Title: Optical devices having controlled nonlinearity

Abstract

An optical device is provided having a solid state nonlinear material with a nanostructured extent, in at least one dimension, that is less than about 10 nm or that is at a temperature of less than about 77 K. An electronic band gap, EGap, of the material is at least about twice as large as an energy of a photon with a wavelength, λ, equal to an operational wavelength of the device. The material is characterized by a switching figure of merit, ξ, having a value that is at least about 2π. A dielectric structure is around at least one dimension of the nonlinear material in a geometric arrangement having a characteristic photonic band gap that at least partially overlaps the electronic band gap of the material. At least one waveguide is disposed at the dielectric structure in sufficient proximity with the material for coupling light to the material.

Inventors:

Bermel, Peter; Rodriguez, Alejandro; Soljacic, Marin; Joannopoulos, John

Issue Date:

Tue Feb 05 00:00:00 EST 2013

Research Org.:

Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1531845

Patent Number(s):

8369670

Application Number:

12/596,709

Assignee:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

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

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS

Show more

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

B82Y20/00 - Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS

G02B6/1225 - {comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices}

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02F - DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH IS MODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THE DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY, COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g. SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING

G02F1/035 - in an optical waveguide structure
G02F1/3556 - {Semiconductor materials, e.g. quantum wells}
G02F2202/101 - Ga×As and alloy
G02F2202/32 - Photonic crystals

Show less

DOE Contract Number:  

DMR02-13282; FG02-97ER25308

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2008-05-01

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English