A team of researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi’s Photonics Research Lab (PRL) has developed a new two-dimensional (2D) material capable of finely manipulating light with minimal loss, addressing the growing need for efficient optical materials that can precisely modulate light to enhance bandwidth in communication networks and advanced optical systems.
Tunable optical materials (TOMs) are transforming modern optoelectronics, which involves devices that detect, generate, and control light. Achieving precise control over the optical properties of materials is essential in integrated photonics circuits to unlock groundbreaking applications in light manipulation. While materials like Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) and graphene exhibit remarkable optical responses to external stimuli, achieving distinct modulation across a short-wave infrared (SWIR) region while maintaining precise phase control and low signal loss in a compact footprint has been challenging.
In their recent paper titled “Electro-Optic Tuning in Composite Silicon Photonics Based on Ferroionic 2D Materials,” published in Nature Light Science & Application, the team, led by Research Scientist Ghada Dushaq and Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering Mahmoud Rasras, introduces a novel approach for active light manipulation using ferroionic 2D material CuCrP2S6 (CCPS). By integrating these atomically thin materials into tiny ring structures on silicon chips, they have improved device efficiency and compactness.
These 2D materials, when integrated into silicon optical devices, allow precise tuning of the optical properties of the transmitted signal without any attenuation. This breakthrough has significant implications for environmental sensing, optical imaging, and neuromorphic computing, where light sensitivity is crucial.
According to Rasras, this innovation offers precise control over the refractive index while minimizing optical losses, enhancing modulation efficiency, and reducing the footprint. The potential applications span a wide range, including phased arrays, optical switching, environmental sensing, metrology, optical imaging systems, and neuromorphic systems in light-sensitive artificial synapses.
