Plasmon resonant based eye protection

• US 20060275596A1
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanospectra Biosciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nanospectra Biosciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Payne, J. Donald, Jackson, Joseph B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,438,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/323
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/043 Contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/02 Lenses; Lens systems ; Methods of designing lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/108 Colouring materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/256 Heavy metal or aluminum or compound thereof

Abstract

A contact lens is provided in which tunable nanoparticles are embedded or otherwise coated on the lens to extinguish near-infrared energy. In one preferred embodiment, the tunable nanoparticles are nanoshells consisting of a dielectric core and a metal shell, wherein the plasmon resonance frequency is determined by the relative size of the core and the metal shell. With the capability to alter the relative size of the core and the metal shell, nanoshells are uniquely tunable nanoparticles, allowing a range of optical extinctions. In another embodiment, the nanoshells are tuned to extinguish energy from other parts of the energy spectrum. In one desired embodiment of the invention, these plasmon resonant structures are introduced into the lens polymer prior to formation or manufacturing of a lens. In another embodiment of the invention, these nanoshells are coated on a contact lens after formation of the lens.

Claims

1. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:

eyewear; and

plasmon resonant particles, embedded in said eyewear.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are nanoshells.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are nanorods.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are nanotubes.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the plasmon resonant particles comprise a non-conducting core and at least one conducting shell around at least a portion of said core.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said core is spherical.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said conducting shell is metal.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said metal is gold.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein said metal is silver.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said eyewear is a contact lens.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said eyewear are goggles.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said eyewear is a visor.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said eyewear are glasses.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said eyewear is an implant.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tunable.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to reduce electromagnetic radiation energy passing through said eyewear.

41. The device of claim 1, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are carbon nanotubes.

42. The device of claim 5, wherein said core is characterized by a diameter which ranges from 80-500 nm.

43. The device of claim 5, wherein said shell is characterized by a thickness which ranges from 7-35 nm.

44. The device of claim 5, wherein said core is characterized by a diameter which is approximately 150 nm and said shell is characterized by a thickness which is approximately 17 nm.

45. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is characterized by an overall volume and said plasmon resonant particles comprise less than 1% of the overall volume.

46. The device of claim 35, wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy is between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths is greater than 50%.

48. The device of claim 46 wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths is greater than 90%.

49. The device of claim 33, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are tuned to permit at least 15% transmission of electromagnetic radiation energy having between 500 nm and 600 nm wavelengths to pass through said eyewear.

50. The device of claim 33, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are tuned to permit at least 30% transmission of electromagnetic radiation energy having between 500 nm and 600 nm wavelengths to pass through said eyewear.

59. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are characterized by an extinguishing curve which curve has a peak Plasmon resonance frequency portion and a trough portion that can be expressed as a ratio, wherein said ratio ranges from 2-7.

15. A contact lens comprising:

a lens having a front surface and a back surface; and

plasmon resonant particles coated on at least one surface of said lens.

16. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are nanoshells.

17. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are nanorods.

18. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are nanotubes.

19. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein the plasmon resonant particles comprise a non-conducting core and at least one conducting shell around at least a portion of said core.

20. The contact lens of claim 19, wherein said core is spherical.

21. The contact lens of claim 19, wherein said conducting shell is metal.

22. The contact lens of claim 21, wherein said metal is gold.

23. The contact lens of claim 21, wherein said metal is silver.

24. The contact lens of claim 19, wherein said core is characterized by a diameter which ranges from 80-500 nm.

25. The contact lens of claim 19, wherein said shell is characterized by a thickness which ranges from 7-35 nm.

26. The contact lens of claim 19, wherein said core is characterized by a diameter which is approximately 150 nm and said shell is characterized by a thickness which is approximately 17 nm.

27. The contact lens of claim 19, wherein said core is characterized by a diameter which is approximately 370 nm and said shell is characterized by a thickness which is approximately 15 nm.

28. The contact lens of claim 19, wherein said core is characterized by a diameter which is approximately 300 nm and said shell is characterized by a thickness which is approximately 17 nm.

29. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein said contact lens is characterized by an overall volume and said plasmon resonant particles comprise less than 1% of the overall volume.

30. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein said contact lens is characterized by an overall volume and said plasmon resonant particles comprise less than 0.15% of the overall volume.

31. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are characterized by an extinguishing curve which curve has a peak Plasmon resonance frequency portion and a trough portion that can be expressed as a ratio, wherein said ratio ranges from 2-7.

34. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tunable.

36. The contact lens of claim 34, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to reduce electromagnetic radiation energy passing through said lens.

51. The contact lens of claim 36, wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy is between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths.

52. The eyewear of claim 51, wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths is greater than 50%.

53. The eyewear of claim 51 wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths is greater than 90%.

54. The contact lens of claim 34, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are tuned to permit at least 15% transmission of electromagnetic radiation energy having between 500 nm and 600 nm wavelengths to pass through said eyewear.

55. The contact lens of claim 34, wherein the plasmon resonant particles are tuned to permit at least 30% transmission of electromagnetic radiation energy having between 500 nm and 600 nm wavelengths to pass through said eyewear.

32. A contact lens comprising:

a lens; and

tunable nanoshells embedded in said lens,

wherein said contact lens is characterized by an overall volume,

said nanoshells comprising a non-conducting silica core and a metal shell around at least a portion of said core, wherein said core is characterized by a diameter in the range of 80-500 nm and said shell is characterized by a thickness in the range of 7-35 nm and said nanoparticles comprise less than 1% of the overall volume of said contact lens.

37. A method of manufacturing eyewear, said method comprising:

providing plasmon resonant particles tuned to extinguish a desired wavelength in the electromagnetic energy spectrum;

dispersing said plasmon resonant particles in a polymer;

utilizing said polymer to form said eyewear.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the steps of

utilizing said polymer to form a blank;

cutting a disk from said blank; and

lathing said disk to form said eyewear.

56. The method of claim 38, wherein said eyewear is a contact lens.

61. The eyewear of claim 37, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to extinguish at least 50% of the electromagnetic radiation energy between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths passing through said eyewear.

62. The eyewear of claim 37, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to extinguish at least 90% of the electromagnetic radiation energy between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths passing through said eyewear.

39. A method of manufacturing a contact lens, said method comprising:

providing nanoshells tuned to extinguish a desired wavelength in the electromagnetic energy spectrum;

dispersing said nanoshells in 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA);

polymerizing said HEMA; and

utilizing said polymer to form a contact lens.

40. A method of manufacturing a contact lens, said method comprising:

providing nanoshells tuned to extinguish a desired wavelength in the electromagnetic energy spectrum;

functionalizing said nanoshells with a molecule to provide stability during dispersion;

dispersing said nanoshells in a polymer; and

utilizing said polymer to form a contact lens.

57. The method of claim 40, wherein said molecule is polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)

58. The method of claim 40, wherein said molecule is polyvinylalcohol (PVA)

60. A contact lens comprising:

a lens having a front surface and a back surface; and

plasmon resonant particles disposed between the front and back surface of said lens.

63. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:

eyewear characterized by at least one surface; and

plasmon resonant particles, at least partially coated on the surface of said eyewear.