OPTICAL DEVICES AND METHODS EMPLOYING NANOPARTICLES, MICROCAVITIES, AND SEMICONTINUOUS METAL FILMS

• Main Author: Z. CHARLES YING
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: 15.10.2004
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: COLORIMETRY; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT THEREOF; MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT,POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRA-RED,VISIBLE OR ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT; MEASURING; NANOSTRUCTURES FORMED BY MANIPULATION OF INDIVIDUAL ATOMS,MOLECULES, OR LIMITED COLLECTIONS OF ATOMS OR MOLECULES ASDISCRETE UNITS; NANOTECHNOLOGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; RADIATION PYROMETRY; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

An optical sensing enhancing material (and corresponding method of making) comprising: a medium, the medium comprising a plurality of aggregated nanoparticles (32) comprising fractals; and a microcavity (44), wherein the medium is located in a vicinity of the microcavity. Also an optical sensor and sensing method comprising: providing a doped medium, the medium comprising a plurality of aggregated nanoparticles comprising fractals, with the material; locating the doped medium in the vicinity of a microcavity; exciting the doped medium with a light source; and detecting light reflected from the doped medium. Also an optical sensing enhancing material comprising a medium, the medium comprising a semicontinuous metal film of randomly distributed metal particles and their clusters at approximately their percolation threshold. The medium preferably additionally comprises a microcavity/microresonator. Also devices and methods employing such material. Un material que mejora el funcionamiento de un sensor optico (y su metodo de produccion correspondiente) que comprende: un medio, el medio consiste de fractales que comprenden una pluralidad de nanoparticulas agregadas (32); y una microcavidad (44), en donde esta localizado el medio cerca de la microcavidad. Tambien un sensor optico y un metodo de aplicacion del sensor que comprende: proporcionar en el material un medio contaminado, el medio consiste de fractales formados por una pluralidad de nanoparticulas agregadas; colocar el medio contaminado cerca de una microcavidad; excitar el medio contaminado con una fuente luminosa; y detectar la luz reflejada desde el medio contaminado. Tambien un material mejorador del funcionamiento del sensor que consiste de un medio, el medio consiste de una pelicula metalica semicontinua de particulas metalicas distribuidas aleatoriamente y sus aglomerados en su umbral de filtrado. El medio preferentemente comprende adicionalmente una microcavidad/un microresonador. Tambien se describen dispositivos y metodos que emplean ese material.