Configurable grating based on collapsing nano-fingers
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsDavid A. Fattal, Raymond G. Beausoieil, Zhiyong Li
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Abstract
A configurable grating based on collapsing nano-fingers includes a substrate; and a plurality of bendable nano-fingers supported on the substrate. The nano-fingers may be formed in a regular first array and the nano-fingers may be formed in a spacing that, upon closing at their tops, forms a second array to act as an optical grating or a diagnostic tool. A method of fabricating a configurable optical grating based on collapsing nano-fingers is also disclosed, as well as a method of determining an open or closed state for a plurality of nano-fingers.
Claims20
A configurable grating based on collapsing nano-fingers including:
- a substrate;
- and
- a plurality of bendable nano-fingers supported on the substrate, the nano-fingers formed in a regular first array, the nano-fingers formed in a spacing that, upon closing at their tops, forms a second array to act as an optical grating or a diagnostic tool.
A method of fabricating a configurable optical grating based on collapsing nano-fingers comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- forming a plurality of bendable nano-fingers on the substrate, including forming the nano-fingers in a regular first array, the nano-fingers formed in a spacing that, upon closing at their tops, form a second array to act as an optical grating.
A method of determining an open or closed state for a plurality of nano-fingers comprising:
- providing a configurable grating based on collapsing nano-fingers including:
- a substrate, and
- a plurality of bendable nano-fingers supported on the substrate, the nano-fingers formed in a regular first array, the nano-fingers formed in a spacing that, upon closing at their tops, forms a second array;
- obtaining a first spectrum based on one of reflection, transmission, absorption, or diffraction;
- causing the nano-fingers to close;
- obtaining a second spectrum based the same of reflection, transmission, absorption, or diffraction as used to obtain the first spectrum;
- and
- comparing the second spectrum with the first spectrum to determine the extent of a closed state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.