Tunable plasmonic crystal

US9105791B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignees

• Sandia Corporation · US
• THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK · US

Inventors

• Gregory Dyer · Albuquerque, US
• Eric A. Shaner · Rio Rancho, US
• John L. Reno · Albuquerque, US
• Gregory Aizin · East Brunswick Township, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 16, 2013
• Grant date: Aug 11, 2015
• Expiry date: Sep 16, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10F30/287

Abstract

A tunable plasmonic crystal comprises several periods in a two-dimensional electron or hole gas plasmonic medium that is both extremely subwavelength (˜λ/100) and tunable through the application of voltages to metal electrodes. Tuning of the plasmonic crystal band edges can be realized in materials such as semiconductors and graphene to actively control the plasmonic crystal dispersion in the terahertz and infrared spectral regions. The tunable plasmonic crystal provides a useful degree of freedom for applications in slow light devices, voltage-tunable waveguides, filters, ultra-sensitive direct and heterodyne THz detectors, and THz oscillators.