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. 28, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 04, 2011
Richard Averitt, Newton, MA (US);
Xin Zhang, Medford, MA (US);
HU Tao, Medford, MA (US);
Andrew Strikwerda, Jamaica Plain, MA (US);
Willie J. Padilla, Newton, MA (US);
Eric Shaner, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Richard Averitt, Newton, MA (US);
Xin Zhang, Medford, MA (US);
Hu Tao, Medford, MA (US);
Andrew Strikwerda, Jamaica Plain, MA (US);
Willie J. Padilla, Newton, MA (US);
Eric Shaner, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Trustees of Boston University, Boston, MA (US);
Trustees of Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method are disclosed for detecting terahertz radiation at room temperature. A detecting pixel includes a sub-wavelength split-ring resonator, and is mechanically coupled to (but thermally decoupled from) a substrate via a cantilever formed from two materials that have a significant mismatch in their thermal expansion coefficients. Incident radiation causes the split-ring resonator to resonate, thereby generating heat that is transferred to the cantilever, causing the cantilever to flex. An optical readout system includes a secondary light source, such as a laser, that shines on a reflective surface on the pixel, whereby a photodiode detects the reflected light and permits calculation of a relative deflection of the pixel in the nanometer range. An exemplary detector has a noise equivalent power rating of approximately 60 pW/√Hz.