Patent · US Active

Nanomechanical photonic devices

US9341779B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by

5References

20Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Yale University · US

Inventors

Hongxing Tang · New Haven, US
Mo Li · Irvine, US
Wolfram Pernice · Münster, DE
Chi Xiong · Yorktown Heights, US

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 6, 2013
Grant date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Aug 6, 2033

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG02B2006/12061
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Devices which operate on gradient optical forces, in particular, nanoscale mechanical devices which are actuable by gradient optical forces. Such a device comprises a waveguide and a dielectric body, with at least a portion of the waveguide separated from the dielectric body at a distance which permits evanescent coupling of an optical mode within the waveguide to the dielectric body. This results in an optical force which acts on the waveguide and which can be exploited in a variety of devices on a nano scale, including all-optical switches, photonic transistors, tuneable couplers, optical attenuators and tuneable phase shifters.

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