Ordered colloidal suspension optical devices

Claim 2

An optical apparatus comprising: means for receiving incident electromagnetic radiation; means, responsive to at least one characteristic of said received radiation, for modulating said received radiation; and means for emitting said modulated radiation; wherein each of said means for receiving, said means for modulating and said means for emitting comprise: a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of a plurality of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween; and wherein said optically active medium comprises molecules selected to have a predetermined index of refraction, radiation absorption, radiation emission or a nonlinear optical response property at a wavelength substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes.

Claim 3

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said spheres are comprised of polystyrene latex and have a diameter of between approximately 0.08 to 0.300 microns.

Claim 4

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said spheres has a surface charge of between approximately 200 to approximately 3000 electrons and wherein the spacing between said adjacent planes is between approximately 1000 to approximately 10,000 angstroms.

Claim 5

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said spheres have an index of refraction of approximately 1.57 at a density of about 10 11 to about 10 14 spheres per cubic centimeter.

Claim 6

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said medium further comprises: a dye comprised of dye molecules selected to have a characteristic range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes.

Claim 7

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein a beam of electromagnetic radiation incident upon said apparatus is absorbed by said dye molecules and excites said dye molecules such that said dye molecules fluoresce, and wherein said fluorescence radiation has a predetermined wavelength within a range of wavelengths, the predetermined wavelength being substantially equal to twice the spacing between said adjacent planes such that said emitted radiation is amplified by being successively Bragg reflected by said planes whereby said reflected radiation progressively interacts constructively.

Claim 8

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said characteristic is a wavelength of said incident radiation.

Claim 9

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said characteristic is an intensity of said incident radiation.

Claim 10

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said characteristic is a polarization angle of said incident radiation.

Claim 11

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said optically active medium further comprises means for immobilizing said spheres within said medium.

Claim 12

An optical apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said immobilizing means comprises a polymer operable for substantially solidifying said medium, thereby immobilizing said spheres.

Claim 13

A distributed feedback laser comprising: a cavity structure having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity structure such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; a dye in solution with said medium, said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes; and a radiation pump having an output optically coupled to said cavity structure for pumping said dye molecules with radiation such that said dye molecules absorb and emit radiation, said emitted radiation being repeatedly Bragg reflected by said planes such that said reflected radiation progressively interacts constructively for providing gain to said laser.

Claim 14

A distributed feedback laser comprising: a cavity structure having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity structure such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; a dye in solution with said medium, said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes; and a radiation pump having an output optically coupled to said cavity structure for pumping said dye molecules with radiation such that said dye molecules absorb and emit radiation, said emitted radiation being repeatedly Bragg reflected by said planes such that said reflected radiation progressively interacts constructively for providing gain to said laser.

Claim 15

A laser as defined in claim 12 further comprising a reflector disposed adjacent to one of said first or second ends for reflecting radiation emitted by said dye molecules back into said cavity.

Claim 16

A laser as defined in claim 12 wherein said medium comprises deionized H 2 O and wherein said dye is comprised of Rhodamine 640.

Claim 17

A laser as defined in claim 14 wherein said Rhodamine 640 is in aqueous solution having a concentration of from 5×10 -5 to 5×10 -3 M.

Claim 18

A laser as defined in claim 15 wherein said radiation pump is a radiation source having a wavelength of approximately 514 nm.

Claim 19

A laser as defined in claim 15 having a gain-length product of approximately 1.5 to approximately 2.0 and a coupling strength of approximately 2.0 to approximately 4.0.

Claim 20

A radiation modulator comprising: a cavity having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of said planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; a source of radiation to be modulated having a wavelength substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes and an intensity (I) less than a critical intensity (I c ) for inducing an evanescent, non-propagating field potential in said medium adjacent to each of said planes, said evanescent field potential modifying a refractive index of said medium such that said radiation is periodically Bragg reflected by said planes, said periodic Bragg reflection inducing a corresponding periodic amplitude modulation of radiation emitted from said cavity.

Claim 21

A radiation modulator comprising: a cavity having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of said planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; a source of radiation to be modulated having a wavelength substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes and an intensity (I) less than a critical intensity (I c ) for inducing an evanescent, non-propagating field potential in said medium adjacent to each of said planes, said evanescent field potential modifying a refractive index of said medium such that said radiation is periodically Bragg reflected by said planes, said periodic Bragg reflection inducing a corresponding periodic amplitude modulation of radiation emitted from said cavity.

Claim 22

A radiation modulator as defined in claim 18 wherein a frequency of said periodic amplitude modulation is related to τ o where τ.sub.o ≈L/c where L is the length of the cavity and c is the velocity of the radiation in the medium.

Claim 23

A radiation switching device comprising: a cavity having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel plane of ordered, electrically charged spheres supended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of said planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; an incident radiation beam having a wavelength substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes and an intensity (I) which is less than or greater than a critical intensity (I c ) such that when I>I c there is induced a propagating field potential in said medium, said propagating field potential modifying a refractive index (n) of said medium in accordance with the equation n=n.sub.o +aI, said propagating field potential also modifying a Bragg wavelength associated with the spacing (d) between said planes in accordance with the equation λ=λ.sub.o /(n.sub.o +aI).

Claim 24

A radiation switching device comprising: a cavity having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel plane of ordered, electrically charged spheres supended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of said planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; an incident radiation beam having a wavelength substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes and an intensity (I) which is less than or greater than a critical intensity (I c ) such that when I>I c there is induced a propagating field potential in said medium, said propagating field potential modifying a refractive index (n) of said medium in accordance with the equation n=n.sub.o +aI, said propagating field potential also modifying a Bragg wavelength associated with the spacing (d) between said planes in accordance with the equation λ=λ.sub.o /(n.sub.o +aI).

Claim 25

A radiation switching device as defined in claim 20 wherein for a value of I given by I>I.sub.c λ≠2d said radiation propagates through said cavity and is not Bragg reflected.

Claim 26

A nonlinear optical device comprising: a cavity having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; a dye in solution with said medium, said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes; and wherein: said electrically charged spheres align said dye molecules with a periodicity corresponding to said spacing between adjacent planes such that said dye molecules are induced to have a bulk noncentrosymmetric field potential whereby the radiation absorption and emission characteristics of said dye molecules are made polarization specific to a polarization of an incident radiation having a wavelength within the range of wavelengths.

Claim 27

A nonlinear optical device comprising: a cavity having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; a dye in solution with said medium, said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes; and wherein: said electrically charged spheres align said dye molecules with a periodicity corresponding to said spacing between adjacent planes such that said dye molecules are induced to have a bulk noncentrosymmetric field potential whereby the radiation absorption and emission characteristics of said dye molecules are made polarization specific to a polarization of an incident radiation having a wavelength within the range of wavelengths.

Claim 28

A nonlinear optical device as defined in claim 22 wherein an incident radiation beam having a wavelength λ passing through said cavity normal to said ends exits said cavity with a wavelength of λ/2.

Claim 29

A nonlinear optical device as defined in claim 22 wherein said device has birefringent optical characteristics.

Claim 30

A nonlinear optical device as defined in claim 22 wherein said dye is comprised of merocyanine.

Claim 31

A window for transmitting therethrough incident radiation having an intensity less than a threshold intensity comprising: a cavity having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; and wherein radiation above a given intensity impinging on said window induces a heating of said colloidal suspension such that said ordered crystalline structure is thermally disassociated into an unordered structure, said unordered structure being substantially opaque to said radiation.

Claim 32

A window for transmitting therethrough incident radiation having an intensity less than a threshold intensity comprising: a cavity having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; and wherein radiation above a given intensity impinging on said window induces a heating of said colloidal suspension such that said ordered crystalline structure is thermally disassociated into an unordered structure, said unordered structure being substantially opaque to said radiation.

Claim 33

A window as defined in claim 26 wherein said incident radiation has wavelengths shorter than a Bragg reflection wavelength defined by said spacing between said planes.

Claim 34

A window as defined in claim 27 wherein said unordered suspension cools and recrystallizes when the intensity of said incident radiation falls below said threshold intensity.

Claim 35

A window as defined in claim 28 wherein said threshold intensity is related to the spacing between said planes and wherein a value of said threshold intensity is determined at least by a concentration of positive ions in said medium.

Claim 36

A window as defined in claim 29 wherein said positive ions are a salt or an acid intermixed with said medium.

Claim 37

A injection locked laser comprising: a first resonant cavity structure having first and second ends and comprising a laser gain medium disposed between said ends, said laser gain medium being operable for providing gain to radiation within a predetermined range of wavelengths; a distributed feedback (DFB) laser disposed adjacent to one of said first or second ends and comprising: a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within a second resonant cavity structure, said second resonant cavity structure being in optical alignment with said first resonant cavity structure; a dye in solution with said medium, said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at leaast one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes and is also within said predetermined range of wavelengths; and radiation pump means having an output optically coupled to each of said first and second resonant cavity structures for pumping both said dye molecules and said laser gain medium with radiation such that said dye molecules absorb and emit radiation, said emitted radiation being incident upon said end of said laser gain medium for injection locking said laser gain medium to said DFB laser emitted radiation.

Claim 38

A injection locked laser comprising: a first resonant cavity structure having first and second ends and comprising a laser gain medium disposed between said ends, said laser gain medium being operable for providing gain to radiation within a predetermined range of wavelengths; a distributed feedback (DFB) laser disposed adjacent to one of said first or second ends and comprising: a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within a second resonant cavity structure, said second resonant cavity structure being in optical alignment with said first resonant cavity structure; a dye in solution with said medium, said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at leaast one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes and is also within said predetermined range of wavelengths; and radiation pump means having an output optically coupled to each of said first and second resonant cavity structures for pumping both said dye molecules and said laser gain medium with radiation such that said dye molecules absorb and emit radiation, said emitted radiation being incident upon said end of said laser gain medium for injection locking said laser gain medium to said DFB laser emitted radiation.

Claim 39

A laser as defined in claim 31 and further comprising an end reflector means disposed adjacent to one of said first or second ends for reflecting radiation emitted by said laser gain medium back into said first resonant cavity structure, and wherein said end reflector means comprises said DFB laser.

Claim 40

A laser as defined in claim 32 wherein said laser gain medium is a laser rod comprised of Alexandrite.

Claim 41

A laser as defined in claim 33 wherein said optically active medium comprises dipolar dye molecules.

Claim 42

A dye laser comprising: a transparent dye cell structure having first and second spaced apart substantially parallel faces for containing a dye therebetween; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being disposed adjacent to said parallel faces such that said planes are substantially parallel to said faces; said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice said spacing between said planes; and a radiation pump having an output optically coupled to said dye cell structure for pumping said dye molecules with radiation such that a portion of said radiation emitted by said dye molecules impinges on said colloidal suspension, said impinging radiation having a wavelength substantially equal to said spacing for being Bragg reflected by said planes back through said dye cell structure.

Claim 43

A dye laser comprising: a transparent dye cell structure having first and second spaced apart substantially parallel faces for containing a dye therebetween; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being disposed adjacent to said parallel faces such that said planes are substantially parallel to said faces; said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice said spacing between said planes; and a radiation pump having an output optically coupled to said dye cell structure for pumping said dye molecules with radiation such that a portion of said radiation emitted by said dye molecules impinges on said colloidal suspension, said impinging radiation having a wavelength substantially equal to said spacing for being Bragg reflected by said planes back through said dye cell structure.

Claim 44

A laser as defined in claim 35 wherein said spaced apart parallel faces are separated one from the other by approximately 0.01 cm.

Claim 45

A laser as defined in claim 36 wherein said dye molecules are selected from a dipolar dye species.

Claim 46

A laser as defined in claim 37 wherein said radiation pump pumps said dye with radiation having a wavelength of approximately 503 nm at a pulse repetition rate of 100 MHz and a pulse width of 1 picosecond.

Claim 47

A nonlinear optical device comprising: a cavity having first and second ends, said cavity being substantially transparent to radiation having wavelengths within a range of predetermined wavelengths; and a noncentrosymmetric crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes or ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends.

Claim 48

A nonlinear optical device comprising: a cavity having first and second ends, said cavity being substantially transparent to radiation having wavelengths within a range of predetermined wavelengths; and a noncentrosymmetric crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes or ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends.

Claim 49

A nonlinear optical device as defined in claim 39 wherein said noncentrosymmetric crystalline colloidal suspension is a sheared crystal.

Claim 50

A nonlinear optical device as defined in claim 40 wherein said device has birefringent optical characteristics having a greatest radiation transmission for radiation having a polarization orientation substantially parallel to a direction of the shear.

Claim 51

A nonlinear optical device as defined in claim 39 wherein said noncentrosymmetric crystalline colloidal suspension comprises first spheres having a first diameter and second spheres having a second diameter.

Claim 52

A nonlinear optical device as defined in claim 39 and further comprising: a dye in solution with said medium, said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes; and wherein said electrically charged spheres align said dye molecules with a periodicity corresponding to said spacing between adjacent planes such that said dye molecules are induced to have a bulk noncentrosymmetric field potential whereby the radiation absorption and emission characteristics of said dye molecules are made polarization specific to a polarization of an incident radiation having a wavelength within the range of wavelengths.

Claim 53

A nonlinear optical device as defined in claim 43 wherein said dye is comprised of merocyanine.

Claim 54

An optical gain element for a distributed feedback laser comprising: a cavity structure having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity structure such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; and a dye in solution with said medium, said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes.

Claim 55

An optical gain element for a distributed feedback laser comprising: a cavity structure having first and second ends; a crystalline colloidal suspension having a lattice structure comprised of parallel planes of ordered, electrically charged spheres suspended in an optically active medium, adjacent ones of the planes having a substantially uniform spacing therebetween, said suspension being contained within said cavity structure such that said planes are substantially parallel to said ends; and a dye in solution with said medium, said dye being comprised of dye molecules selected to have a range of radiation absorption and emission wavelengths at least one of which is substantially equal to twice the spacing between said planes.

Claim 56

An optical gain element as defined in claim 45 wherein said medium comprises deionized H 2 O and wherein said dye is comprised of Rhodamine 640.

Claim 57

An optical gain element laser as defined in claim 46 wherein said Rhodamine 640 is in aqueous solution having a concentration of from 5×10 -5 to 5×10 -3 M.

Claim 58

An optical gain element as defined in claim 45 having a gain-length product of approximately 1.5 to approximately 2.0 and a coupling strength of approximately 2.0 to approximately 4.0.