Patents by Inventor Joshua D. Caldwell

Joshua D. Caldwell 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).

  • Publication number: 20230221242
    Abstract: Devices and methods for non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensing are disclosed. In one aspect, a non-dispersive infrared sensor is disclosed which, in one embodiment includes a nanophotonic infrared emitting metamaterial (NIREM) emitter configured to selectively emit radiation corresponding to a respective vibrational resonance frequency for each of a plurality of different analytes of interest. The broadband detector can be configured to detect photons associated with vibrational resonance of each of the plurality of analytes of interest in response to the emitted radiation from the NIREM emitter, in order to determine properties of one or more of the analytes of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Edward Sachet, Christopher Shelton, Thomas G. Folland
  • Patent number: 11409142
    Abstract: Metallic and dielectric domains in phase change materials (PCM) provide spatially localized changes in the local dielectric environment, enabling launching, reflection, and transmission of hyperbolic polaritons (HPs) at the PCM domain boundaries, and tuning the wavelength of HPs propagating in hyperbolic materials over these domains, providing a methodology for realizing planar, sub-diffractive refractive optics. This approach offers reconfigurable control of in-plane HP propagation to provide design optical functionality because the phase change material can be manipulated by changing the local structure, for example, to manipulate polaritons in the adjacent hyperbolic material, thus tuning the wave propagation properties of the polaritons in the hyperbolic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: Vanderbilt University, University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Thomas G. Folland, Richard F. Haglund, Yohannes Abate
  • Patent number: 10866190
    Abstract: A plasmonic grating sensor having periodic arrays of vertically aligned plasmonic nanopillars, nanowires, or both with an interparticle pitch ranging from ?/8-2?, where ? is the incident wavelength of light divided by the effective index of refraction of the sample; a coupled-plasmonic array sensor having vertically aligned periodic arrays of plasmonically coupled nanopillars, nanowires, or both with interparticle gaps sufficient to induce overlap between the plasmonic evanescent fields from neighboring nanoparticles, typically requiring edge-to-edge separations of less than 20 nm; and a plasmo-photonic array sensor having a double-resonant, periodic array of vertically aligned subarrays of 1 to 25 plasmonically coupled nanopillars, nanowires, or both where the subarrays are periodically spaced at a pitch on the order of a wavelength of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Orest J. Glembocki, Sharka M. Prokes, Ronald W. Rendell
  • Publication number: 20190278112
    Abstract: Metallic and dielectric domains in phase change materials (PCM) provide spatially localized changes in the local dielectric environment, enabling launching, reflection, and transmission of hyperbolic polaritons (HPs) at the PCM domain boundaries, and tuning the wavelength of HPs propagating in hyperbolic materials over these domains, providing a methodology for realizing planar, sub-diffractive refractive optics. This approach offers reconfigurable control of in-plane HP propagation to provide design optical functionality because the phase change material can be manipulated by changing the local structure, for example, to manipulate polaritons in the adjacent hyperbolic material, thus tuning the wave propagation properties of the polaritons in the hyperbolic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Thomas G. Folland, Richard F. Haglund, Yohannes Abate
  • Publication number: 20190162669
    Abstract: A plasmonic grating sensor having periodic arrays of vertically aligned plasmonic nanopillars, nanowires, or both with an interparticle pitch ranging from ?/8-2?, where ? is the incident wavelength of light divided by the effective index of refraction of the sample; a coupled-plasmonic array sensor having vertically aligned periodic arrays of plasmonically coupled nanopillars, nanowires, or both with interparticle gaps sufficient to induce overlap between the plasmonic evanescent fields from neighboring nanoparticles, typically requiring edge-to-edge separations of less than 20 nm; and a plasmo-photonic array sensor having a double-resonant, periodic array of vertically aligned subarrays of 1 to 25 plasmonically coupled nanopillars, nanowires, or both where the subarrays are periodically spaced at a pitch on the order of a wavelength of light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Orest J. Glembocki, Sharka M. Prokes, Ronald W. Rendell
  • Publication number: 20180203263
    Abstract: Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James Peter Long, Joshua D. Caldwell, Jeffrey C. Owrutsky, Orest J. Glembocki
  • Publication number: 20180203264
    Abstract: Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicant: The Goverment of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James Peter Long, Joshua D. Caldwell, Jeffrey C. Owrutsky, Orest J. Glembocki
  • Patent number: 9995858
    Abstract: IR emission devices comprising an array of polaritonic IR emitters arranged on a substrate, where the emitters are coupled to a heater configured to provide heat to one or more of the emitters. When the emitters are heated, they produce an infrared emission that can be polarized and whose spectral emission range, emission wavelength, and/or emission linewidth can be tuned by the polaritonic material used to form the elements of the array and/or by the size and/or shape of the emitters. The IR emission can be modulated by the induction of a strain into a ferroelectric, a change in the crystalline phase of a phase change material and/or by quickly applying and dissipating heat applied to the polaritonic nanostructure. The IR emission can be designed to be hidden in the thermal background so that it can be observed only under the appropriate filtering and/or demodulation conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Virginia D. Wheeler, Marc Currie, Igor Vurgaftman, Jon-paul Maria
  • Patent number: 9971071
    Abstract: IR emission devices comprising an array of polaritonic IR emitters arranged on a substrate, where the emitters are coupled to a heater configured to provide heat to one or more of the emitters. When the emitters are heated, they produce an infrared emission that can be polarized and whose spectral emission range, emission wavelength, and/or emission linewidth can be tuned by the polaritonic material used to form the elements of the array and/or by the size and/or shape of the emitters. The IR emission can be modulated by the induction of a strain into a ferroelectric, a change in the crystalline phase of a phase change material and/or by quickly applying and dissipating heat applied to the polaritonic nanostructure. The IR emission can be designed to be hidden in the thermal background so that it can be observed only under the appropriate filtering and/or demodulation conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Virginia D. Wheeler, Marc Currie, Igor Vurgaftman, Jon-paul Maria
  • Patent number: 9952454
    Abstract: Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James Peter Long, Joshua D. Caldwell, Jeffrey C. Owrutsky, Orest J. Glembocki
  • Publication number: 20180100955
    Abstract: IR emission devices comprising an array of polaritonic IR emitters arranged on a substrate, where the emitters are coupled to a heater configured to provide heat to one or more of the emitters. When the emitters are heated, they produce an infrared emission that can be polarized and whose spectral emission range, emission wavelength, and/or emission linewidth can be tuned by the polaritonic material used to form the elements of the array and/or by the size and/or shape of the emitters. The IR emission can be modulated by the induction of a strain into a ferroelectric, a change in the crystalline phase of a phase change material and/or by quickly applying and dissipating heat applied to the polaritonic nanostructure. The IR emission can be designed to be hidden in the thermal background so that it can be observed only under the appropriate filtering and/or demodulation conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Virginia D. Wheeler, Marc Currie, Igor Vurgaftman, Jon-Paul Maria
  • Publication number: 20180045861
    Abstract: IR emission devices comprising an array of polaritonic IR emitters arranged on a substrate, where the emitters are coupled to a heater configured to provide heat to one or more of the emitters. When the emitters are heated, they produce an infrared emission that can be polarized and whose spectral emission range, emission wavelength, and/or emission linewidth can be tuned by the polaritonic material used to form the elements of the array and/or by the size and/or shape of the emitters. The IR emission can be modulated by the induction of a strain into a ferroelectric, a change in the crystalline phase of a phase change material and/or by quickly applying and dissipating heat applied to the polaritonic nanostructure. The IR emission can be designed to be hidden in the thermal background so that it can be observed only under the appropriate filtering and/or demodulation conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Virginia D. Wheeler, Marc Currie, Igor Vurgaftman, Jon-paul Maria
  • Patent number: 9878516
    Abstract: A metamaterial thin film with plasmonic properties formed by depositing metallic films by atomic layer deposition onto a substrate to form a naturally occurring mosaic-like nanostructure having two-dimensional features with air gaps between the two-dimensional features. Due to the unique deposition nanostructure, plasmonic thin films of metal or highly conducting materials can be produced on any substrate, including fabrics and biological materials. In addition, these plasmonic materials can be used in conjunction with geometric patterns that may be used to create multiple resonance plasmonic metamaterials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Orest J. Glembocki, Sharka M Prokes, Joshua D. Caldwell, Mikko Ritala, Markku Leskela, Jaakko Niinisto, Eero Santala, Timo Hatanpaa, Maarit Kariemi
  • Patent number: 9870839
    Abstract: IR emission devices comprising an array of polaritonic IR emitters arranged on a substrate, where the emitters are coupled to a heater configured to provide heat to one or more of the emitters. When the emitters are heated, they produce an infrared emission that can be polarized and whose spectral emission range, emission wavelength, and/or emission linewidth can be tuned by the polaritonic material used to form the elements of the array and/or by the size and/or shape of the emitters. The IR emission can be modulated by the induction of a strain into a ferroelectric, a change in the crystalline phase of a phase change material and/or by quickly applying and dissipating heat applied to the polaritonic nanostructure. The IR emission can be designed to be hidden in the thermal background so that it can be observed only under the appropriate filtering and/or demodulation conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Virginia D. Wheeler, Marc Currie, Igor Vurgaftman, Jon-paul Maria
  • Publication number: 20170227797
    Abstract: Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James Peter Long, Joshua D. Caldwell, Jeffrey C. Owrutsky, Orest J. Glembocki
  • Publication number: 20170221596
    Abstract: IR emission devices comprising an array of polaritonic IR emitters arranged on a substrate, where the emitters are coupled to a heater configured to provide heat to one or more of the emitters. When the emitters are heated, they produce an infrared emission that can be polarized and whose spectral emission range, emission wavelength, and/or emission linewidth can be tuned by the polaritonic material used to form the elements of the array and/or by the size and/or shape of the emitters. The IR emission can be modulated by the induction of a strain into a ferroelectric, a change in the crystalline phase of a phase change material and/or by quickly applying and dissipating heat applied to the polaritonic nanostructure. The IR emission can be designed to be hidden in the thermal background so that it can be observed only under the appropriate filtering and/or demodulation conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Joshua D. Caldwell, Virginia D. Wheeler, Marc Currie, Igor Vurgaftman, Jon-paul Maria
  • Publication number: 20160103341
    Abstract: Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James Peter Long, Joshua D. Caldwell, Jeffrey C. Owrutsky, Orest J. Glembocki
  • Patent number: 9274352
    Abstract: Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James Peter Long, Joshua D. Caldwell, Jeffrey C. Owrutsky, Orest J. Glembocki
  • Patent number: 9244268
    Abstract: Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James Peter Long, Joshua D. Caldwell, Jeffrey C. Owrutsky, Orest J. Glembocki
  • Patent number: 9195052
    Abstract: Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James Peter Long, Joshua D. Caldwell, Jeffrey C. Owrutsky, Orest J. Glembocki