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:
Jul. 20, 2010
Filed:
Mar. 06, 2006
Keith Goossen, Howell, NJ (US);
Keith Goossen, Howell, NJ (US);
University of Delaware, Newark, DE (US);
Abstract
A modulator for modulating an optical signal is disclosed having a substrate, a support mounted to the substrate, and membrane attached to the support and defining an airgap between the substrate and the membrane. The membrane has at least three layers including a central layer having an index of refraction which is the square root of the index of refraction of the substrate. The thickness of the layers and the size of the airgap are optimized to maximize differential reflectivity of light incident on the membrane at a non-normal angle of incidence to the membrane when the membrane is either in an unbiased state or biased state. In one embodiment, the first, central, and third layers have corresponding thicknesses approximately equal to one-quarter, one-quarter, and on-half of a wavelength of the optical signal, respectively. In another embodiment, the thickness of the layers and the airgap are designed according to formulas such that the modulator can operate over wider angles of incidence up to about 55 degrees. In a third embodiment, the modulator can operate at an angle of incidence-up to about 85 degree with TE-only polarization of the incident light.