Apparatus and methods for modulating refractive index

A method for modulating a refractive index of an ion insertion layer in an optical device, the ion insertion layer having a dielectric constant, the dielectric constant having a real portion and an imaginary portion, the method comprising:

• providing an ion conduction layer adjacent the ion insertion layer;
• inserting ions from the ion conduction layer into the ion insertion layer;
• and
• extracting the ions from the ion insertion layer into the ion conduction layer;
• wherein:
• during the inserting, the imaginary portion of the dielectric constant changes from a first value to a second value and the real portion of the dielectric constant changes from a third value to a fourth value;
• the absolute value of the difference between the second value and the first value is less than the absolute value of the difference between the fourth value and the third value;
• during the extracting, the imaginary portion of the dielectric constant changes from a second value to a fifth value and the real portion of the dielectric constant changes from a fourth value to a sixth value;
• the absolute value of the difference between the fifth value and the second value is less than 2% of the first value;
• and
• the absolute value of the difference between the sixth value and the fourth value is less than 2% of the third value.

A method for modulating a refractive index of an ion insertion layer in an optical device, the refractive index having a real portion and an imaginary portion, the method comprising:

• providing an ion conduction layer adjacent the ion insertion layer;
• inserting ions from the ion conduction layer to the ion insertion layer;
• and wherein:
• during the inserting, the real portion changes from a first value to a second value and the imaginary portion changes from a third value to a fourth value;
• the difference between the second value and the first value is greater than 0.1;
• and
• the difference between the fourth value and the third value is less than 0.2.

An iono-refractive device comprising:

• an ion conduction material;
• and
• an ion insertion material adjacent the ion conduction material, the ion insertion material having a refractive index, the refractive index having a real portion and an imaginary portion;
• wherein:
• upon insertion of ions from the ion conduction layer into the ion insertion layer, the imaginary portion of the refractive index changes from a first value to a second value and the real portion of the refractive index changes from a third value to a fourth value;
• and
• the absolute value of the difference between the second value and the first value is less than the absolute value of the difference between the fourth value and the third value.

An iono-refractive device comprising:

• an ion conduction material;
• and
• an ion insertion material adjacent the ion conduction material, the ion insertion material having a refractive index, the refractive index having a real portion and an imaginary portion;
• wherein upon insertion of ions from the ion conduction layer into the ion insertion layers the real portion of the refractive index changes by more than about 0.1 and the imaginary portion of the refractive index changes by less than about 0.2.

An apparatus for modulating a refractive index of an ion insertion layer in an optical device, the ion insertion layer having a dielectric constant, the dielectric constant having a real portion and an imaginary portion, the apparatus comprising:

• means for providing an ion conduction layer adjacent the ion insertion layer;
• and
• means for inserting ions from the ion conduction layer into the ion insertion layer;
• wherein:
• during the inserting, the imaginary portion of the dielectric constant changes from a first value to a second value and the real portion of the dielectric constant changes from a third value to a fourth value at the wavelength of interest or at the operational wavelength;
• and
• the absolute value of the difference between the second value and the first value is less than the absolute value of the difference between the fourth value and the third value.

An apparatus for modulating a refractive index of an ion insertion layer in an optical device, the refractive index having a real portion and an imaginary portion, the apparatus comprising:

• means for providing an ion conduction layer adjacent the ion insertion layer;
• and
• means for inserting ions from the ion conduction layer to the ion insertion layer;
• wherein:
• during the inserting, the real portion changes from a first value to a second value and the imaginary portion changes from a third value to a fourth value;
• the absolute value of the difference between the second value and the first value is greater than 0.1;
• and
• the absolute value difference between the fourth value and the third value is less than 0.2.

A method for modulating a refractive index of an ion insertion layer in an optical device, the refractive index having a real portion and an imaginary portion, the method comprising:

• providing the ion insertion layer that is weakly electrochromic;
• providing an ion conduction layer adjacent the ion insertion layer;
• and
• inserting ions from the ion conduction layer into the ion insertion layer;
• wherein:
• during the inserting, the real portion changes from a first value to a second value and the imaginary portion changes from a third value to a fourth value;
• the absolute value of the difference between the second value and the first value is greater than 0.1;
• and
• the absolute value of the difference between the fourth value and the third value is less than 0.2.

A method for modulating a refractive index of an ion insertion layer in an optical device, the ion insertion layer having a lattice structure, the refractive index having a real portion and an imaginary portion, the method comprising:

• providing an ion conduction layer adjacent the ion insertion layer;
• and
• inserting ions from the ion conduction layer into the ion insertion layer;
• wherein:
• during the inserting, the lattice structure of the ion insertion layer changes and the real portion changes from a first value to a second value and the imaginary portion changes from a third value to a fourth value;
• the absolute value of the difference between the second value and the first value is greater than 0.1;
• and
• the absolute value of the difference between the fourth value and the third value is substantially diminished in response to changing the lattice structure.

A method for modulating a refractive index of an ion insertion layer in an optical device, the refractive index having a real portion and an imaginary portion, the method comprising:

• providing an ion conduction layer adjacent the ion insertion layer;
• annealing the ion insertion layer in an oxygen atmosphere;
• and
• inserting the ions from the ion conduction layer into the ion insertion layer;
• wherein:
• during the inserting, the real portion changes from a first value to a second value and the imaginary portion changes from a third value to a fourth value;
• the absolute value of the difference between the second value and the first value is greater than 0.1;
• and
• the absolute value of the difference between the fourth value and the third value is substantially diminished in response to annealing the ion insertion layer.