Systems and methods for tuning a cavity
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a first photonic crystal (PC) having a first inner edge and a first outer edge, the first PC comprising a first plurality of holes;
a second PC having a second inner edge and a second outer edge, the second PC comprising a second plurality of holes, the second inner edge of the second PC being adjacent to the first inner edge of the first PC;
at least one of a waveguide section and a wave trap section formed between the first PC and the second PC, wherein the wave trap section is configured to trap an electromagnetic wave within a cavity; and
a first pair of capacitively coupled metal contacts located outside an optical mode volume, the first pair of capacitively coupled metal contacts comprising a first metal contact and a second metal contact, the second metal contact contacting the first outer edge of the first PC,wherein a first electrical voltage is adapted to be applied across the first pair of metal contacts, andwherein the first PC is adapted to move as a function of at least one of the first electrical voltage and the electromagnetic wave such that the at least one of the waveguide section and the wave trap section contracts or expands.
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Abstract
The present disclosure describes an integrated opto-mechanical and electro-mechanical system. The opto-mechanical and electro-mechanical system can be made of photonic crystals configured to move based on electrical voltages and/or back action effects from electromagnetic waves, thus changing the resonance of the system.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a first photonic crystal (PC) having a first inner edge and a first outer edge, the first PC comprising a first plurality of holes; a second PC having a second inner edge and a second outer edge, the second PC comprising a second plurality of holes, the second inner edge of the second PC being adjacent to the first inner edge of the first PC; at least one of a waveguide section and a wave trap section formed between the first PC and the second PC, wherein the wave trap section is configured to trap an electromagnetic wave within a cavity; and a first pair of capacitively coupled metal contacts located outside an optical mode volume, the first pair of capacitively coupled metal contacts comprising a first metal contact and a second metal contact, the second metal contact contacting the first outer edge of the first PC, wherein a first electrical voltage is adapted to be applied across the first pair of metal contacts, and wherein the first PC is adapted to move as a function of at least one of the first electrical voltage and the electromagnetic wave such that the at least one of the waveguide section and the wave trap section contracts or expands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25)
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20. A method comprising:
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propagating an electromagnetic wave through a waveguide section formed between a first photonic crystal (PC) and a second PC; trapping the electromagnetic wave within a wave trap section formed between the first PC and the second PC, thereby causing the waveguide and the wave trap section to contract or expand; and applying a first electrical voltage across a first pair of capacitively coupled metal contacts, the first pair of capacitively coupled metal contacts comprising a first metal contact and a second metal contact, wherein the application of the first electrical voltage causes the waveguide section and the wave trap section between the first PC and the second PC to expand or contract. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method to change an optical resonance frequency, the method comprising:
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applying an electrical voltage across a first pair of capacitively coupled metal contacts comprising a first metal contact and a second metal contact, the second metal contact contacting a first outer edge of a first photonic crystal (PC); changing position of the first PC as a function of the applied electrical voltage across the first pair of metal contacts, thus causing a waveguide section and a wave trap section between the first PC and the second PC to expand or contract; and shining light to the waveguide section and the wave trap section. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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26. An apparatus comprising:
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a first photonic crystal (PC) comprising a first periodic array of holes; a second PC comprising a second periodic array of holes; a slot between the first PC and the second PC, wherein the slot includes at least one of a waveguide section configured to guide an electromagnetic wave and a wave trap section configured to confine the electromagnetic wave within a cavity; one or more pairs of capacitively coupled metal contacts bounding the first PC and the second PC configured to electromechanically control a motion of the first PC and the second PC and a width of the slot such that the at least one of the waveguide section and the wave trap section contracts or expands; and one or more trenches etched between the capacitively coupled metal contacts of the one or more pairs, the trenches configured to electrically isolate the capacitively coupled metal contacts of each pair. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification