Abstract: An optical modulator and related methods are described. In accordance with one embodiment, the optical modulator comprises a waveguide for guiding an optical signal, and further comprises a ring resonator disposed in evanescent communication with the waveguide for at least one predetermined wavelength of the optical signal. The optical modulator further comprises a semiconductor pnpn junction structure that is at least partially coextensive with at least a portion of a resonant light path of the ring resonator. The optical modulator is configured such that the semiconductor pnpn junction structure receives an electrical control signal thereacross. The electrical control signal controls a free carrier population in the resonant light path where coextensive with the pnpn junction structure. A resonance condition of the ring resonator at the predetermined wavelength is thereby controlled by the electrical control signal, and the optical signal is thereby modulated according to the electrical control signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for modulating an electromagnetic radiation beam are described. A composite material is positioned in the path of the radiation beam, the composite material comprising a plurality of commonly oriented metallic first lines spaced apart by less than a wavelength of the radiation beam and a plurality of commonly oriented metallic second lines also spaced apart by less than that wavelength. The second lines are positioned in a crossing arrangement with the first lines, a crosspoint location being defined where each first line crosses each second line. An electrically programmable impedance memory element is positioned at each crosspoint location and is electrically coupled between the first and second lines corresponding to that crosspoint location, each impedance memory element having an electrically programmed state. The composite material modulates the radiation beam according to the electrically programmed states of the impedance memory elements.

Abstract: A composite material for providing at least one of a negative effective permeability and a negative effective permittivity for incident radiation of at least one wavelength is described. The composite material comprises a plurality of three-dimensional resonant cells disposed across a first substrate. Each three-dimensional resonant cell comprises a base substantially parallel to the substrate and at least three sidewalls upwardly extending therefrom. Each upwardly extending sidewall comprises a sidewall substrate having at least one conductor patterned thereon. Each upwardly extending sidewall is fabricated by forming the sidewall substrate as a substantially horizontal layer above the first substrate, lithographically patterning the sidewall substrate with the at least one conductor while horizontally disposed above the first substrate, and tilting up the sidewall substrate to the upwardly extending position.

Abstract: An apparatus and related methods are described, the apparatus comprising a composite material layer configured to exhibit at least one of a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for radiation of at least one wavelength propagating therethrough. The apparatus further comprises a layer of gain material proximal to the composite material layer, the layer of gain material providing amplification for the propagating radiation. The layer of gain material is disposed within a laser cavity and pumped to a lasing condition for the laser cavity, the layer of gain material thereby providing gain-clamped amplification for the propagating radiation.

Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for facilitating surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is described. The apparatus comprises a SERS-active structure near which a plurality of analyte molecules are disposed and an actuation device in actuable communication with the SERS-active structure to deform the SERS-active structure while the analyte molecules are disposed therenear. The deformation of the SERS-active structure varies an intensity of radiation Raman-scattered from the analyte molecules.

Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for modulating an electromagnetic radiation beam are described. A composite material is positioned in the path of the radiation beam, the composite material comprising a plurality of commonly oriented metallic first lines spaced apart by less than a wavelength of the radiation beam and a plurality of commonly oriented metallic second lines also spaced apart by less than that wavelength. The second lines are positioned in a crossing arrangement with the first lines, a crosspoint location being defined where each first line crosses each second line. An electrically programmable impedance memory element is positioned at each crosspoint location and is electrically coupled between the first and second lines corresponding to that crosspoint location, each impedance memory element having an electrically programmed state. The composite material modulates the radiation beam according to the electrically programmed states of the impedance memory elements.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to photonic switches and switch fabrics employing the photonic switches. In one embodiment of the present invention, a photonic switch comprises a first waveguide disposed on a surface of a substrate in proximity to an opening in the substrate, and a second waveguide crossing the first waveguide and positioned in proximity to the opening in the substrate. The photonic switch includes a tunable microring resonator disposed on the surface of the substrate adjacent to the first waveguide and the second waveguide and configured with an opening aligned with the opening in the substrate. The photonic switch also includes a wire having a first end and a second end and configured to pass through the opening in the microring and the opening in the substrate.

Abstract: A composite material comprising a dielectric material and a plurality of non-overlapping local resonant cell groups disposed across the dielectric material is described. Each local resonant cell group comprises a plurality of resonant cells that are small relative to a first wavelength of electromagnetic radiation that is incident upon the composite material. Each local resonant cell group has a spatial extent that is not larger than an order of the first wavelength. For each of the local resonant cell groups, the resonant cells therein are chirped with respect to at least one geometric feature thereof such that a plurality of different subsets of the resonant cells resonate for a respective plurality of wavelengths in a spectral neighborhood of the first wavelength. The composite material exhibits at least one of a negative effective permeability and a negative effective permittivity for each of the plurality of wavelengths in that spectral neighborhood.

Abstract: A composite material exhibiting at least one of a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for incident radiation at an operating wavelength is described. The composite material comprises a dielectric layer generally parallel to a dielectric layer plane, and further comprises a first plurality of nanowire pairs disposed in the dielectric layer. Each of the first plurality of nanowire pairs comprises substantially parallel conductive nanowires of short length and separation relative to the operating wavelength. Each of the first plurality of nanowire pairs is substantially coplanar with a first plane substantially parallel to the dielectric layer plane.

Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for controlling propagation of incident radiation are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a composite material operable to exhibit at least one of a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for incident radiation at an operating frequency. The composite material comprises electromagnetically reactive cells of small dimension relative to a wavelength of the incident radiation. Each of the electromagnetically reactive cells comprises first and second electromagnetically reactive segments microelectromechanically movable relative to each other according to an applied control signal such that at least one of a capacitive and inductive property of the electromagnetically reactive cells is temporally controllable according to the applied control signal.

Abstract: Dispersion compensation for an optical signal having a first frequency range is described. The optical signal is applied to a dispersion compensating material having a negatively refracting behavior within the first frequency range. The dispersion compensating material is tuned by application of a control signal that varies at least one characteristic of the dispersion compensating material associated with the negatively refracting behavior.

Abstract: An apparatus and related methods are described, the apparatus comprising a composite material layer configured to exhibit at least one of a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for radiation of at least one wavelength propagating therethrough. The apparatus further comprises a layer of gain material proximal to the composite material layer, the layer of gain material providing amplification for the propagating radiation. The layer of gain material is disposed within a laser cavity and pumped to a lasing condition for the laser cavity, the layer of gain material thereby providing gain-clamped amplification for the propagating radiation.

Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for controlling propagation of incident radiation are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a composite material operable to exhibit at least one of a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for incident radiation at an operating frequency. The composite material comprises electromagnetically reactive cells of small dimension relative to a wavelength of the incident radiation. Each of the electromagnetically reactive cells comprises first and second electromagnetically reactive segments microelectromechanically movable relative to each other according to an applied control signal such that at least one of a capacitive and inductive property of the electromagnetically reactive cells is temporally controllable according to the applied control signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for spectroscopic analysis of analyte molecules is described. The analyte molecules are disposed near a metallic film that is positioned between a first medium on a first side and a second medium on a second side, the second medium being of higher refractive index than the first medium. A radiation source provides excitation radiation that propagates through the second medium toward the metallic film. The second medium and the metallic film are positioned in evanescent communication with respect to the excitation radiation, and the metallic film comprises lithographically patterned features designed to intensify surface plasmon resonance along the metallic film to promote the emission of Raman radiation from the analyte molecules. A radiation detector detects the Raman radiation emitted from the analyte molecules.

Abstract: An apparatus and related methods for spectroscopic analysis of analyte molecules is described. The analyte molecules are disposed near a metallic film that is positioned between a first medium on a first side and a second medium on a second side, the second medium being of higher refractive index than the first medium. A radiation source provides excitation radiation that propagates through the second medium toward the metallic film. The second medium and the metallic film are positioned in evanescent communication with respect to the excitation radiation, and the metallic film comprises lithographically patterned features designed to intensify surface plasmon resonance along the metallic film to promote the emission of Raman radiation from the analyte molecules. A radiation detector detects the Raman radiation emitted from the analyte molecules.

Abstract: An assembly for monitoring an environment includes a RFID tag and at least one sensor assembly. The sensor assembly is configured to sense information regarding the environment around the assembly and convert a sensed event into power to at least partially power operation of the RFID tag.

Abstract: A composite material exhibiting at least one of a negative effective permittivity and a negative effective permeability for incident radiation at an operating wavelength is described. The composite material comprises a dielectric layer generally parallel to a dielectric layer plane, and further comprises a first plurality of nanowire pairs disposed in the dielectric layer. Each of the first plurality of nanowire pairs comprises substantially parallel conductive nanowires of short length and separation relative to the operating wavelength. Each of the first plurality of nanowire pairs is substantially coplanar with a first plane substantially parallel to the dielectric layer plane.

Abstract: A composite material for providing at least one of a negative effective permeability and a negative effective permittivity for incident radiation of at least one wavelength is described. The composite material comprises a plurality of three-dimensional resonant cells disposed across a first substrate. Each three-dimensional resonant cell comprises a base substantially parallel to the substrate and at least three sidewalls upwardly extending therefrom. Each upwardly extending sidewall comprising a sidewall substrate having at least one conductor patterned thereon. Each upwardly extending sidewall is fabricated by forming the sidewall substrate as a substantially horizontal layer above the first substrate, lithographically patterning the sidewall substrate with the at least one conductor while horizontally disposed above the first substrate, and tilting up the sidewall substrate to the upwardly extending position.

Abstract: Dispersion compensation for an optical signal having a first frequency range is described. The optical signal is applied to a dispersion compensating material having a negatively refracting behavior within the first frequency range. The dispersion compensating material is tuned by application of a control signal that varies at least one characteristic of the dispersion compensating material associated with the negatively refracting behavior.

Abstract: A composite material comprising a dielectric material and a plurality of non-overlapping local resonant cell groups disposed across the dielectric material is described. Each local resonant cell group comprises a plurality of resonant cells that are small relative to a first wavelength of electromagnetic radiation that is incident upon the composite material. Each local resonant cell group has a spatial extent that is not larger than an order of the first wavelength. For each of the local resonant cell groups, the resonant cells therein are chirped with respect to at least one geometric feature thereof such that a plurality of different subsets of the resonant cells resonate for a respective plurality of wavelengths in a spectral neighborhood of the first wavelength. The composite material exhibits at least one of a negative effective permeability and a negative effective permittivity for each of the plurality of wavelengths in that spectral neighborhood.