US 2020/0350356 A1 · Tunable Infrared Pixels via Monolithically Integrated Dynamic Metasurfaces

Abstract

A monolithically integrated, tunable infrared pixel comprises a combined broadband detector and graphene-enabled tunable metasurface filter that operate as a single solid-state device with no moving parts. Functionally, tunability results from the plasmonic properties of graphene that are acutely dependent upon the carrier concentration within the infrared. Voltage induced changes in graphene's carrier concentration can be leveraged to change the metasurface filter's transmission thereby altering the “colors” of light reaching the broadband detector and hence its spectral responsivity. The invention enables spectrally agile infrared detection with independent pixel-to-pixel spectral tunability.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A tunable infrared pixel, comprising:

an infrared detector;
a bottom dielectric layer disposed on the infrared detector;
an unpatterned graphene layer on the bottom dielectric layer;
a top dielectric layer on the unpatterned graphene layer;
and
a conductive metasurface on the top dielectric layer, wherein the metasurface is patterned to excite plasmons within the unpatterned graphene layer and wherein the metasurface is adapted to apply a voltage bias to the unpatterned graphene layer, thereby changing the Fermi level of the graphene and tuning the resonance response of the pixel to incident infrared light.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/930,520Filed 16 Jul 2020

Priority

16 Jan 2018

Published

5 Nov 2020

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

H10F 39/1847
Infrared image sensors: multispectral infrared image sensors having a stacked structure, e.g. NPN, NPNPN or multiple quantum well [MQW] structures
H10F 77/331
For devices having potential barriers: for filtering or shielding light, e.g. multicolour filters for photodetectors
G01J 5/20
Using electric radiation detectors: using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices
G01J 5/601
Using determination of colour temperature: using spectral scanning

Family

Application15/872,293Continuation in part · filed 16 Jan 2018

Application62/875,820Us provisional application · filed 18 Jul 2019

Application16/930,520Continuation in part

US 10,877,194 B2Related patent

US 11,482,560 B2Related patent

US 2019/0219747 A1Published application

US 2020/0350356 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Tunable Infrared Pixels via Monolithically Integrated Dynamic Metasurfaces

Life of this patent

Tunable Infrared Pixels via Monolithically Integrated Dynamic Metasurfaces

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20