Full Polarization Control of Optical Planar Waveguides with Chiral Material

Abstract

Circularly polarized (CP) light is attracting growing interest in photonics, however it is not possible to use regular planar waveguides for the transmission of such CP light. While keeping the planar geometry, we conceived devices where the chirality of the propagation medium overcomes the planar symmetry. Thus, we report on the fabrication of chirowaveguides arising from the stacking of three layers of a new hybrid chiral organic modified silica (OrMoSil). A flexible strategy allows the control of the two main parameters impacting the ellipticity of the propagated waves. First, the high chirality of the transparent material is based on cheap and easy to access binaphthyl precursors simply shaped as films by dip-coating. Second, the refractive index (RI) contrast between the layers is finely tuned by TriEthOxySilane (TEOS) doping. The polarization of the two fundamental guided modes is measured on 2 cm long waveguides. We demonstrated that the polarization can be modulated from linear to nearly circular (80% ellipticity) depending on the RI contrast and the core thickness. These unprecedented achievements in the area of both optical materials and guided optics, open the way to fully integrated photonic devices dealing with CP light propagation.

Photoacid catalyzed organic–inorganic hybrid inks for the manufacturing of inkjet-printed photonic devices

“…Far from being limited to signal processing and telecommunication applications, planar waveguides have a tremendous impact in the development of other technological fields. A large R&D effort is being demanded towards the development of sensors based on planar-guided optics for environmental and biomedical monitoring, solar concentrators for energy harvesting or lighting devices such as backlights for displays [5][6][7][8] .…”

Metal‐Based Multihelicenic Architectures

“…Chiral phosphines are amongst the widest used ligands in coordination chemistry and enantioselective catalysis.V oituriez, Marinetti and co-workers recently reported the preparation of bis-benzo-fused phospha [6]helicenes ((P, R P *)-4), [26] with defined P chirality at the helicenic moiety and epimeric R P /S P configuration at the Patom. Thereaction of this ligand with PdCl 2 (MeCN) 2 generated the corresponding trans-Pd-(4) 2 Cl 2 complex with defined (P, P,S P ,S P )c onfiguration as unambiguously demonstrated by X-ray studies (Figure 1).…”

“…With the idea of increasing the complexity on this kind of supramolecular assemblies,A utschbach, Crassous,L escop, RØau et al reported in 2013 the preparation of multitopic 2,6-bis(aza [6]helicenephosphole)-pyridine (27)d isplaying au nique combination of (N,P, N,P, N )d onor atoms (Figure 8). [40] This ligand is well-structured to generate double stranded helicates in the presence of Cu I .T he existence of enantiopure M or P helicenes allowed the preparation of enantiopure helical ligands-named helicands-that generated double-stranded helicene-capped tetrametallic helicates upon coordination with Cu I .These helicates bear two pairs of Cu I dimers-displaying cuprophilic interactions,a salready seen in 6, 8a,b and in 25, 26-coordinated to the Natoms of both aza [6]helicene and pyridine connecting unit and bridged by the Patom of the phosphole.…”

“…Kurzaufsätze as compared to the starting proligand, thus enabling to go from al abile [4]helicene to ac onfigurationally stable [6]helicene.S uch assembly is named metallahelicene since the metal is inserted within the p-conjugated system. The cleavage of 52 upon reaction with acetylacetone under basic conditions and at high temperature furnished the monocycloplatinated complex 53 possessing one helicene unit.…”

“…Synthesis of bis-platina[6]helicenes 521,2 and tetra-irida[6]helicenic diastereomeric mixture 54 together with mono-platina[6]helicene 53 and bis-irida[6]helicenes 55 1,2 . i)K 2 PtCl 4 ,e thoxyethanol, H 2 O, reflux, 16 hrs; ii)AcacH, Na 2 CO 3 ,ethoxyethanol, reflux, 2hrs, 52 %; iii)IrCl 3 , P(OMe) 3 ,758 8C, one night; iv)A cacH, K 2 CO 3 ,858 8C, 2hrs, 22 %.…”