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Title: Dielectric waveguides with embedded graphene nanoribbons for all-optical broadband modulation

Abstract

All-optical processing offers low power consumption and fast operation speed and is a promising approach to high-bit-rate communication. Realization of all-optical integrated photonics requires core materials that strongly mediate photon–photon interaction. Recently, it was shown that, in the long-wavelength limit, graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have a very strong Kerr optical nonlinearity in the telecom wavelength range (1.3-1.6 µm). We propose a dielectric waveguide with embedded GNRs for all-optical self-amplitude-modulation applications. By implanting a van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure consisting of GNRs and hexagonal boron nitride into a rib silicon waveguide, we maximize the optical concentration near the GNRs and enhance nonlinear optical effects. Different-width GNRs incorporated in the vdW heterostructure provide strong self-sustaining broadband modulation over the telecom frequency range, without a need for dynamical tuning. The compact footprint and self-sustaining, broad-bandwidth saturable absorption make the proposed device a suitable component for ultrafast nanophotonic applications.

Authors:
; ORCiD logo
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1572123
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1801878
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0008712
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
Optical Materials Express
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Optical Materials Express Journal Volume: 9 Journal Issue: 11; Journal ID: ISSN 2159-3930
Publisher:
Optical Society of America
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; Materials Science; Optics

Citation Formats

Karimi, F., and Knezevic, I. Dielectric waveguides with embedded graphene nanoribbons for all-optical broadband modulation. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1364/OME.9.004456.
Karimi, F., & Knezevic, I. Dielectric waveguides with embedded graphene nanoribbons for all-optical broadband modulation. United States. https://doi.org/10.1364/OME.9.004456
Karimi, F., and Knezevic, I. Mon . "Dielectric waveguides with embedded graphene nanoribbons for all-optical broadband modulation". United States. https://doi.org/10.1364/OME.9.004456.
@article{osti_1572123,
title = {Dielectric waveguides with embedded graphene nanoribbons for all-optical broadband modulation},
author = {Karimi, F. and Knezevic, I.},
abstractNote = {All-optical processing offers low power consumption and fast operation speed and is a promising approach to high-bit-rate communication. Realization of all-optical integrated photonics requires core materials that strongly mediate photon–photon interaction. Recently, it was shown that, in the long-wavelength limit, graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have a very strong Kerr optical nonlinearity in the telecom wavelength range (1.3-1.6 µm). We propose a dielectric waveguide with embedded GNRs for all-optical self-amplitude-modulation applications. By implanting a van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure consisting of GNRs and hexagonal boron nitride into a rib silicon waveguide, we maximize the optical concentration near the GNRs and enhance nonlinear optical effects. Different-width GNRs incorporated in the vdW heterostructure provide strong self-sustaining broadband modulation over the telecom frequency range, without a need for dynamical tuning. The compact footprint and self-sustaining, broad-bandwidth saturable absorption make the proposed device a suitable component for ultrafast nanophotonic applications.},
doi = {10.1364/OME.9.004456},
journal = {Optical Materials Express},
number = 11,
volume = 9,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Mon Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1364/OME.9.004456

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