We present an integrated magneto-photonic device for all-optical switching of non-volatile multi-bit spintronic memory. The bits are based on stand-alone magneto-tunnel junctions which are perpendicularly magnetized with all-optically switchable free layers, coupled onto photonic crystal nanobeam cavities on an indium phosphide based platform. This device enables switching of the magnetization state of the bits by locally increasing the power absorption of light at resonance with the cavity. We design an add/drop network of cavities to grant random access to multiple bits via a wavelength-division multiplexing scheme. Based on a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method, we numerically illustrate a compact device capable of switching and accessing 8 bits in different cavities with a 5 nm wavelength spacing in the conventional (C) telecommunication band. Our multi-bit device holds promise as a new paradigm for developing an ultrafast photonically-addressable spintronic memory and may also empower novel opportunities for photonically-driven spintronic-based neuromorphic computing.
We present the first demonstration of an integrated photonic phase-change memory using GeSbTe-225 on silicon-on-insulator and demonstrate reliable multilevel operation with a single programming pulse. We also compare our results on silicon with previous demonstrations on silicon nitride. Crucially, achieving this on silicon enables tighter integration of traditional electronics with photonic memories in future, making phase-change photonic memory a viable and integrable technology.
Photonic Random-Access Memories (P-RAM) are an essential component for the on-chip non-von Neumann photonic computing by eliminating optoelectronic conversion losses in data links. Emerging Phase Change Materials (PCMs) have been showed multilevel memory capability, but demonstrations still yield relatively high optical loss and require cumbersome WRITE-ERASE approaches increasing power consumption and system package challenges. Here we demonstrate a multi-state electrically-programmed low-loss non-volatile photonic memory based on a broadband transparent phase change material (Ge2Sb2Se5, GSSe…
An optical equivalent of the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is of great interest to large-scale photonic integrated circuits. Previous programmable photonic devices relying on the weak, volatile thermo-optic or electro-optic effect usually suffer from a large footprint and high energy consumption. Phase change materials (PCMs) offer a promising solution due to the large non-volatile change in the refractive index upon phase transition. However, the large optical loss in PCMs poses a serious problem. Here, by exploiting an asymmetric directional coupler design, we demonstrate PCM-clad sil…
Phase change materials (PCMs) have long been used as a storage medium in rewritable compact disk and later in random access memory. In recent years, the integration of PCMs with nanophotonic structures has introduced a new paradigm for non-volatile reconfigurable optics. However, the high loss of the archetypal PCM Ge2Sb2Te5 in both visible and telecommunication wavelengths has fundamentally limited its applications. Sb2S3 has recently emerged as a wide-bandgap PCM with transparency windows ranging from 610nm to near-IR. In this paper, the strong optical phase modulation and low optical loss o…
We propose an all-photonic, non-volatile memory and processing element based on phase-change thin-films deposited onto nanophotonic waveguides. Using photonic microring resonators partially covered with Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) multi-level memory operation in integrated photonic circuits can be achieved. GST provides a dramatic change in refractive index upon transition from the amorphous to crystalline state, which is exploited to reversibly control both the extinction ratio and resonance wavelength of the microcavity with an additional gating port in analogy to optical transistors. Our analysis shows…
Non-volatile integrated photonics on lithium tantalate-on-insulator
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics and School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology（武汉光电国家实验室与华中科技大学光学与电子信息学院）；State Key Laboratory of Photonics and Communications, Department of Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University（上海交通大学电子工程系光子与通信国家重点实验室）；School of Physics, Harbin Institute of Technology（哈尔滨工业大学物理学院）
Adaptable, reconfigurable and programmable are key functionalities for the next generation of silicon-based photonic processors, neural and quantum networks. Phase change technology offers proven non-volatile electronic programmability, however the materials used to date have shown prohibitively high optical losses which are incompatible with integrated photonic platforms. Here, we demonstrate the capability of the previously unexplored material Sb$_2$Se$_3$ for ultralow-loss programmable silicon photonics. The favorable combination of large refractive index contrast and ultralow losses seen i…
Cryogenic thermo-optic response of low-loss phase change material for non-volatile photonic phase shifter
University of Maryland, College Park（马里兰大学帕克分校）；Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland（马里兰大学电子与应用物理研究所）；University of Pittsburgh（匹兹堡大学）
Machine-learning tasks performed by neural networks demonstrated useful capabilities for producing reliable, and repeatable intelligent decisions. Integrated photonics, leveraging both component miniaturization and the wave-nature of the signals, can potentially outperform electronics architectures when performing inference tasks. However, the missing photon-photon force challenges non-volatile photonic device-functionality required for efficient neural networks. Here we present a novel concept and optimization of multi-level discrete-state non-volatile photonic memory based on an ultra-compac…
We propose and numerically analyze the hybrid Si-Ge\textsubscript{2}Sb\textsubscript{2}Te\textsubscript{5} strip waveguide switches for Mid-IR wavelength of 2.1 $μ$m. The switches investigated are one input-one output (on-off) type and one input-two outputs (directional coupler) type. The reversible transition between the switch states is achieved by inducing the phase transition from crystalline to amorphous and vice-versa by application of voltage pulses. The approach of embedding the nanoscale active material Ge\textsubscript{2}Sb\textsubscript{2}Te\textsubscript{5} within the Si waveguide …
Photonic integrated circuits currently use platform intrinsic thermo-optic and electro-optic effects to implement dynamic functions such as switching, modulation and other processing. Currently, there is a drive to implement field programmable photonic circuits, a need which is only magnified by new neuromorphic and quantum computing applications. The most promising non-volatile photonic components employ phase change materials such as GST and GSST, which had their origin in electronic memory. However, in the optical domain, these compounds introduce significant losses potentially preventing a…
Reconfigurability of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) has become increasingly important due to the growing demands for electronic-photonic systems on a chip driven by emerging applications, including neuromorphic computing, quantum information, and microwave photonics. Success in these fields usually requires highly scalable photonic switching units as essential building blocks. Current photonic switches, however, mainly rely on materials with weak, volatile thermo-optic or electro-optic modulation effects, resulting in a large footprint and high energy consumption. As a promising alternati…
Programmable photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have recently gained significant interest due to their potential in creating next-generation technologies ranging from artificial neural networks and microwave photonics to quantum information processing. The fundamental building block of such programmable PICs is a tunable 2 x 2 switch, traditionally controlled by the thermo-optic or free-carrier dispersion. Yet, these implementations are power-hungry, volatile, and have a large footprint (typically > 100 um). Therefore, a truly 'set-and-forget' type 2 x 2 switch with zero static power consumpt…
We manipulate optical Tamm states in graphene-based photonics to achieve and steer large magneto-optical effects. Here we report the presence of a giant Faraday rotation via a single graphene layer of atomic thickness while keeping a high transmission. The Faraday rotation is enhanced across the interface between two photonic crystals due to the presence of an interface mode, which presents a strong electromagnetic field confinement at the location of the graphene sheet. Our proposed scheme opens a promising avenue to realize high performance graphene magneto-optical devices that can be extend…
We theoretically investigate the dispersion and polarization properties of the electromagnetic waves in a multi-layered structure composed of a magneto-optic waveguide on dielectric substrate covered by one-dimensional dielectric photonic crystal. The numerical analysis of such a complex structure shows polarization filtration of TE- and TM-modes depending on geometrical parameters of the waveguide and photonic crystal. We consider different regimes of the modes propagation inside such a structure: when guiding modes propagate inside the magnetic film and decay in the photonic crystal; when th…
Mid-infrared spectrum can be recorded from almost any material making the mid-infrared spectroscopy an extremely important and widely used sample characterization and analytical technique. However, sensitivity photoconductive detectors operate primarily in the near-infrared (NIR) but not in the mid-infrared making the NIR more favorable for accurate spectral analysis. Although absorption cross-section of vibrational modes in near-infrared is orders of magnitude smaller compared to the fundamental vibrations in mid-infrared, different concepts were proposed to increase the detectability of weak…
In this work we describe different types of photonic structures that allow tunability of the photonic band gap upon the application of external stimuli, as the electric or magnetic field. We review and compare two porous 1D photonic crystals: in the first one a liquid crystal has been infiltrated in the pores of the nanoparticle network, while in the second one the optical response to the electric field of metallic nanoparticles has been exploited. Then, we present a 1D photonic crystal made with indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles, and we propose this system for electro-optic tuning. Finally…
Nonreciprocal (NOR) transmission with magneto-optical materials plays a critical role in a broad range of applications, such as optical isolation, all-optical signal processing, and integrated photonic circuits. The underlying mechanism is that a static magnetic field can break the time-reversal symmetry in the presence of magneto-optical materials. However, the typical NOR devices usually need a large size because the weak magneto-optical activity of materials. Here, our theoretical investigations show that the NOR transmission can be obtained in the one-dimensional photonic crystal with a ma…
We report the design of nonreciprocal resonant transmission/reflection using a one-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPC) adjacent to the magneto-optical (MO) metal film. The nonreciprocal surface modes are found at the interface between the PC and MO metal within the forbidden band of native PC structure. Breaking time-reversal symmetry using external magnetic field gives rise of such unique nonreciprocal properties. Quantitatively understanding of nonreciprocal resonant optical transmission/reflection behavior is performed using an effective admittance-matching theory. With excitation of the no…
Optical isolators and circulators are indispensable for photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Despite of significant progress in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platforms, integrated optical isolators and circulators have been rarely reported on silicon nitride (SiN) platforms. In this paper, we report monolithic integration of magneto-optical (MO) isolators on SiN platforms with record high performances based on standard silicon photonics foundry process and magneto-optical thin film deposition. We successfully grow high quality MO garnet thin films on SiN with large Faraday rotation up to -5900 de…
We extend results of [Liu et al. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. A 469, 20130240, 2013] on artificial magneto-electric coupling and magnetism in moderate contrast dielectric layered media via high-order homogenization to the three-dimensional setting. For this, we consider asymptotic expansions in the vector Maxwell system. We then illustrate effect of magneto-electric coupling with numerical simulations for a layered system alternating positively and negatively refracting index. We unveil hyperbolic behaviour and magneto-electric coupling and derive a sharper estimate for the anisotropic effective medi…
Integrated optical isolators have been a longstanding challenge for photonic integrated circuits (PIC). An ideal integrated optical isolator for PIC should be made by a monolithic process, have a small footprint, exhibit broadband and polarization-diverse operation, and be compatible with multiple materials platforms. Despite significant progress, the optical isolators reported so far do not meet all these requirements. In this article we present monolithically integrated broadband magneto-optical isolators on silicon and silicon nitride (SiN) platforms operating for both TE and TM modes with …
State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Zhejiang University（浙江大学极端光子学与仪器国家重点实验室、电磁研究光学与中心、光电学院、国际先进光子学研究中心）；Zhejiang University-University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Institute, Zhejiang University（浙江大学伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳香槟校区联合学院，浙江大学）；Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences（中国科学院大学杭州高等研究院）；Juhe Electro-optic (Hangzhou) Tech. Co. Ltd.（聚和光电（杭州）科技有限公司）；State Key Laboratory for Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University（北京大学物理学院介观物理国家重点实验室）；China Jiliang University（中国计量大学）
The employment of magneto-optical materials to fabricate photonic crystals gives the unique opportunity to achieve optical tuning by applying a magnetic field. In this study we have simulated the transmission spectrum of a microcavity in which the Bragg reflectors are made with silica (SiO2) and yttria (Y2O3) and the defect layer is made with TGG (Tb3Ga5O12). We show that the application of an external magnetic field results in a tuning of the defect mode of the microcavity. In the simulations we have considered the wavelength dependence of the refractive indexes and the Verdet constants of th…
Observation of Chiral Bound States in the Continuum in Self-biased Magneto-optical Photonic Crystals
Southern University of Science and Technology（南方科技大学）；University of Electronic Science and Technology of China（电子科技大学）；Chongqing University of Technology（重庆理工大学）；Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhuhai（北京理工大学珠海学院）
We present a theoretical study of the effect of an external dc magnetic field in the near-field radiative heat transfer between two one-dimensional magneto-photonic crystals with unit cells comprising a magneto-optical layer made of n-doped InSb and a dielectric layer. We find that in absence of an external field, and depending on the gap size, the radiative heat transfer between these multilayer structures can be larger or smaller than that of the case of two InSb infinite plates. On the other hand, when an external magnetic field is applied, the near-field radiative heat transfer is reduced …
