Patent · US Expired

Electro-optic attenuated total internal reflection modulator and method

US5155617A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
3References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 13, 1991
Grant dateOct 13, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 13, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02F2203/12
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Method and apparatus for electro-optically modulating the intensity of an incident light beam including a coupling prism with a high reflective index, a semiconductor substrate in optical contact with the coupling prism and having a conductive area formed therein, an organic electro-optic film formed on the substrate and covering at least a portion of the conductive area, and a transmission line disposed above the electro-optic film and cooperating with the conductive area to form electrodes for use in applying an electric field across the electro-optic film. Light directed through the substrate by the coupling prism couples with surface plasmons at the film-to-metal interface and is selectively reflected or absorbed depending upon whether or not an electric field is applied.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.