US Patent 9927559 Wavelength-controlled directivity of all-dielectric optical nano-antennas

The disclosure relates to wavelength-controlled directivity of all-dielectric optical nanoantennas. One example embodiment is an optical nanoantenna for directionally scattering light in a visible or a near-infrared spectral range. The optical nanoantenna includes a substrate. The optical nanoantenna also includes an antenna structure disposed on the substrate. The antenna structure includes a dielectric material having a refractive index that is higher than a refractive index of the substrate and a refractive index of a surrounding medium. The antenna structure includes a structure having two distinct end portions. The antenna structure is asymmetric with respect to at least one mirror reflection in a plane that is orthogonal to a plane of the substrate.