We report an on-chip integrated metal graphene–silicon plasmonic Schottky photodetector with 85 mA/W responsivity at 1.55 μm and 7% internal quantum efficiency. This is one order of magnitude higher than metal–silicon Schottky photodetectors operated in the same conditions. At a reverse bias of 3 V, we achieve avalanche multiplication, with 0.37A/W responsivity and avalanche photogain ∼2. This paves the way to graphene integrated silicon photonics.

We experimentally demonstrate for the first time a nanoscale resistive random access memory (RRAM) electronic device integrated with a plasmonic waveguide providing the functionality of optical readout. The device fabrication is based on silicon on insulator CMOS compatible approach of local oxidation of silicon, which enables the realization of RRAM and low optical loss channel photonic waveguide at the same fabrication step. This plasmonic device operates at telecom wavelength of 1.55 μm and can be used to optically read the logic state of a memory by measuring two distinct levels of optical transmission. The experimental characterization of the device shows optical bistable behavior between these levels of transmission in addition to well-defined hysteresis. We attribute the changes in the optical transmission to the creation of a nanoscale absorbing and scattering metallic filament in the amorphous silicon layer, where the plasmonic mode resides.

The ongoing effort to implement compact and cheap optical systems is the main driving force for the recent flourishing research in the field of optical metalenses. Metalenses are a type of metasurface, used for focusing and imaging applications, and are implemented based on the nanopatterning of an optical surface. The challenge faced by metalens research is to reach high levels of performance using simple fabrication methods suitable for mass production. In this paper, we present a Huygens nanoantenna-based metalens, designed for outdoor photographic/surveillance applications in the near infrared. We show that good imaging quality can be obtained over a field of view as large as ±15°. This first successful implementation of metalenses for outdoor imaging applications is expected to provide insight and inspiration for future metalens imaging applications.

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Using cultured Aplysia neurons we recently reported on the development of a novel approach in which an extracellular, non-invasive multi-electrode-array system provides multisite, attenuated, intracellular recordings of subthreshold synaptic potentials, and action potentials (APs), the so called “IN-CELL” recording configuration (to differentiate it from intracellular recordings). Because of its non-invasive nature, the configuration can be used for long term semi intracellular electrophysiological monitoring of APs and synaptic potentials. Three principals converge to generate the IN-CELL configuration: (a) engulfment of approximately 1 μm size gold mushroom-shaped microelectrodes (gMμE) by the neurons, (b) formation of high seal resistance between the cell’s plasma membrane and the engulfed gMμE, and (c), autonomous localized increased conductance of the membrane patch facing the gMμE. Using dissociated rat hippocampal cultures we report here that the necessary morphological and ultrastructural relationships to generate the IN-CELL recording configuration are formed between hippocampal cells and the gMμEs. Interestingly, even <1 μm thin branches expand and engulf the gMμE structures. Recordings of spontaneous electrical activity revealed fast ∼2 ms, 0.04–0.75 mV positive monophasic APs (FPMP). We propose that the FPMP are attenuated APs generated by neurons that engulf gMμEs. Computer simulations of analog electrical circuits depicting the cell–gMμE configuration point out the parameters that should be altered to improve the neuron–gMμE electrical coupling.

Microelectrode arrays increasingly serve to extracellularly record in parallel electrical activity from many excitable cells without inflicting damage to the cells by insertion of microelectrodes. Nevertheless, apart from rare cases they suffer from a low signal to noise ratio. The limiting factor for effective electrical coupling is the low seal resistance formed between the plasma membrane and the electronic device. Using transmission electron microscope analysis we recently reported that cultured Aplysia neurons engulf protruding micron size gold spines forming tight apposition which significantly improves the electrical coupling in comparison with flat electrodes (Hai et al 2009 Spine-shaped gold protrusions improve the adherence and electrical coupling of neurons with the surface of micro-electronic devices J. R. Soc. Interface 6 1153-65). However, the use of a transmission electron microscope to measure the extracellular cleft formed between the plasma membrane and the gold-spine surface may be inaccurate as chemical fixation may generate structural artifacts. Using live confocal microscope imaging we report here that cultured Aplysia neurons engulf protruding spine-shaped gold structures functionalized by an RGD-based peptide and to a significantly lesser extent by poly-l-lysine. The cytoskeletal elements actin and associated protein cortactin are shown to organize around the stalks of the engulfed gold spines in the form of rings. Neurons grown on the gold-spine matrix display varying growth patterns but maintain normal electrophysiological properties and form functioning synapses. It is concluded that the matrices of functionalized gold spines provide an improved substrate for the assembly of neuro-electronic hybrids.

We experimentally demonstrate a nanoscale mode converter that performs coupling between the first two transverse electric-like modes of a silicon-on-insulator waveguide. The device operates by introducing a nanoscale periodic perturbation in its effective refractive index along the propagation direction and a graded effective index profile along its transverse direction. The periodic perturbation provides phase matching between the modes, while the graded index profile, which is realized by the implementation of nanoscale dielectric metasurface consisting of silicon features that are etched into the waveguide taking advantage of the effective medium concept, provides the overlap between the modes. Following the device design and numerical analysis using three-dimensional finite difference time domain simulations, we have fabricated the device and characterized it by directly measuring the modal content using optical imaging microscopy. From these measurements, the mode purity is estimated to be 95% and the transmission relative to an unperturbed strip waveguide is as high as 88%. Finally, we extend this approach to accommodate for the coupling between photonic and plasmonic modes. Specifically, we design and numerically demonstrate photonic to plasmonic mode conversion in a hybrid waveguide in which photonic and surface plasmon polariton modes can be guided in the silicon core and in the silicon/metal interface, respectively. The same method can also be used for coupling between symmetric and antisymmetric plasmonic modes in metal-insulator-metal or insulator-metal-insulator structures. On the basis of the current demonstration, we believe that such nanoscale dielectric metasurface-based mode converters can now be realized and become an important building block in future nanoscale photonic and plasmonic devices. Furthermore, the demonstrated platform can be used for the implementation of other chip scale components such as splitters, combiners couplers, and more.

Metasurfaces consisting of ultrathin nanostructures are utilized to control the properties of light including its phase, amplitude and polarization. Hereby, we demonstrate the capability of such structures to perform arbitrary polarization selective beam shaping using dielectric nanoscale metasurfaces implemented in silicon. By illuminating the structure with right handed circular polarization we reconstruct a desired image. When switching the polarization into its orthogonal state, we obtain the reconstruction of a different image. This demonstration shows the potential of using dielectric metasurfaces for high efficiency beam shaping applications in general, and specifically for polarization coded beam shaping.