NJ (US);
Daniel E. Grupp, Stockton, NJ (US);
Tineke Thio, Princeton, NJ (US);
Henri J. Lezec, Strasbourg, FR;
NEC Research Institute, Inc., Princeton, NJ (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for enhanced light transmission is provided. The apparatus comprises a metal film having a first surface and a second surface, at least one aperture provided in the metal film and extending from the first surface to the second surface, and a periodic surface topography provided on at least one of the first and second surface of the metal film. Light incident on one of the surfaces of the metal film interacts with a surface plasmon mode on at least one of the surfaces of the metal film thereby enhancing transmission of light through the at least one aperture in the metal film. The apparatus may have a single aperture or a plurality of periodically arranged apertures. Wavelength-selective optical filters, spatial optical filters, light collectors, near-field scanning optical microscope probes and photolithographic masks are also provided.