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:
Jun. 06, 2006
Filed:
May. 10, 2004
Ray Sawin, Collinsville, CT (US);
Salvador M. Fernández, Hartford, CT (US);
Ray Sawin, Collinsville, CT (US);
Salvador M. Fernández, Hartford, CT (US);
Ciencia, Inc., East Hartford, CT (US);
Abstract
A grating coupled surface plasmon resonance optical modulator is disclosed. A electro-optic polymer dielectric is deposited on the metallic surface of a diffraction grating to provide a metal/dielectric interface. A surface plasmon will propagate at the metal/dielectric interface in a resonant condition, e.g., when the metal surface is illuminated by transverse magnetic (TM) polarized light of the appropriate wavelength, angle of incidence and phase velocity. In the present invention, phase velocity is controlled by the diffraction grating. A transparent electrode deposited on the electro-optic layer allows an electrical potential to be applied across the electro-optic polymer. The applied electrical potential (voltage) changes the index of refraction of the electro-optic polymer, thereby disrupting the resonant condition to produce an optically detectable change in reflectance of incident light from the metal layer. The disclosed grating coupled surface plasmon resonance optical modulator may be configured as an electronically or optically addressable array.