Patents by Inventor Douglas C. Trotter

Douglas C. Trotter 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).

  • Wavelength-tunable optical ring resonators
    Patent number: 7983517
    Abstract: Optical ring resonator devices are disclosed that can be used for optical filtering, modulation or switching, or for use as photodetectors or sensors. These devices can be formed as microdisk ring resonators, or as open-ring resonators with an optical waveguide having a width that varies adiabatically. Electrical and mechanical connections to the open-ring resonators are made near a maximum width of the optical waveguide to minimize losses and thereby provide a high resonator Q. The ring resonators can be tuned using an integral electrical heater, or an integral semiconductor junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Watts, Douglas C. Trotter, Ralph W. Young, Gregory N. Nielson
  • Wavelength-tunable optical ring resonators
    Patent number: 7616850
    Abstract: Optical ring resonator devices are disclosed that can be used for optical filtering, modulation or switching, or for use as photodetectors or sensors. These devices can be formed as microdisk ring resonators, or as open-ring resonators with an optical waveguide having a width that varies adiabatically. Electrical and mechanical connections to the open-ring resonators are made near a maximum width of the optical waveguide to minimize losses and thereby provide a high resonator Q. The ring resonators can be tuned using an integral electrical heater, or an integral semiconductor junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Watts, Douglas C. Trotter, Ralph W. Young, Gregory N. Nielson