Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080218740 | Nanowire-based photonic devices - Embodiments of the present invention are related to nanowire-based devices that can be configured and operated as modulators, chemical sensors, and light-detection devices. In one aspect, a nanowire-based device includes a reflective member, a resonant cavity surrounded by at least a portion of the reflective member, and at least one nanowire disposed within the resonant cavity. The nanowire includes at least one active segment selectively disposed along the length of the nanowire to substantially coincide with at least one antinode of light resonating within the cavity. The active segment can be configured to interact with the light resonating within the cavity. | 09-11-2008 |
20080237886 | Three-dimensional crossbar array systems and methods for writing information to and reading information stored in three-dimensional crossbar array junctions - Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to three-dimensional crossbar arrays. In one aspect of the present invention, a three-dimensional crossbar array includes a plurality of crossbar arrays, a first demultiplexer, a second demultiplexer, and a third demultiplexer. Each crossbar array includes a first layer of nanowires, a second layer of nanowires overlaying the first layer of nanowires, and a third layer of nanowires overlaying the second layer of nanowires. The first demultiplexer is configured to address nanowires in the first layer of nanowires of each crossbar array, the second demultiplexer is configured to address nanowires in the second layer of nanowires of each crossbar array, and the third demultiplexer is configured to supply a signal to the nanowires in the third layer of nanowires of each crossbar array. | 10-02-2008 |
20080268396 | Active control of time-varying spatial temperature distribution - In an embodiment, a microchip includes a plurality of heat-producing electronic devices and a plurality of heat-sensitive devices. A plurality of temperature control elements are spatially distributed relative to the heat-producing electronic devices and the heat-sensitive devices to enable active control of temperature to compensate for spatially non-uniform and temporally-varying heat emitted from the heat-producing electronic devices. | 10-30-2008 |
20090002701 | Electric-field-enhancement structure and detection apparatus using same - Various aspects of the present invention are directed to electric-field-enhancement structures and detection apparatuses that employ such electric-field-enhancement structures. In one aspect of the present invention, an electric-field-enhancement structure includes a substrate having a surface. The substrate is capable of supporting a planar mode having a planar-mode frequency. A plurality of nanofeatures is associated with the surface, and each of nanofeatures exhibits a localized-surface-plasmon mode having a localized-surface-plasmon frequency approximately equal to the planar-mode frequency. | 01-01-2009 |
20090032805 | Microresonator systems and methods of fabricating the same - Various embodiments of the present invention are related to microresonator systems that can be used as a laser, a modulator, and a photodetector and to methods for fabricating the microresonator systems. In one embodiment, a microresonator system comprises a substrate having a top surface layer, at least one waveguide embedded within the substrate, and a microdisk having a top layer, an intermediate layer, a bottom layer, current isolation region, and a peripheral annular region. The bottom layer of the microdisk is in electrical communication with the top surface layer of the substrate and is positioned so that at least a portion of the peripheral annular region is located above the at least one waveguide. The current isolation region is configured to occupy at least a portion of a central region of the microdisk and has a relatively lower refractive index and relatively larger bandgap than the peripheral annular region. | 02-05-2009 |
20090034905 | Microresonantor systems and methods of fabricating the same - Various embodiments of the present invention are related to microresonator systems and to methods of fabricating the microresonator systems. In one embodiment, a microresonator system comprises a substrate having a top surface layer and at least one waveguide embedded in the substrate and positioned adjacent to the top surface layer of the substrate. The microresonator system also includes a microresonator having a top layer, an intermediate layer, a bottom layer, a peripheral region, and a peripheral coating. The bottom layer of the microresonator is attached to and in electrical communication with the top surface layer of the substrate. The microresonator is positioned so that at least a portion of the peripheral region is located above the at least one waveguide. The peripheral coating covers at least a portion of the peripheral surface and has a relatively lower index of refraction than the top, intermediate, and bottom layers of the microresonator. | 02-05-2009 |
20090180734 | Method For Connecting Multicore Fibers To Optical Devices - A method for connecting a photonic crystal fiber having a plurality of cores connected to an optical device. An end of the photonic crystal fiber may be placed on a surface of an optical device having a plurality of coupling pads. A first core of the end of the photonic crystal fiber may be positioned over a first coupling pad on the optical device to enable a threshold amount of a coherent beam of light to propagate through the first core and first coupling pad. A second core of the end of the photonic crystal fiber is aligned to a second coupling pad on the optical device to enable a threshold amount of another coherent beam of light to propagate through the second core and second coupling pad. The end of the photonic crystal fiber may be adhered to the surface of the optical device while the position of the first and the second cores relative to the first and the second coupling pads, respectively, is maintained. | 07-16-2009 |
20090239323 | Microresonator Systems And Methods Of Fabricating The Same - Various embodiments of the present invention are related to microresonator systems and to methods for fabricating the microresonator systems. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a microresonator system comprises: forming a multilayer system having a bottom layer, a top layer, and an intermediate layer having one or more quantum wells and sandwiched between the bottom layer and the top layer; embedding at least one waveguide in a substrate having a top surface, the at least one waveguide positioned adjacent to the top surface of the substrate; wafer bonding the top layer of the multilayer system to the top surface of the substrate; forming a microresonator in the multilayer system, wherein at least a portion of a peripheral annular region of the microresonator is portioned above the at least one waveguide; and forming a current isolation region in at least a portion of a central region of the microresonator. | 09-24-2009 |
20090245296 | Tunable Optical Resonator - An optical apparatus includes a substrate comprising a layer of thermally insulating material disposed thereon; an optical resonator disposed on the layer of thermally insulating material; and a trench in the thermally insulating material disposed around at least a portion of the optical resonator. The optical resonator is substantially thermally isolated from the substrate. | 10-01-2009 |
20090245714 | Optical Resonator Tuning Using Piezoelectric Actuation - An optical resonator configured to be tuned using piezoelectric actuation, includes a core, the core being configured to transmit light; a piezoelectric layer; a first electrode and a second electrode. The piezoelectric layer is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. A voltage difference across the first and second electrodes alters a geometric dimension of the piezoelectric layer such that physical force is applied to the core and a resonant optical frequency of the resonator is changed. A method of utilizing mechanical stress to tune an optical resonator includes applying physical force to the resonator by subjecting a piezoelectric material to an electric field, the physical force changing a resonant frequency of the resonator. | 10-01-2009 |
20090246425 | Systems And Methods For Auto-Aligning Members Bearing Correlated Patterns - A method of aligning first and second mating surfaces includes: generating a random or pseudo-random function; convolving the random or pseudo-random function with a spread function to produce a correlated function; forming a pattern of bi-polar material on the first mating surface based on a quantization of the correlated function; and forming a complementary pattern of the bi-polar material on the second mating surface. The complementary patterns exert a force on each other toward a desired alignment of the first and second mating surfaces. A system includes a first member having a first correlated pattern of material disposed on a first mating surface; and a second member having a second correlated pattern of material disposed on a second mating surface, wherein the second correlated pattern is complementary to the first correlated pattern. The first and second correlated patterns interact to facilitate a desired alignment of the first and second members. | 10-01-2009 |
20090256136 | MICRORESONATOR SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF FABRICATING THE SAME - Various embodiments of the present invention are related to microresonator systems that can be used as a laser, a modulator, and a photodetector and to methods for fabricating the microresonator systems. In one embodiment, a microdisk comprises: a top layer; a bottom layer; an intermediate layer having at least one quantum well, the intermediate layer sandwiched between the top layer and the bottom layer; a peripheral annular region including at least a portion of the top, intermediate, and bottom layers; and a current isolation region configured to occupy at least a portion of a central region of the microdisk including at least a portion of the top, intermediate, and bottom layers and having relatively lower index of refraction than the peripheral annular region. | 10-15-2009 |
20090263076 | Charge-Based Memory Cell For Optical Resonator Tuning - An optical resonator configured to be tuned using a charge-based memory cell includes an optical cavity configured to transmit light and receive injected charge carriers; a charge-based memory cell in proximity to or within the optical cavity, the memory cell containing a number of trapped charges which influence the resonant optical frequency of the optical resonator. A method of tuning an optical resonator includes applying a voltage or current to a charge-based memory cell to generate a non-volatile charge within the memory cell, the nonvolatile charge changing a resonant frequency of the optical resonator. | 10-22-2009 |
20090277608 | Thermal Control Via Adjustable Thermal Links - An apparatus for thermal control includes a first component; a second component; an adjustable thermal link disposed between the first component and the second component; and a controller for selectively varying a thermal conductance of the adjustable thermal link. A method of controlling a temperature includes sensing a temperature of a first component; and adjusting a thermal conductance of an adjustable thermal link, the adjustable thermal link forming a thermal path between the first component and a second component; the thermal conductance of the adjustable thermal link being adjusted such that the temperature of the first component is controlled. | 11-12-2009 |
20100027941 | Electro-optical Connector And Methods For Aligning - An electro-optical connector including a first connector end and a second connector end. The first connector end is coupled to a first electro-optical device. The second connector end coupled to a second electro-optical device. The second connector is flexibly coupled to a connector base so a second connector face can move flexibly with respect to a first connector face. A force mechanism on at least one connector end applies a force on an interface between the first connector end and the second connector end. The force is applied when the first connector face is within a predefined proximity of the second connector face. A mechanical guide on the connector end can align the first connector face with the second connector face when the force mechanism applies the force. The connector end for the force mechanism or the mechanical guide can be the first connector end or the second connector end. | 02-04-2010 |
20100081238 | MIXED-SCALE ELECTRONIC INTERFACE - Embodiments of the present invention are directed to mixed-scale electronic interfaces, included in integrated circuits and other electronic devices, that provide for dense electrical interconnection between microscale features of a predominantly microscale or submicroscale layer and nanoscale features of a predominantly nanoscale layer. A method is provided for fabricating a nanoscale/microscale interface having a microscale layer and a predominantly nanoscale layer. | 04-01-2010 |
20100112809 | Multilevel imprint lithography - A mold with a protruding pattern is provided that is pressed into a thin polymer film via an imprinting process. Controlled connections between nanowires and microwires and other lithographically-made elements of electronic circuitry are provided. An imprint stamp is configured to form arrays of approximately parallel nanowires which have (1) micro dimensions in the X direction, (2) nano dimensions and nano spacing in the Y direction, and three or more distinct heights in the Z direction. The stamp thus formed can be used to connect specific individual nanowires to specific microscopic regions of microscopic wires or pads. The protruding pattern in the mold creates recesses in the thin polymer film, so the polymer layer acquires the reverse of the pattern on the mold. After the mold is removed, the film is processed such that the polymer pattern can be transferred on a metal/semiconductor pattern on the substrate. | 05-06-2010 |
20110075966 | Optical Interconnect - An optical interconnect has first and second substantially perpendicular optical waveguides and an optical grating disposed between and evanescently coupled to the waveguides. The optical grating includes a plurality perforated rows that are oriented at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the first and second optical waveguides. | 03-31-2011 |
20110180782 | Light-Emitting Devices - Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to semiconductor light-emitting devices that provide energy efficient, high-speed modulation rates in excess of 10 Gbits/sec. These devices include a light-emitting layer embedded between two relatively thicker semiconductor layers. The energy efficient, high-speed modulation rates result from the layers adjacent to the light-emitting layer being composed of semiconductor materials with electronic states that facilitate injection of carriers into the light-emitting layer for light emission when an appropriate light-emitting voltage is applied and facilitate the removal of carriers when an appropriate light-quenching voltage is applied. | 07-28-2011 |
20110215231 | PHOTODIODE MODULE AND APPARATUS INCLUDING MULTIPLE PHOTODIODE MODULES - Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a photodiode module including a structure configured to selectively couple light to a dielectric-surface mode of a photonic crystal of the photodiode module. In one embodiment of the present invention, a photodiode module includes a semiconductor structure having a p-region and an n-region. The photodiode module further includes a photonic crystal having a surface positioned adjacent to the semiconductor structure. A diffraction grating of the photodiode module may be positioned and configured to selectively couple light incident on the diffraction grating to a dielectric-surface mode associated with the surface of the photonic crystal. In another embodiment of the present invention, a photodiode apparatus includes multiple, stacked photodiode modules, each of which is configured to selectively absorb light at a selected wavelength or range of wavelengths. | 09-08-2011 |
20110266605 | Memristive Transistor Memory - A memory device ( | 11-03-2011 |
20110303890 | Electrically Actuated Device - An electrically actuated device includes a first electrode and a second electrode crossing the first electrode at a non-zero angle, thereby forming a junction therebetween. A material is established on the first electrode and at the junction. At least a portion of the material is a matrix region. A current conduction channel extends substantially vertically between the first and second electrodes, and is defined in at least a portion of the material positioned at the junction. The current conduction channel has a controlled profile of dopants therein. | 12-15-2011 |
20120133026 | Electrically Actuated Device And Method Of Controlling The Formation Of Dopants Therein - An electrically actuated device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an active region disposed between the first and second electrodes. The device further includes at least one of dopant initiators or dopants localized at an interface between i) the first electrode and the active region, or ii) the second electrode and the active region, or iii) the active region and each of the first and second electrodes. | 05-31-2012 |
20140256123 | ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE FORMATION OF DOPANTS THEREIN - In an example of a method for controlling the formation of dopants in an electrically actuated device, a predetermined concentration of a dopant initiator is selected. The predetermined amount of the dopant is localized, via diffusion, at an interface between an electrode and an active region adjacent to the electrode. The dopant initiator reacts with a portion of the active region to form the dopants. | 09-11-2014 |