Abstract: Provided are new classes of reconfigurable, multistable metasurfaces using the physics of colloids confined within nematic liquid crystals (NLCs). The colloids are physically moved from one stable location to another as defined by NLC-colloid interactions by external switching fields. These colloids can be scatterers within reconfigurable metasurfaces with electromagnetic (EM) responses that change with colloid location. because the colloids are moved between stable loci, these metasurfaces are also multistable, and require energy input only when changing colloid position. Furthermore, because the colloids can be returned to their original positions by simply reversing the switching field, all changes in EM responses are entirely reversible.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for processing information are disclosed. An example device may comprise a metastructure comprising a plurality of physical features configured to transform an analog signal according to a kernel of an integral equation. The device may comprise one or more waveguides coupled to the metastructure and configured to recursively supply a transformed analog output signal of the metastructure to an input of the metastructure to iteratively cause one or more transformed analog signals output from the metastructure to converge to an analog signal representing a solution to the integral equation.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for processing information are disclosed. An example device may comprise a metastructure comprising a plurality of physical features configured to transform an analog signal according to a kernel of an integral equation. The device may comprise one or more waveguides coupled to the metastructure and configured to recursively supply a transformed analog output signal of the metastructure to an input of the metastructure to iteratively cause one or more transformed analog signals output from the metastructure to converge to an analog signal representing a solution to the integral equation.

Abstract: Graphene may support electromagnetic radiation and be able to support a variety of optical devices. In general, graphene may exhibit changeability in properties such as the conductivity and the like of graphene. Graphene may comprise carbon and be of a thickness of a single atomic layer. In another embodiment, Graphene may be thicker than a single atomic layer, but may be able to exhibit changeability in the properties noted above. Disclosed herein is the guiding and manipulating of optical signals on layers of graphene to create waveguides, ribbon waveguides, beamsplitters, lenses, attenuators, mirrors, scatterers, Fourier optics, Luneburg lenses, metamaterials and other optical devices.

Abstract: A grating structure and a solar cell assembly. In one aspect, the grating structure suppresses the zero order transmission to near 0%. In another aspect, the solar cell assembly has improved absorption due to coupling with a grating structure.

Abstract: Optical devices using double-groove diffraction gratings having periodic sets of TiO2 elements on one or more surfaces of an SiO2 substrate are disclosed. First order components of incident polarized light coupled into the substrate are reflected so as to propagate through the substrate to terminus points where they either change direction for further propagation or exit the substrate. A windshield display system using the principles of the invention is disclosed.

Abstract: A double-sided grating divider acts as a light switch where the upper and lower grating dividers are arranged to accommodate a relative lateral shift therebetween of about one-fourth of the period of the diffraction grating elements and where the critical refraction angles of the grating dividers are more than about 43.6°. Lateral shift may be achieved by various devices including MEMS and metal couplers having a known/calibrated thermal coefficient of expansion over a temperature range of interest.

Abstract: Circuits and circuit elements adapted to function at optical or infrared frequencies are made from plasmonic and/or nonplasmonic particles disposed on a substrate, where the plasmonic and nonplasmonic particles have respective dimensions substantially smaller than a wavelength of an applied optical or infrared signal. Such particles are deposited on a substrate in a variety of shapes and sizes from a variety of plasmonic and/or nonplasmonic materials so as to form resistors, capacitors, inductors and circuits made from combinations of these elements.

Abstract: A light switch (or valve) made up of two mutually inverted, substantially identical diffraction gratings with a liquid medium therebetween, arranged to allow the grating substrates to be shifted laterally relative to one another so as to align and mis-align the grating elements. When aligned, incident-polarized light passes through the switch and when misaligned, light does not pass through the switch but is reflected.

Abstract: A grating structure and a solar cell assembly. In one aspect, the grating structure suppresses the zero order transmission to near 0%. In another aspect, the solar cell assembly has improved absorption due to coupling with a grating structure.

Abstract: A grating structure and a solar cell assembly. In one aspect, the grating structure suppresses the zero order transmission to near 0%. In another aspect, the solar cell assembly has improved absorption due to coupling with a grating structure.

Abstract: Optical devices using double-groove diffraction gratings having periodic sets of TiO2 elements on one or more surfaces of an SiO2 substrate are disclosed. First order components of incident polarized light coupled into the substrate are reflected so as to propagate through the substrate to terminus points where they either change direction for further propagation or exit the substrate. A windshield display system using the principles of the invention is disclosed.

Abstract: Graphene may support electromagnetic radiation and be able to support a variety of optical devices. In general, graphene may exhibit changeability in properties such as the conductivity and the like of graphene. Graphene may comprise carbon and be of a thickness of a single atomic layer. In another embodiment, Graphene may be thicker than a single atomic layer, but may be able to exhibit changeability in the properties noted above. Disclosed herein is the guiding and manipulating of optical signals on layers of graphene to create waveguides, ribbon waveguides, beamsplitters, lenses, attenuators, mirrors, scatterers, Fourier optics, Luneburg lenses, metamaterials and other optical devices.

Abstract: Optical devices using double-groove diffraction gratings having periodic sets of TiO2 elements on one or more surfaces of an SiO2 substrate are disclosed. First order components of incident polarized light coupled into the substrate are reflected so as to propagate through the substrate to terminus points where they either change direction for further propagation or exit the substrate. A windshield display system using the principles of the invention is disclosed.

Abstract: An acousto-optic laser beam scanner of improved scanning angle scope is provided by introducing a controllable compound acoustic waveform into a light transmissive body wherein at least binary and binary diffraction grating patterns of both positive and negative sense can be introduced into the body, the period of the waveform determining the refraction angle magnitude and the order of the pulses determining the refraction angle direction.

Abstract: Shadow is an inseparable aspect of all natural scenes. When there are multiple light sources or multiple reflections several different shadows may overlap at the same location and create complicated patterns. Shadows are a potentially good source of information about a scene if the shadow regions can be properly identified and segmented. However, shadow region identification and segmentation is a difficult task and improperly identified shadows often interfere with machine vision tasks like object recognition and tracking. A shadow separation and contrast enhancement method based on the polarization of light is provided. Polarization information of scenes is captured by a polarization-sensitive camera and the scenes are processed to effectively separate shadows from different light sources.

Abstract: A photonic crystal structure that is composed of a host media having periodic dielectric holes disposed in the media at a period of ah. Each dielectric hole has a radius rh. The host media has an absolute refractive index expressed as |nh| that is less than 0.2. The photonic crystal structure has at least one reflection minimization layer disposed at an air/photonic crystal interface. The reflection minimization layer has periodic dielectric holes disposed therein at a period am with each dielectric hole having a radius rm such that ah=am and rm>rn and a beam steerable device including the photonic crystal structure. The device having a scanning rate of larger than 1 KHz and a scanning angle up to ±25 degrees.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the use of dielectrophoretic forces for the arbitrary manipulation of micrometer- and nanometer-sized particles and to devices capable of arbitrarily manipulating micrometer- and nanometer-sized particles by means of dielectrophoretic forces within a two- or three-dimensional region. The devices and methods of the invention are capable of arbitrarily controlling the velocities, locations, and forces applied to a particle, arbitrarily specifying a force or set of forces at a location in space, and determining friction and/or drag coefficients of a particle, and are thus well-suited for a range of applications including cell sorting, drug delivery, as a diagnostic tool for determining membrane stiffness, and in the heterogeneous integration of micro- and nano-components through directed assembly.

Abstract: A lumped nanocircuit element design at IR and optical frequencies is provided that can effectively act as a lumped “diode” and a lumped “rectifier” for rectifying optical field displacement currents or optical electric field. The lumped nanocircuit element design can also act as a lumped second harmonic generator. The element is formed by juxtaposing an epsilon-negative nanoparticle with a nonlinear optical nanostructure.

Abstract: An acousto-optic laser beam scanner of improved scanning angle scope is provided by introducing a controllable compound acoustic waveform into a light transmissive body wherein at least binary and binary diffraction grating patterns of both positive and negative sense can be introduced into the body, the period of the waveform determining the refraction angle magnitude and the order of the pulses determining the refraction angle direction.