Apparatus and methods for manipulating light using nanoscale cometal structures

• US 20070107103A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees of Boston College (Boston College)
• Original Assignee: Trustees of Boston College (Boston College)
• Inventors: Naughton, Michael, Kempa, Krzysztof, Ren, Zhifeng, Rybczynski, Jakub
• Granted Patent: US 7,589,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/243
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2207/101 Nanooptics
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/107 Subwavelength-diameter waveguides, e.g. nanowires
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/834 Optical properties of nanomaterial, e.g. specified transparency, opacity, or index of refraction

Abstract

An apparatus and methods for manipulating light using nanoscale cometal structures are disclosed. A nanoscale optics apparatus for manipulating light includes a plurality of nanoscale cometal structures each comprising a dielectric material located between a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor. A method of fabricating a nanoscale optics apparatus for manipulating light includes preparing a plurality of nanoscale planar structures; coating a plurality of planar surfaces of the plurality of planar structures with a dielectric while leaving space between the plurality of planar surfaces; and coating the dielectric with an outer electrical conductor layer, wherein a portion of the outer electrical conductor layer is located between the planar structures to form coplanar structures.

Claims

1. A nanoscale optics apparatus for manipulating light comprising:

a plurality of nanoscale cometal structures each comprising a dielectric material located between a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor.

2. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is air or a vacuum.

3. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a protruding portion of the first electrical conductor extending beyond the second electrical conductor.

4. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a substrate that supports the plurality of nanoscale cometal structures.

5. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transparent conductor located between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor.

6. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cometal structures are connected in series and the dielectric material is photovoltaic, resulting in a total photovoltaic voltage being approximately a sum of voltages photo-generated by each cometal structure.

7. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cometal structures are connected in parallel and the dielectric material is photovoltaic, resulting in a total photovoltaic voltage between a minimum and a maximum of the voltages photo-generated by each cometal structure.

8. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as a radiation collector.

9. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as a light waveguide.

10. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as a beam splitter.

11. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as a light coupler.

12. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as a light blocker.

13. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as a light mixer.

14. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as discrete optics.

15. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as a light resonator.

16. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as a frequency filter.

17. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus is used for nanoscale optical microscopy.

18. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as an optical switch.

19. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus is used for nanolithography.

20. The nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoscale optics apparatus acts as a solar cell.

21. A coaxial nanoscale optics apparatus for manipulating light comprising:

a plurality of nanoscale coaxial structures each comprising an electrically conducting core contacting a dielectric material and coated with an outer electrical conductor layer.

22. The coaxial nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 21 wherein the dielectric material contacts a portion of the electrically conducting core.

23. The coaxial nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a protruding portion of the electrically conducting core extending beyond the outer electrical conductor layer.

24. The coaxial nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a substrate that supports the plurality of nanoscale coaxial structures.

25. The coaxial nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 21 wherein the dielectric material is a photovoltaic material that contains a p-n junction comprised of photovoltaic semiconductors.

26. The coaxial nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 21 wherein the dielectric material is a photovoltaic material that contains a p-i-n junction formed of a p-type semiconductor layer, an intrinsic photovoltaic semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer.

27. The coaxial nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a transparent conductor located between the electrically conducting core and the outer electrical conductor layer.

28. The coaxial nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 21 wherein the plurality of coaxial structures are connected in series and the dielectric material is photovoltaic, resulting in a total photovoltaic voltage being a sum of voltages photo-generated by each coaxial structure.

29. The coaxial nanoscale optics apparatus of claim 21 wherein the plurality of coaxial structures are connected in parallel and the dielectric material is photovoltaic, resulting in a total photovoltaic voltage between a minimum and a maximum of the voltages photo-generated by each cometal structure.

30. A coplanar nanoscale optics apparatus for manipulating light comprising:

a plurality of nanoscale coplanar structures each comprising a dielectric layer located between a first electrically conducting layer and a second electrically conducting layer;

wherein light enters the coplanar structure between the first electrically conducting layer and the second electrically conducting layer.

31. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 wherein the dielectric layer is air or a vacuum.

32. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 wherein the first electrically conducting layer is approximately parallel to the second electrically conducting layer.

33. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 further comprising a protruding portion of the first electrically conducting layer extending beyond the second electrically conducting layer.

34. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 further comprising a substrate that supports the plurality of nanoscale coplanar structures.

35. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 wherein the first electrically conducting layer and the second electrically conducting layer are electrically contacted only through the photovoltaic layer.

36. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 wherein the dielectric layer is a photovoltaic material that contains a planar p-n junction.

37. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 wherein the dielectric layer is a photovoltaic material that contains a planar p-i-n junction formed of a p-type semiconductor layer, an intrinsic photovoltaic semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer.

38. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 further comprising a transparent conductor located between the first electrically conducting layer and the second electrically conducting layer.

39. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 wherein the plurality of coplanar structures are connected in series and the dielectric layer is photovoltaic, resulting in a total photovoltaic voltage being a sum of voltages photo-generated by each coplanar structure.

40. The coplanar nanoscale optics of claim 30 wherein the plurality of coplanar structures are connected in parallel and the dielectric layer is photovoltaic, resulting in a total photovoltaic voltage between a minimum and a maximum of the voltages photo-generated by each cometal structure.

41. A method of fabricating a nanoscale optics apparatus for manipulating light comprising:

preparing a plurality of nanoscale planar structures;

coating a plurality of planar surfaces of the plurality of planar structures with a dielectric while leaving space between the plurality of planar surfaces; and

coating the dielectric with an outer electrical conductor layer, wherein a portion of the outer electrical conductor layer is located between the planar structures to form coplanar structures.

42. A method of claim 41 wherein the dielectric conformally coats the plurality of planar surfaces of the plurality of planar structures.