Plasmon absorption modulator systems and methods
| DWPI Title: Plasmon absorption modulator system for use in optoelectronic device, has variable absorption layer including set of quantum well layers stacked on top surface of semiconductor substrate |
| Abstract: Plasmon absorption modulator systems and methods are disclosed. A plasmon absorption modulator system includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of quantum well layers stacked on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a metal layer formed on a top surface of the stack of quantum well layers. A method for modulating plasmonic current includes enabling propagation of the plasmonic current along a metal layer, and applying a voltage across the stack of quantum well layers to cause absorption of a portion of energy of the plasmonic current by the stack of quantum well layers. A metamaterial switching system includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of quantum well layers stacked on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, and at least one metamaterial structure formed on a top surface of the stack of quantum well layers. |
| Use: Plasmon absorption modulator system for use in an optoelectronic device. |
| Advantage: The system allows an amount of energy absorbed by the quantum well layers to depend on bias applied by a voltage source with respect to a modulator system, where the switching system is used to tune the resonant frequency, transmission, reflection, amplitude, and phase response of the metamaterial structure by changing the amount of energy absorbed by quantum well layer, thus providing effective modulation of the plasmonic current to achieve full potential, and hence improving plasmon modulation of the system. |
| Novelty: The system has a metal layer including length parallel to a top surface of a semiconductor substrate (120). A connecting structure (165) receives electromagnetic radiation. A variable absorption layer includes a set of quantum well layers (140) stacked on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate, where a metal layer is formed on a top surface of the stack of quantum well layers. The variable absorption layer attenuates plasmons of frequencies propagating along the metal layer by an amount that depends on voltage applied across the stack of quantum well layers. |
| Filed: 2/2/2012 |
| Application Number: US13364832A |
| Tech ID: SD 11883.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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