Plasmon resonant based eye protection
First Claim
1. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:
- eyewear; and
plasmon resonant particles, embedded in said eyewear, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are characterized by a plasmon resonant peak in the electromagnetic frequency range between 670 nm and 1200 nm.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:
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eyewear; and plasmon resonant particles, embedded in said eyewear, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are characterized by a plasmon resonant peak in the electromagnetic frequency range between 670 nm and 1200 nm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Eyewear to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, said eyewear comprising:
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a lens having a front surface and a back surface; and plasmon resonant particles coated on at least one surface of said lens, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are characterized by a plasmon resonant peak in the electromagnetic frequency range between 670 nm and 1200 nm. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A contact lens comprising:
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a lens having a front surface and a back surface; and plasmon resonant particles coated on at least one surface of said lens, wherein said contact lens is characterized by an overall volume and said plasmon resonant particles comprise less than 1% of the overall volume. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A contact lens comprising:
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a lens having a front surface and a back surface; and plasmon resonant particles coated on at least one surface of said lens, 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.
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44. A contact lens comprising:
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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 nanoshells comprise less than 1% of the overall volume of said contact lens.
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45. A method of manufacturing eyewear, said method comprising:
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providing plasmon resonant particles tuned to reduce a desired wavelength in the electromagnetic energy spectrum; dispersing said plasmon resonant particles in a polymer; utilizing said polymer to form said eyewear, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to reduce electromagnetic radiation energy passing through said eyewear and wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy is between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A method of manufacturing a contact lens, said method comprising:
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providing nanoshells tuned to reduce 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, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to reduce electromagnetic radiation energy passing through said contact lens and wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy is between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths.
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49. A method of manufacturing a contact lens, said method comprising:
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providing nanoshells tuned to reduce 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, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to reduce electromagnetic radiation energy passing through said lens and wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy is between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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52. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:
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eyewear; and plasmon resonant particles, integrated with said eyewear, wherein the plasmon resonant particles comprise a non-conducting core and at least one conducting shell around at least a portion of said core, wherein said core is characterized by a diameter which ranges from 80-500 nm.
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53. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:
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eyewear; and plasmon resonant particles, integrated with said eyewear, wherein the plasmon resonant particles comprise a non-conducting core and at least one conducting shell around at least a portion of said core, wherein said shell is characterized by a thickness which ranges from 7-35 nm.
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54. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:
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eyewear; and plasmon resonant particles, integrated with said eyewear, wherein the plasmon resonant particles comprise a non-conducting core and at least one conducting shell around at least a portion of said core, 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.
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55. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:
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eyewear; and plasmon resonant particles, embedded in said eyewear, wherein said device is characterized by an overall volume and said plasmon resonant particles comprise less than 1% of the overall volume.
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56. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:
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eyewear; and plasmon resonant particles, embedded in said eyewear, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to reduce electromagnetic radiation energy passing through said and eyewear, wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy is between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59. A device to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, comprising:
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eyewear; and plasmon resonant particles, embedded in said eyewear, 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.
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60. Eyewear comprising:
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a lens having a front surface and a back surface; and plasmon resonant particles disposed between the front and back surface of said lens, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to reduce electromagnetic radiation energy passing through said lens and wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy is between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths.
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61. A method of manufacturing eyewear, said method comprising:
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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, 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.
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62. A method of manufacturing eyewear, said method comprising:
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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, 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.
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63. Eyewear to reduce electromagnetic radiation entering the eye, said eyewear comprising:
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a lens having a front surface and a back surface; and plasmon resonant particles integrated with said lens, wherein said plasmon resonant particles are tuned to reduce electromagnetic radiation energy passing through said lens and wherein said reduction in electromagnetic radiation energy is between 670 nm and 1200 nm wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66)
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Specification