US 11,703,699 B2
Optomechanical modulator
Simone Zanotto, Pisa (IT); and Alessandro Pitanti, Pisa (IT)
Assigned to CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE, Rome (IT)
Filed by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome (IT)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/37,933.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/909,663, filed on Oct. 2, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0103163 A1, Apr. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. G02F 1/01 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/0128 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optomechanical modulator for modulating the Jones vector of polarized electromagnetic radiation, including light, comprising:
a series of at least three essentially parallel, aligned and chiral or anisotropic metasurfaces, each chiral or anisotropic metasurface having a respective chiral or anisotropic patterned portion;
a series of spacer distances respectively defined between adjacent ones of the chiral or anisotropic metasurfaces; and
at least one actuator structured for controllably applying force to individual ones of the chiral or anisotropic metasurfaces, controllably effecting movement of such individual chiral or anisotropic metasurfaces and change of respective ones of the spacer distances adjacent each moved chiral or anisotropic metasurface,
whereby the Jones vector, for reflected and transmitted components of the light, is controllably modulated by chirality or anisotropy of the patterned portions combined with each change of spacer distance.