Photonically engineered incandescent emitter
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsJames M. Gee, Shawn-Yu Lin, James G. Fleming, James B. Moreno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A photonically engineered incandescence is disclosed. The emitter materials and photonic crystal structure can be chosen to modify or suppress thermal radiation above a cutoff wavelength, causing the emitter to selectively emit in the visible and near-infrared portions of the spectrum. An efficient incandescent lamp is enabled thereby. A method for fabricating a three-dimensional photonic crystal of a structural material, suitable for the incandescent emitter, is also disclosed.
Claims21
A photonically engineered incandescent emitter, comprising a photonic crystal having a characteristic lattice constant and comprising tungsten or tungsten alloy as a refractory emitter material having a first dielectric constant and at least one other lattice material having at least one other dielectric constant and wherein the characteristic lattice constant, the refractory emitter material, and the at least one other lattice material are chosen so as to create a photonic bandgap that modifies thermal emission above a cutoff wavelength when the photonic crystal is heated.
A photonically engineered incandescent emitter, comprising a photonic crystal having a characteristic lattice constant of less than 10 microns and comprising a refractory emitter material having a first dielectric constant and at least one other lattice material having at least one other dielectric constant and wherein the refractory emitter material and the at least one other lattice material are chosen so as to create a photonic bandgap that modifies thermal emission above a cutoff wavelength when the photonic crystal is heated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.