Ultra-Highly-Integrated Waveguide Based On Active Meta-Materials

Abstract

Photonic devices are promising research areas that leading the technical innovation paradigm. It is rapidly developing with the development of the latest nano-fabrication technologies. Meta-materials, which are designed nano-pattern array to have designed optical properties, have been investigated to achieve the miniaturization of photonic devices. The use of meta-materials allows for miniaturization and that enables ultra-highly integrated photonic devices. Here, we attempt a novel nano-fabrication approach to achieve ultra-compact waveguide device. Firstly, we fabricate a nano-cavity in the commercial waveguide vertically to control the permittivity (ε) at the optical telecom wavelength (1300-1550 nm). And then we deposit the meta-materials based on phase change material (PCM) Ge-Sb-Te (GST), VO2. PCM has a property that changes in permittivity depending on the phase state and can control by electrical signals. In here, we can consider to being planar planes with an effective permittivity ( 𝜀𝑒𝑓𝑓 ) based on the ‘Maxwell-Garnett approximation’ [1]. This approach can sharply control 𝜀𝑒𝑓𝑓 of the waveguide by PCM-filling inside the waveguide, and directly control the optical path or filter, thereby enabling the ultra-high-density and active property of optical waveguide. Our approach can apply to diverse fields that require active optical properties devices.

Acknowledgments This work was supported by the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, grant-funded by the Korean government (18ZB1100, Development of Basic Technologies for 3D Photo-Electronics). References [1] Introduction to the Maxwell Garnett approximation: tutorial (2016).