US5689603A
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Optically interactive nanostructure
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1993-07-07
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Granted: 1997-11-18
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Expires: 2013-07-07
Abstract
Abstract Optically interactive nanostructural element. The element includes a semiconductor substrate including at least one radiation guide region extending into the substrate. The geometry of the substrate material surrounding the radiation guide region is selected so that it acts as a quantum confinement region for electrons in the substrate material and the radiation guide region acts as a classical waveguide for radiation so that the element absorbs or emits light of a wavelength corresponding to the selected geometry. In a preferred embodiment, the optically interactive nanostructural element includes an array of the radiation guide regions spatially disposed over a surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald C. Huth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:52
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/81; H10H20/822; H10H20/826; H10H20/8264; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/121; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/14; H10F77/40; H10F77/413; H10H20/01; H10H20/011; H10H20/014; H10H20/0145; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/547; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
Optically interactive nanostructural element comprising: a semiconductor substrate including at least one radiation guide region extending into the substrate, the geometry of the substrate material surrounding the radiation guide region being selected such that it acts as a quantum confinement region for electrons in the substrate material and the radiation guide region acts as a classical waveguide for radiation, whereby the element absorbs or emits light of a wavelength corresponding to the selected geometry.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
Optically interactive nanostructural element comprising: a semiconductor substrate including at least one radiation guide region extending into the substrate, the geometry of the substrate material surrounding the radiation guide region being selected such that it acts as a quantum confinement region for electrons in the substrate material and the radiation guide region acts as a classical waveguide for radiation, whereby the element absorbs or emits light of a wavelength corresponding to the selected geometry.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
107 words
The optically interactive nanostructural element of claim 1 wherein the depth L and the lateral width d of the radiation guide region which determine the aspect ratio of an optical lightguide region is determined by log.sub.10 (2L/πr)=(-0.46×V+0.3)×d/r+0.85 V-1.4+log δ where r is the radius of the quantum electron confining receptor encompassing the optical lightguide region, δ=1-(n 1 /n 2 ) 2 where n 1 is the refractive index of the substrate material and n 2 is the refractive index of the optical lightguide region, the quantity d-2r is the center-to-center distance between two adjacent quantum confined electron receptors, and V=2πr δ/λ where λ is the light wavelength.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The optically interactive nanostructural element of claim 1 wherein the substrate material is silicon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The optically interactive nanostructural element of claim 1 wherein the at least one radiation guide region is filled with a material having an index of refraction differing from the index of refraction of the substrate material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The optically interactive nanostructural element of claim 1 wherein geometric shaping of either the vertical dimensions of the electron quantum confinement receptors or their shape are used to effect broad banding of the optical absorption or emission.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The optically interactive nanostructural element of claim 1 wherein the structure further includes a junction semiconductor device to introduce electrons into the nanostructural element and cause light to be emitted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The optically interactive nanostructural element of claim 1 wherein the structure further includes a junction semiconductor device where the nanostructural element is used to effect absorption of a specific optical spectrum to greater electrons.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
Then nanostructural element of claim 1 wherein the radiation guide region has a circular cross-section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The nanostructural element of claim 1 wherein the radiation guide region has a square cross-sectional configuration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The nanostructural element of claim 1 wherein the radiation guide region varies in diameter along its depth to achieve geometrical optical broad banding.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
90 words
Optically interactive nanostructural element comprising: a semiconductor substrate including an array of radiation guide regions extending into the substrate, the geometry of the substrate material surrounding the radiation guide regions being selected such that it acts as a quantum confinement region for electrons in the substrate material and the radiation guide regions act as classical wave guide for radiation, the array including adjacent large and small effective area nanostructures wherein the ratio of the largest to the smallest size nanostructure elements determines the overall optical bandwith of the array surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
90 words
Optically interactive nanostructural element comprising: a semiconductor substrate including an array of radiation guide regions extending into the substrate, the geometry of the substrate material surrounding the radiation guide regions being selected such that it acts as a quantum confinement region for electrons in the substrate material and the radiation guide regions act as classical wave guide for radiation, the array including adjacent large and small effective area nanostructures wherein the ratio of the largest to the smallest size nanostructure elements determines the overall optical bandwith of the array surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The nanostructural element of claim 11 wherein the size ratio is approximately 1:1.75.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The nanostructural element of claim 11 wherein eight smaller areas are grouped around a larger area nanostructural element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The nanostructural element of claim 11 wherein the size of the nanostructural elements varies across a surface whereby an optical nanodiffractometry function is achieved.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The nanostructural element of claim 11 wherein the array comprises a plurality of adjacent structures, each structure including a larger central portion surrounded by a plurality of smaller elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method for making an optically interactive nanostructural element responsive to a preselected wavelength of light comprising: anodically etching a substrate material while illuminating the substrate material with the preselected wavelength of light.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method for making an optically interactive nanostructural element responsive to a preselected wavelength of light comprising: anodically etching a substrate material while illuminating the substrate material with the preselected wavelength of light.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 16 wherein the substrate material includes dopants to provide nucleation sites.
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