Photo-receptor for electro-magnetic radiation collection

• US 8,440,958 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Bandyopadhyay, Promode R.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US13/161,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20110253971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214.1, 250/214.R, 257/428, 257/431, 257/432, 257/351, 977/734, 977742-749, 977/932, 977/953, 977/954
• US Class Current: 250/214.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/70 Photonic quantum communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/02 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the earth or a large mass of water thereon, e.g. earth telegraphy

Abstract

An underwater data transmission system including arrays of nano-meter scaled photon emitters and sensors on an outer surface of an underwater platform. For the emitters, a laser is pulsed to correlate with data packets, providing a beam of photons at a prescribed frequency. Nano-scaled collecting lenses channel the incoming photons to photo-receptors located at a focal plane for the frequency at the base of each lens. A coating on the lenses absorbs photons at the frequency that are not aligned with the longitudinal axes of the lenses or tubes. Nano-wires connect the photo-receptors to a light intensity integrator. The integrator integrates the intensity over a surface area. The output of the integrator is fed to a signal processor to track and process the arriving digital packets.

Claims

1. A photo-receptor to collect electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined frequency, said photo-receptor comprising:

a collecting lens formed from plurality of a carbon nano-tubes with each of said nano-tubes parallel to another of said nano-tubes with said nano-tubes arranged to collect the electromagnetic radiation in a direction in parallel alignment with a longitudinal axis of said collecting lens;

a coating on an interior surface of each of said carbon nano-tubes to absorb the collected electromagnetic radiation; and

a nano-scale photo-receptor spaced apart from said collecting lens at a distance corresponding to a focal plane for the collected electromagnetic radiation, said photo-receptor including at least one sensing molecule wherein said sensing molecule is selectable to emit at least one electron upon absorbing the collected electromagnetic radiation.

2. The photo-receptor of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of nano-wires capable of transmitting the at least one electron to an integrator for integrating intensities of the electromagnetic radiation collected by said photo-receptor.

3. The photo-receptor of claim 1, further comprising a first protective coating covering said collecting lens in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis such that the electromagnetic radiation passes through said first protective coating prior to entering said collecting lens.

4. The photo-receptor of claim 3, wherein said protective coating is transparent to the electromagnetic radiation.

5. The photo-receptor of claim 4, further comprising a second protective coating for covering a rear surface of said photo-receptor remote from said first protective coating.