Patents by Inventor Pierre R. Villeneuve
Pierre R. Villeneuve has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6512242Abstract: An electronic transportor that allows for the resonant tunneling of electrons between guided states, such as those found in a quantum wire or a line defect in a solid, and localized states, such as those found in a quantum dot or a point defect in a solid, using lateral coupling. In some embodiments, the transporter allows electrons of different energies to be transported to different ports of associated waveguides. In other embodiments, the transportor allows electrons of different energies to be transported at different phases.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1999Date of Patent: January 28, 2003Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, John D. Joannopoulos
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Patent number: 6512866Abstract: A highly efficient channel drop filter. The filter employs a coupling element including a resonator-system between two waveguides, which contains at least two resonant modes. The resonator-system includes one or more interacting resonant cavities which in addition to being coupled to the waveguides, can also be coupled directly among themselves and indirectly among themselves via the waveguides. Each component of the coupling element can be configured or adjusted individually. The geometry and/or dielectric constant/refractive index of the resonator-system are configured so that the frequencies and decay rates of the resonant modes are made to be substantially the same. The filter can achieve 100% signal transfer between the waveguides at certain frequencies, while completely prohibiting signal transfer at other frequencies. In exemplary embodiments, the filter is configured with photonic crystals.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2000Date of Patent: January 28, 2003Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, John D. Joannopoulos, Brent E. Little, Hermann A. Haus
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Patent number: 6424763Abstract: A tunable electromagnetic field frequency filter having an input waveguide which carries a signal including at least one desired frequency, and an output waveguide. A resonator-system is coupled to the input and output waveguides and is operable for the selective transfer of the at least one desired frequency to the output waveguide. The resonator-system supports at least two system modes, and includes at least three reflectors with at least two different reflectivity spectra. At least one of the reflectivity spectra is tuned such that at least two of the system-modes have substantially the same frequency when the transfer occurs substantially.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2000Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Pierre R. Villeneuve, Shanhui Fan, Gale S. Petrich, Leslie A. Kolodziejski, John D. Joannopoulos
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Patent number: 6198860Abstract: An optical waveguide structure including a first waveguide, a second waveguide that intersects with the first waveguide, and a photonic crystal resonator system at the intersection of the first and second waveguides. In accordance with another embodiment there is provided an optical waveguide crossing structure including a first waveguide that propagates signals in a first direction, a second waveguide that intersects with the first waveguide and propagates signals in a second direction, and a photonic crystal crossing region at the intersection of the first and second waveguides that prevents crosstalk between the signals of the first and second waveguides.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1998Date of Patent: March 6, 2001Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Steven G. Johnson, Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, Christina Manolatou, Hermann A. Haus, John D. Joannopoulos
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Patent number: 6134043Abstract: A composite photonic crystal structure comprising a guide crystal configured in a lane having a dielectric periodicity in at least a first direction in the plane; and barrier crystals configured above and below the guide crystal to confine light within the guide crystal, the barrier crystals having a dielectric periodicity in at least a second direction not in the plane. In another embodiment, there is provided a composite photonic crystal structure comprising a guide crystal configured in a plane having a dielectric periodicity in at least one dimension; and a barrier crystal configured adjacent the guide crystal to confine light within the guide crystal, the barrier crystal having a dielectric periodicity in at least two dimensions.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1998Date of Patent: October 17, 2000Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Steven G. Johnson, Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, Leslie Kolodziejski, John D. Joannopoulos
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Patent number: 6130969Abstract: A highly efficient channel drop filter. The filter employs a coupling element including a resonator-system between two waveguides, which contains at least two resonant modes. The resonator-system includes one or more interacting resonant cavities which in addition to being coupled to the waveguides, can also be coupled directly among themselves and indirectly among themselves via the waveguides. Each component of the coupling element can be configured or adjusted individually. The geometry and/or dielectric constant/refractive index of the resonator-system are configured so that the frequencies and decay rates of the resonant modes are made to be substantially the same. The filter can achieve 100% signal transfer between the waveguides at certain frequencies, while completely prohibiting signal transfer at other frequencies. In exemplary embodiments, the filter is configured with photonic crystals.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1997Date of Patent: October 10, 2000Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Pierre R. Villeneuve, Shanhui Fan, John D. Joannopoulos, Hermann A. Haus
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Patent number: 6101300Abstract: A highly efficient channel drop filter. The filter employs a coupling element including a resonator-system between two waveguides, which contains at least two resonant modes. The resonator-system includes one or more interacting resonant cavities which in addition to being coupled to the waveguides, can also be coupled directly among themselves and indirectly among themselves via the waveguides. Each component of the coupling element can be configured or adjusted individually. The geometry and/or dielectric constant/refractive index of the resonator-system are configured so that the frequencies and decay rates of the resonant modes are made to be substantially the same. The filter can achieve 100% signal transfer between the waveguides at certain frequencies, while completely prohibiting signal transfer at other frequencies. In exemplary embodiments, the filter is configured with photonic crystals.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1998Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, John D. Joannopoulos, Brent E. Little, Hermann A. Haus
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Patent number: 6058127Abstract: A nonlinear dielectric material is incorporated within a photonic crystal as a means of changing the refractive index of a defect. In this way, the resonant frequency can be easily adjusted, after fabrication, by external mechanisms (either optical or electronic). The ability to tune the frequency of a resonant mode is useful for constructing photonic integrated devices, thus the invention enables the use of a photonic-crystal microcavity for such purposes. In one embodiment there is provided a photonic crystal having a periodic dielectric structure, and a defect positioned within the structure to define a microcavity. The defect includes a nonlinear material and being adapted to have an induced variation in index of refraction so as to tune the resonant mode of the microcavity.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1997Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: John D. Joannopoulos, Pierre R. Villeneuve, Shanhui Fan, Daniel S. Abrams
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Patent number: 5990850Abstract: A metallodielectric photonic crystal including a plurality of elements, each having a non-dielectric component, arranged with respect to each other in a three-dimensionally periodic lattice. The non-dielectric components being spatially isolated from one another, the lattice exhibiting a band gap in the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation modes propagating through said lattice. A support structure positions the elements in the three-dimensionally periodic lattice. In an exemplary embodiment, the elements are metallic spheres arranged within dielectric material. The three-dimensionally periodic lattice can include a face-centered-cubic lattice which exhibits a unidirectional photonic band gap, or a diamond lattice which exhibits an omnidirectional photonic band gap. The diamond lattice structure includes a gap width to midgap frequency ratio which can exceed 60%.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 1996Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Elliott R. Brown, John D. Joannopoulos, Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, Oliver B. McMahon
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Patent number: 5955749Abstract: A light emitting device comprising a substrate and a dielectric structure having at least a two-dimensionally periodic variation of dielectric constant which exhibits a spectrum of electromagnetic modes including guided modes of frequencies below a predetermined frequency cutoff and radiation modes of frequencies above and below said predetermined frequency cutoff, the two-dimensionally periodic variation of dielectric constant of the dielectric structure introducing a band gap between the guided modes. A radiation source, such as a quantum well, is associated with said structure, and generates electromagnetic radiation which couples to the radiation modes resulting in radiation extraction from the structure. The band gap allows the radiation to couple to radiation modes rather than to guided modes resulting in radiation extraction from the structure. The structure can be fabricated such that a radiation reflector is disposed between the structure and the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1996Date of Patent: September 21, 1999Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Trustees of Boston UniversityInventors: John D. Joannopoulos, Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, E. Frederick Schubert
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Patent number: 5682401Abstract: The present invention provides a resonant microcavity which includes a periodic dielectric waveguide, and a local defect in the periodic dielectric waveguide which accommodates spacial confinement of radiation generated within the waveguide around the defect. In an alternative embodiment, the present invention provides a method of enhancing radiation confinement within a resonant microcavity and minimizing radiation losses into an associated substrate, the microcavity configured within a periodic dielectric waveguide as a local defect which exhibits spacial radiation confinement, the method including the step of increasing the refractive index contrast between the microcavity and the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 1996Date of Patent: October 28, 1997Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: John D. Joannopoulos, Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, Robert D. Meade
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Patent number: 5600483Abstract: A periodic dielectric structure and method of fabricating same, the structure having a three-dimensional photonic bandgap. The structure includes a plurality of layers, at least one layer having a stratum of a first material having a first dielectric constant and a plurality of parallel regions along a first axis lying in the plane of the layer, the regions including a second material having a second dielectric constant; and a plurality of parallel channels formed through the plurality of layers in a second axis orthogonal to the plane of the layers, the channels being adapted to comprise a third material having a third dielectric constant, thereby resulting in the structure having three-dimensional periodicity. In preferred embodiments, the second and third materials include air.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 1995Date of Patent: February 4, 1997Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, John D. Joannopoulos, Robert D. Meade
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Patent number: 5440421Abstract: A periodic dielectric structure and method of fabricating same, the structure having a three-dimensional photonic bandgap. The structure includes a plurality of layers, each layer having a stratum of a first material having a first dielectric constant and a plurality of parallel grooves along a first axis lying in the plane of the layer, the grooves including a second material having a second dielectric constant; and a plurality of parallel channels formed through the plurality of layers in a second axis orthogonal to the plane of the layers, the channels being adapted to comprise a third material having a third dielectric constant, thereby resulting in the structure having three-dimensional periodicity. In preferred embodiments, the second and third materials include air.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1994Date of Patent: August 8, 1995Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, Robert D. Meade, John D. Joannopoulos