Optically interactive nanostructure
OwnerGerald C. Huthinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Optically interactive nanostructural element. The element includes a semiconductor substrate including at least one radiation guide region extending into the substrate. The geometry of the substrate material surrounding the radiation guide region is selected so that it acts as a quantum confinement region for electrons in the substrate material and the radiation guide region acts as a classical waveguide for radiation so that the element absorbs or emits light of a wavelength corresponding to the selected geometry. In a preferred embodiment, the optically interactive nanostructural element includes an array of the radiation guide regions spatially disposed over a surface.
Claims17
Optically interactive nanostructural element comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate including at least one radiation guide region extending into the substrate, the geometry of the substrate material surrounding the radiation guide region being selected such that it acts as a quantum confinement region for electrons in the substrate material and the radiation guide region acts as a classical waveguide for radiation, whereby the element absorbs or emits light of a wavelength corresponding to the selected geometry.
Optically interactive nanostructural element comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate including an array of radiation guide regions extending into the substrate, the geometry of the substrate material surrounding the radiation guide regions being selected such that it acts as a quantum confinement region for electrons in the substrate material and the radiation guide regions act as classical wave guide for radiation, the array including adjacent large and small effective area nanostructures wherein the ratio of the largest to the smallest size nanostructure elements determines the overall optical bandwith of the array surface.
Method for making an optically interactive nanostructural element responsive to a preselected wavelength of light comprising:
- anodically etching a substrate material while illuminating the substrate material with the preselected wavelength of light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.