Photon induced enhanced field electron emission collector

• US 8,969,710 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Integrated Energy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pacific Integrated Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Layton, Phillip J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mowla, Golam
• Application Number:
  US13/932,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20130319514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 136/254
• US Class Current: 136/254
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/008 Surface plasmon devices diffractive gratings with a pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength G02B5/1809; surface plasmons in integrated optics G02B6/1226; optical analysis of materials by means of surface plasmons G01N21/553
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/04 Cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0073 said selective devices having corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/02 Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism

Abstract

An electromagnetic energy collector and sensor use enhanced fields to emit electrons for energy collection. The collector and sensor collect energy from visible light, infrared radiation and ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation. The collector and sensor include a waveguide with a geometry selected to enhance the electric field along a conductor to create a high, localized electric field, which causes electron emission across a gap to a return plane.

Claims

1. A device for collecting electromagnetic energy, comprising:

an anode; and

at least one waveguide spaced apart from said anode, said at least one waveguide comprising a first end and a second end, said first end having a first cross-sectional dimension and said second end having a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than said first cross-sectional dimensional, said at least one waveguide having at least one other cross-sectional dimension that is between said first cross-sectional dimension and said second cross-sectional dimension, which other cross-sectional dimension corresponds to a wavelength of electromagnetic energy,

wherein said at least one waveguide is adapted to (i) capture and enhance an electric field from said electromagnetic energy to create a high, localized electric field, and (ii) interact said electromagnetic energy with an inner surface of the at least one waveguide to generate an emission of electrons to said anode.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one waveguide is part of a plurality of waveguides arranged in an array of waveguides.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one waveguide is conical;

the second cross-sectional dimension is at a tip of the waveguide that forms a cathode of the waveguide; and

the cathode is spaced apart from the anode.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the cathode is spaced apart from the anode by a distance that is less than about 100 nanometers.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the cathode is spaced apart from the anode by a distance that is less than the wavelength of said electromagnetic energy.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one waveguide is spaced apart from said anode by a gap.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said gap is under vacuum.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein said gap comprises a gas.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said inner surface comprises a material with a plasma frequency that is above the frequency of said electromagnetic energy.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said at least one waveguide is adapted to enhance the electric field along a conductor of said inner surface.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein said inner surface includes graphene, gold, silver, copper or aluminum.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one waveguide comprises a dielectric layer adjacent to a metal layer, wherein said dielectric layer comprises said inner surface, and wherein said at least one waveguide is adapted to create a plasmon wave at a surface interface of said metal layer and said dielectric layer upon exposure to said electromagnetic energy.

13. A system for collecting electromagnetic energy, comprising:

an anode; and

an array of waveguides, wherein an individual waveguide of said array is spaced apart from said anode, wherein said individual waveguide comprises a first end and a second end, said first end having a first cross-sectional dimension and said second end having a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than said first cross-sectional dimensional, said at least one waveguide having at least one other cross-sectional dimension that is between said first cross-sectional dimension and said second cross-sectional dimension, which other cross-sectional dimension corresponds to a wavelength of electromagnetic energy,

wherein said at least one waveguide is adapted to capture and enhance an electric field from said electromagnetic energy to create a high, localized electric field.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one waveguide is conical;

the second cross-sectional dimension is at a tip of the waveguide that forms a cathode of the waveguide; and

the cathode is spaced apart from the anode.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a load coupled to said anode.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a storage device coupled to said anode.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one waveguide is a sensor.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one waveguide is spaced apart from said anode by a gap.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said gap is under vacuum.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said gap comprises a gas.