Abstract:
A multilayer nonlinear dielectric optical structure is formed by coextruding at least two polymeric materials, components (a) and (b), using a multiplying element; the structure contains a plurality of alternating layers (A) and (B) represented by formula (AB)x, where x=2n, and n is the number of multiplying elements; at least one of the components (a) and (b) exhibits nonlinear optical response. These structures perform a variety of nonlinear optical functions including all-optical switching and passive optical limiting.
Abstract:
A resonator mirror with a saturable absorber for a laser wavelength &lgr;L formed of a series of layers of a plurality of semiconductor layers on a substrate, wherein a Bragg reflector formed of a plurality of alternately arranged layers comprising a first material with an index of refraction nH and a second material with a lower index of refraction NL compared with the latter is grown on a surface of the substrate. It is characterized in that a threefold layer is grown on the Bragg reflector, wherein a single quantum layer is embedded within two layers outside an intensity minimum for the laser radiation &lgr;L and the threefold layer has a combined optical thickness of λ L 2 .
Abstract:
Optical semiconductor device with resonant cavity tunable in wavelength, application to modulation of light intensity. This device comprises a resonant cavity (2) delimited by two mirrors (4, 6) and at least one super-lattice (14) that is placed in the cavity and is formed from piezoelectric semiconducting layers, and means (20) of injecting charge carriers into the super-lattice. The optical properties of this super-lattice can thus be modified and the wavelength of cavity resonance modes can be offset. The invention is particularly applicable to optical telecommunications.
Abstract:
A multilayer nonlinear dielectric optical structure is formed by coextruding at least two polymeric materials, components (a) and (b), using a multiplying element; the structure contains a plurality of alternating layers (A) and (B) represented by formula (AB)x, where xnull2n, and n is the number of multiplying elements; at least one of the components (a) and (b) exhibits nonlinear optical response. These structures perform a variety of nonlinear optical functions including all-optical switching and passive optical limiting.
Abstract:
Holographic optical elements (HOEs) can be used in systems and methods for providing illumination and for projecting images. The HOEs may be switchable HOEs, whose diffractive properties can be controlled. Described herein is a method of combining light from two or more illumination sources. In one embodiment, a reflection-type HOE is illuminated by the first illumination source. The HOE diffracts light from the first illumination source into an output direction. Light from the second illumination source is transmitted through the HOE and onto a reflective optical element, which reflects the light back through the HOE and into the same output direction. Also described is a projection system that uses two or more HOEs to combine two or more colors of light for use by a single image display. The system includes one or more light sources, an image display (such as a reflective or transmissive LCD display or a MEMS display, for example), and a first and a second HOE. The HOEs are each mounted between a light source and the image display, and configured to provide one color of light to the image display and from the image display into an output direction. In one embodiment, the HOEs are switchable HOEs and can be used for color-sequential display and/or for color balancing.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a device for controlling optical frequency (F1, F2) about a central working frequency (F0). This device comprises a vertical cavity (2) formed of two parallel and partially reflecting walls (3a, 3b), and a membrane (6) comprising at least one layer (7a, 7b) structured in the form of a photonic crystal. In this device, the two walls (3a, 3b) are separated by an optical distance substantially proportional to half the wavelength (⋋0) corresponding to the central working frequency (F0). The membrane (6) is integrated between the walls (3a, 3b) of the cavity (2) and devised in such a way as to exhibit a mode of optical resonance at this central working wavelength (⋋0). At least one layer of the device is made up of at least one portion of a material exhibiting nonlinear optical properties. The present invention also relates to various systems implementing means of optical pumping and such a device for controlling optical frequency, as well as to a method of manufacturing such a device for controlling optical frequency.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a structure, having first areas consisting of or comprising a network of organic polymer material and second areas consisting of a nematic and/or smectic liquid crystal material, comprising at least one or more nematic and/or smectic liquid crystals and a photoluminescent material, wherein the first and second areas alternate in at least a first plane, while the composition of the film is substantially invariable in at least one direction which is angular to the said first plane, or second areas are completely surrounded by first areas, and the said areas are located in a periodic pattern, wherein the nematic and/or smectic liquid crystal material in the second areas extends in the longitudinal direction of the said areas from one end of the area to the other, the structure being arranged between two substrates, at least one of which is light transmitting. The structure together with the substrates may be a Bragg grating and can be used as a DFB laser. It can be prepared by providing a homogeneous and isotropic mixture including a photocurable monomer/oligomer, a nematic and/or smectic liquid crystal, and a photoluminescent material, filling said mixture into the space between two substrates and irradiating same with a light field such that areas of the mixture are irradiated while others are not. Under the irradiation, the mixture separates into areas comprising photocured polymer and areas consisting or comprising liquid crystals and photoluminescent material.
Abstract:
The present invention discloses a widely wavelength tunable polychrome colloidal photonic crystal device whose optical Bragg diffraction stop bands and higher energy bands wavelength, width and intensity can be tuned in a continuous and fine, rapid and reversible, reproducible and predictable fashion and over a broad spectral range by a controlled expansion or contraction of the colloidal photonic lattice dimension, effected by a predetermined change in the electronic configuration of the composite material. In its preferred embodiment, the material is a composite in the form of a film or a patterned film or shape of any dimension or array of shapes of any dimension comprised of an organized array of microspheres in a matrix of a cross-linked metallopolymer network with a continuously variable redox state of charge and fluid content. The chemo-mechanical and electro-mechanical optical response of the colloidal photonic crystal-metallopolymer gel is exceptionally fast and reversible, attaining its fully swollen state from the dry shrunken state and vice versa on a sub-second time-scale. These composite materials can be inverted by removal of the constituent microspheres from the aforementioned colloidal photonic crystal metallopolymer-gel network to create a macroporous metallopolymer-gel network inverse colloidal photonic crystal film or patterned film or shape of any dimension optical Bragg diffraction stop bands and higher energy bands wavelength, width and intensity can be redox tuned in a continuous and fine, rapid and reversible, reproducible and predictable fashion and over a broad spectral range by a controlled expansion or contraction of the colloidal photonic lattice dimensions.