Patent ID: 8711463

Claim:
A light modulator comprising: a plasmonic nano-antenna comprising a nanostructure; a refractive index change layer that is disposed adjacent to the plasmonic nano-antenna; and a refractive index changing unit configured to change a refractive index of the refractive index change layer, wherein, in response to the refractive index changing unit changing the refractive index of the refractive index change layer, plasmon resonance characteristics of the plasmonic nano-antenna are changed, the nanostructure is disposed on an upper surface of the refractive index change layer, a dielectric layer is provided on the upper surface of the refractive index change layer to cover an upper surface and a side surface of the nanostructure, and the refractive index change layer is located under the nanostructure and the dielectric layer, and the refractive index change layer is farther from a light incident side of the light modulator than the dielectric layer.