Modulatable reflector

An element reflecting electromagnetic radiation, specifically light, wherein said element comprises a photonic element having a controllable band gap, the photonic element being disposed in the beam path of and/or on a surface reflecting said radiation, for modulating the radiation passing through said element, wherein said reflecting element is a prism, preferably a triple prism, and said photonic element is disposed on the surface serving for the entrance and the exit of a beam of the radiation.

An object identification system comprising a laser of a determined wavelength for producing an electromagnetic beam, specifically a light beam, and at least one element reflecting electromagnetic radiation, specifically light, wherein each of said at least one element comprises a photonic element having a controllable band gap, the photonic element being disposed in the beam path of and/or on a surface reflecting said radiation, for modulating the radiation passing through said element, said at least one element being provided on an object, wherein at least one, preferably all photonic elements of said at least one radiation reflecting element are chosen such that the reflective properties of the at least one radiation reflecting element are adjustable by controlling the photonic element or elements, more particularly switchable from high reflectivity to low reflectivity, for modulating the reflected light beam with data.

A method of modulating a beam of electromagnetic radiation, more specifically of a light beam, using an element reflecting electromagnetic radiation, specifically light, wherein said element comprises a photonic element having a controllable band gap, the photonic element being disposed in the beam path of and/or on a surface reflecting said radiation, for modulating the radiation passing through said element, said element transmitting data, said beam comprising a component of a wavelength for which said radiation reflecting element is switchable, by influencing at least a portion of the photonic element thereof, between two states of higher and lower transparency and/or reflectivity.