Title: Two-path plasmonic interferometer with integrated detector

Abstract

An electrically tunable terahertz two-path plasmonic interferometer with an integrated detection element can down convert a terahertz field to a rectified DC signal. The integrated detector utilizes a resonant plasmonic homodyne mixing mechanism that measures the component of the plasma waves in-phase with an excitation field that functions as the local oscillator in the mixer. The plasmonic interferometer comprises two independently tuned electrical paths. The plasmonic interferometer enables a spectrometer-on-a-chip where the tuning of electrical path length plays an analogous role to that of physical path length in macroscopic Fourier transform interferometers.

Inventors:

Dyer, Gregory Conrad; Shaner, Eric A.; Aizin, Gregory

Issue Date:

Tue Mar 29 00:00:00 EDT 2016

Research Org.:

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1244238

Patent Number(s):

9297638

Application Number:

14/520,057

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM) Research Foundation of The City of New York (New York, NY)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B82 - NANOTECHNOLOGY B82Y - SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01B - MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B82 - NANOTECHNOLOGY B82Y - SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES

B82Y20/00 - Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
B82Y30/00 - Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01B - MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS

G01B9/02001 - {characterised by manipulating or generating specific radiation properties}
G01B9/02049 - {characterised by particular mechanical design details}

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G01N21/3581 - using far infra-red light
G01N21/45 - using interferometric methods

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01V - GEOPHYSICS

G01V8/005 - {operating with millimetre waves, e.g. measuring the black losey radiation}

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L31/035209 - {comprising a quantum structures}
H01L31/035236 - {Superlattices
H01L31/1129 - {the device being a field-effect phototransistor}

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01Q - ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS

H01Q15/02 - Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC04-94AL85000

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2014 Oct 21

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS