IP Library Granted Patent US 11,892,668
Granted Patent B2
US 11,892,668 · App. 17/473,255 · Granted Feb 6, 2024

Deformable photonic materials and related methods

Inventors: Mathias Kolle (Hull, MA); Benjamin Miller (Cambridge, MA)
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
G02B5/287G02B1/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,892,668
App. No.
17/473,255
Granted
Feb 6, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure describes photonic materials that reversibly change color in response to the material being stretched or otherwise mechanically deformed.

Claims (34)

1. A photonic material, comprising:

a photopolymer layer comprising a photo-responsive elastomer; and

a reflection layer having textured surface configured to tune the optical properties of the photopolymer layer,

wherein the photopolymer layer is deformable.

2. The photonic material as in claim 1 , wherein the photopolymer layer further comprises refractive index variations comprising a plurality of nanoscale refractive index variations.

3. The photonic material as in claim 2 , wherein the nanoscale refractive index variations are patterned.

4. The photonic material as in claim 2 , wherein the nanoscale refractive index variations comprise an array of nanoscale refractive index variations.

5. The photonic material as in claim 1 , further comprising a backing layer, wherein the backing layer comprises silicone.

6. The photonic material as in claim 1 , further comprising a backing layer wherein the backing layer comprises an elastomer.

7. The photonic material as in claim 1 , further comprising a backing layer, wherein the backing layer comprises silicone, polyurethane, natural polyisoprene, and/or synthetic polyisoprene.

8. The photonic material as in claim 1 , wherein the photonic material is capable of generating a color pattern or image in the photonic material.

9. The photonic material as in claim 1 , wherein the photonic material exhibits specular reflectance and/or diffuse reflectance.

10. The photonic material as in claim 1 , wherein spatially incoherent light is used to generate a standing wave pattern in the photopolymer layer.

11. The photonic material as in claim 1 , wherein the photonic material has an elastic modulus of less than or equal to 100 MPa and/or less than or equal to 100 kPa.

12. The photonic material as in claim 1 , wherein the photopolymer layer has an elastic modulus of less than or equal to 100 MPa and/or greater than or equal to 10 kPa.

13. The photonic material as in claim 1 , further comprising a backing layer, wherein the backing layer has an elastic modulus of less than or equal to 5 GPa and/or greater than or equal to 10 kPa.

14. The photonic material as in claim 1 , further comprising a backing layer, wherein the backing layer has an elastic modulus at least 1.1 times greater than the photopolymer layer.

15. A medical device comprising the photonic material as in claim 1 .

16. A bandage, gauze dressing, compression stockings, and/or prosthetic fittings comprising the photonic material as in claim 1 .

17. A sensor comprising the photonic material as in claim 1 .

18. A pressure sensor and/or a force sensor comprising the photonic material as in claim 1 .

19. A human computer interaction system comprising the photonic material as in claim 1 .

20. The photonic material of claim 1 , further comprising a backing layer, wherein the backing layer is configured to mechanically deform in tandem with the photopolymer layer.

21. A photonic material, comprising:

a photopolymer layer comprising a photo-responsive elastomer; and

a reflection layer having textured surface configured to tune the optical properties of the photopolymer layer,

wherein the photopolymer layer is deformable, and

wherein the reflection layer has a roughness that is configured to provide periodic refractive index variations in the adjacent photopolymer layer that are greater than or equal to 100 nm and less than or equal to 1000 nm.

22. The photonic material as in claim 21 , wherein the refractive index variations have periodic spacing of less than 1 μm.

23. A photonic material, comprising:

a photopolymer layer comprising a photo-responsive elastomer; and

a reflection layer having textured surface configured to tune the optical properties of the photopolymer layer,

wherein the photopolymer layer is deformable, and

wherein the reflection layer has an RMS surface roughness of greater than or equal to 1 nm.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Apr 9, 2025
From: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 070794/0008 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2022
From: MILLER, BENJAMIN; KOLLE, MATHIAS
To: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 060208/0608 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63113241 · Nov 13, 2020
Related Publication 20220155506A1 · May 19, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,320,998