Resonance tunable optical filter
US6738194B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 22, 2002 |
| Grant date | May 18, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 22, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/266
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical modulating device capable of use as a light valve, display, or optical filter, which uses variation in incident angle to exploit color-selective absorption at a metal-dielectric interface by surface plasmons. The device includes a dielectric layer, at least one metallic layer through which electromagnetic radiation may be transmitted or reflected, and incident and exit layers which are both optically transmissive. A beam steering mechanism controls the incident angle of the electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment, an external beam steering mechanism is used to set the incident light angle onto the filter. In another embodiment, the filter is formed as an integral part of, for example, a cantilever. The incident light angle is then controlled by the angle of the filter cantilever.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.