Application of hybrid quasiparticles in the next generation of integrated opto-electronics
DIPC Seminars
- Speaker
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Ivan Pshenichnyuk, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Russia
- When
-
2021/01/29
13:00 - Place
- Online seminar, Donostia International Physics Center
- Add to calendar
- iCal
Achievements of modern electronics and photonics are remarkable, but the
subsequent technological development requires the better integration of both.
More intense usage of photons in logical and computational operations along
with short distance communication can potentially improve the electronics
significantly. To achieve that, a common integrated platform should be created
where both electrons and photons can be efficiently manipulated. The
integration of electronics and photonics at the level of microscopic chips is
related to numerous challenges (like the size mismatch between components and
weak light-matter interaction) and requires new approaches. One perspective
approach is to manage electron-photon interaction at the fundamental level via
the formation of hybrid light-matter quasiparticles. Two famous examples are
exciton-polaritons and plasmon-polaritons. Many exotic hybrid states were
demonstrated, including room temperature polariton condensates and plasmonic
skyrmion lattices. Practical usefulness of both hybrids is also demonstrated.
Multiple plasmonic improvements of photonic integrated devices make them
smaller and faster.
Electro-optical modulators are going to play a key role in future integrated
optoelectronics, comparable with a role of transistors in classical
electronics. We propose a model of a compact modulator based on edge plasmons.
To improve the modulation efficiency an integrated nanoscale waveguide mode is
converted into a couple of subwavelength plasmons. The subsequent manipulation
of charge distribution is used to influence the hybrid and perform the
modulation. The usage of edge plasmons allows to overcome polarization
restrictions typical for ordinary surface plasmons and make the device more
flexible. To fight plasmonic losses a mixed circuit building style is used,
when the light is converted to plasmons to perform the light-matter
interaction operation (like modulation) and then it is converted back to the
lossless waveguide mode. At the same time, a concept of fully semiconductor
based plasmonic platform for integrated opto-electronic circuits is currently
under development in our lab. The absence of metals potentially allows to
decrease plasmonic losses significantly. However, the quality of surface
plasmons in semiconductors is usually poor. We propose a mechanism where
plasmons can be excited in very thin accumulation layers at the
semiconductor/insulator boundary. Such layers support coupled pairs of surface
plasmons that 'amplify' each other thus improving the quality factor of a
pair. High tunability of accumulation layers allow to manipulate such modes
with THz frequency. The proposed mechanism can be used to create a low loss
tunable plasmonic waveguides and serves as a basis for the new circuit
building strategy.
Host: Pedro B. Coto
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