Abstract:
Various embodiments of the present invention are related to microresonator systems that can be used as a laser, a modulator, and a photodetector and to methods for fabricating the microresonator systems. In one embodiment, a microresonator system (100) comprises a substrate (106) having a top surface layer (104), at least one waveguide (114,116) embedded within the substrate (106), and a microdisk (102) having a top layer (118), an intermediate layer (122), a bottom layer (120), current isolation region (128), and a peripheral annular region (124,126). The bottom layer (120) of the microdisk (102) is in electrical communication with the top surface layer (104) of the substrate (106) and is positioned so that at least a portion of the peripheral annular region (124,126) is located above the at least one waveguide (114,116). The current isolation region (128) is configured to occupy at least a portion of a central region of the microdisk and has a relatively lower refractive index and relatively larger bandgap than the peripheral annular region.
Abstract:
A system and methods for routing optical signals are disclosed. The system includes a first large core hollow waveguide (205) having a reflective coating (213) covering an interior of the waveguide and configured to guide a substantially collimated multi-mode coherent light beam (208). A second large core hollow waveguide (208) with an interior reflective coating is coupled to the first waveguide with a coupling device (210). The coupling device is configured to redirect at least a portion of the coherent light beam from the first to the second waveguides through an optical path that is sufficiently short that a beam walk-off of the coherent light through the coupling device is less than half a width of the first large core hollow waveguide.
Abstract:
In one aspect of the present invention, an electric-field-enhancement structure (100) is disclosed. The electric-field-enhancement structure (100) includes a substrate (104) and an ordered arrangement of dielectric particles having at least two adjacent dielectric particles (102, 103) spaced from each othera controll3d distance (S). The controlled distance (S) is selected so that when a resonance mode is excited in each of the at least two adjacent dielectric particles (102, 103) reponsive to excitation electromagnetic radiation, eqch of the 4esonance modes interacts with each other to result in an enhanced electric field between the at least adjacent die;ectric particles (102, 103). Other aspects of the present invention are electric-field-enhancement apparatuses (1000) that utilize the described electric-field-enhancement structures, and methdos of enhancing an electric field between adjacent dielectric particles.
Abstract:
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods of forming nanostructures on non-single crystal substrates, and resulting nanostructures and nanoscale functional devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method of forming nanostructures includes forming a multi-layer structure (106) comprising a metallic layer (100) and a silicon layer (104). The multi-layer structure (106) is subjected to a thermal process to form metal-silicide crystallites (110). The nanostructures (114) are grown on the metal-silicide crystallites (110). In another embodiment of the present invention, a structure includes a non-single- crystal substrate (102) and a layer (108) formed over the non-single-crystal substrate (102). The layer (108) includes metal-silicide crystallites (110). A number of nanostructures (114) may be formed on the metal-silicide crystallites (110). The disclosed structures may be used to form a number of different types of functional devices for use in electronics and/or optoelectronics devices.
Abstract:
Various embodiments of the present invention are related to photonic systems and methods that can be used to encode data in, and regulate transmission of, carrier electromagnetic waves. In one embodiment of the present invention, a photonic system (1000, 1500) comprises a first waveguide (1002) configured to transmit a number of electromagnetic waves. The photonic system (1000, 1500) includes a photonic crystal (1004, 1502) with a resonant cavity (1014, 1504) and is configured to selectively and evanescently couple one or more of the electromagnetic waves from the first waveguide (1002) into the reasonant cavity (1014, 1504). The photonic system (1000, 1500) also includes a second waveguide (1006) positioned to transmit and extract one or more electromagnetic waves from the reasonant cavity (1014, 1504) via evanescent coupling.
Abstract:
A nanochannel apparatus 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and method 200, 400 of fabrication provide an array of nanochannels 16, 206, 36, 406 with distal open or exposed ends 51, 53, 61, 63 formed in situ through a permanent support 12, 205, 32, 405. A nanofluidic system 500, 600 includes the nanochannel apparatus, a fluidic interface 501, 503, 601, 603, and a component 510, 512, 610, 604, 606 interfaced to the nanochannel apparatus. The method 200, 400 includes encasing 230, 430 an array of nanowires 203, 403 in a support 204, 205, 404, 405, and forming the array of nanochannels in situ in locations of the nanowires, such that distal ends of the nanochannels are exposed.
Abstract:
A composite material (102) with at least one of a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for incident radiation of at least one wavelength is described. The composite material (102) comprises conductive structures (104) that are substantially random with respect to at least one of size, shape, orientation, and location.
Abstract:
A composite material (102) comprising a dielectric material and a plurality of non-overlapping local resonant cell groups (106) disposed across the dielectric material is described. Each local resonant cell group (106) comprises a plurality of resonant cells (108) that are small relative to a first wavelength (λc) of electromagnetic radiation that is incident upon the composite material (102). Each local resonant cell group (106) has a spatial extent that is not larger than an order of the first wavelength. For each of the local resonant cell groups, the resonant cells (108) therein are chirped with respect to at least one geometric feature thereof such that a plurality of different subsets of the resonant cells resonate for a respective plurality of wavelengths in a spectral neighborhood (203) of the first wavelength (λc). The composite material (102) exhibits at least one of a negative effective permeability and a negative effective permittivity for each of the plurality of wavelengths in that spectral neighborhood (203).
Abstract:
Wavelenght-tunable radiation amplifying structures (100, 200, 300) for Raman spectroscopy are disclosed that include resonant cavities (110, 210, 310) having Raman signal-enhancing structures (130, 230, 330) disposed therein. Also disclosed are systems (500, 600) that include the amplifying structures (100, 200, 300), and methods of performing spectroscopic analysis using the structures (100, 200, 300) and systems (500, 600).
Abstract:
A nano-scale device 10, 20, 30, 60 and method 40, 50, 70 of fabrication provide a nanowire 14, 24, 34, 64 having (111) vertical sidewalls 14a, 22e, 34a, 64a. The nano-scale device includes a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate 12, 22, 32, 62 polished in a [110] direction, the nanowire, and an electrical contact 26, 35 at opposite ends of the nanowire 24, 34. The method 40, 50, 70 includes wet etching 42, 52, 72 a semiconductor layer 12a, 22a, 32a. 62a of the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate to form 44, 54 the nanowire 24, 34 extending between a pair of islands 22f, 32f in the semiconductor layer 22a, 32a. The method 50 further includes depositing 56 an electrically conductive material on the pair of islands to form the electrical contacts 26, 36. A nano-pn diode 60 includes the nanowire 64 as a first nano-electrode, a pn-junction 66 verically stacked on the nanowire 64, and a second nano-electrode 68 on a (110) horizontal planar end of the pn-junction. The nano-pn diode 60 may be fabricated in array of the diodes on the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate 62.