{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8507880","patent":{"patent_number":"US-8507880","title":"Illuminating waveguide fabrication method","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2012-06-04T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2013-08-13T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["B82Y","G11B"],"num_claims":20,"abstract":"A method for fabricating waveguides comprising nano-apertures for illumination of sub-resolution exposures is presented. In particular, the end of a waveguide, such as an optical fiber, is coated with a material, such as an electrically conducting metal or a semiconductor. This material is then selectively removed through the process of ion milling, creating an aperture in the material at the end of the waveguide. Under normal conditions, if the aperture is smaller than the wavelength of light in the waveguide, there is little or no transmission through the aperture. However, with the appropriate selection of materials and aperture geometry, for example a metallic conducting coating and sub-wavelength “C-shaped” or “bow-tie” aperture, enhancement of transmission of light through the aperture can be achieved, allowing effective illumination of sub-resolution spots using the ion-milled aperture. This can be used in a nanolithography system incorporating waveguide illuminators as well."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Illuminating waveguide fabrication method","description":"A method for fabricating waveguides comprising nano-apertures for illumination of sub-resolution exposures is presented. In particular, the end of a waveguide, such as an optical fiber, is coated with","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8507880","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8507880","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Illuminating waveguide fabrication method\" (US-8507880). https://patentable.app/patents/US-8507880","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8507880","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-8507880","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-05-31T15:08:50.841Z"}