Orientation-controlled plasmonic nanoparticle optical coating
This technology creates thin-film structures where metal nanoparticles—tiny particles that interact strongly with light—are sandwiched between layers of insulating material in a precisely controlled arrangement. One layer of nanoparticles is aligned flat and parallel to the surface, while a second layer is randomly oriented, giving the composite film tunable optical properties that a single uniform layer cannot achieve. The manufacturing process uses polyelectrolyte chemistry to deposit and orient these particles on a substrate in a controlled, scalable way. The result is a structured optical coating whose light-interaction behavior can be engineered by design.
What you could build
An engineered optical thin-film product—such as a spectrally selective filter, electrochromic window coating, or waveguide component—built on this layered nanoparticle architecture. Buyers would include specialty glass manufacturers, photonics component suppliers, and display or smart-glass companies seeking finer spectral control.
Who in Virginia should care
Photonics and optical component manufacturers in Virginia's defense and communications corridors (e.g., suppliers to government labs in the DC/NoVA region) could find application in specialty coatings for sensors or optical communications hardware.
Readiness: Concept
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Guoliang Liu, Assad U. Khan
- Filed
- Patent pending — filed July 2, 2025
- Status
- Application
- Publication number
- US20250327971A1
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology. Email us for an introduction prosim@harbor.capital.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.