Thermo-optic tuning of silicon nitride microring resonators with low loss non-volatile $$\hbox {Sb}_{2}\hbox {S}_{3}$$ phase change material

Abstract

A new family of phase change material based on antimony has recently been explored for applications in near-IR tunable photonics due to its wide bandgap, manifested as broadband transparency from visible to NIR wavelengths. Here, we characterize $$\hbox {Sb}_{2} \hbox {S}_{3}$$ Sb 2 S 3 optically and demonstrate the integration of this phase change material in a silicon nitride platform using a microring resonator that can be thermally tuned using the amorphous and crystalline states of the phase change material, achieving extinction ratios of up to 18 dB in the C-band. We extract the thermo-optic coefficient of the amorphous and crystalline states of the $$\hbox {Sb}_{2}\hbox {S}_{3}$$ Sb 2 S 3 to be 3.4 x $$10^{-4}\hbox {K}^{-1}$$ 10 - 4 K - 1 and 0.1 x 10$$^{-4}\hbox {K}^{-1}$$ - 4 K - 1 , respectively. Additionally, we detail the first observation of bi-directional shifting for permanent trimming of a non-volatile switch using continuous wave (CW) laser exposure ($$-5.9$$ - 5.9 to 5.1 dBm) with a modulation in effective refractive index ranging from +5.23 x $$10^{-5}$$ 10 - 5 to $$-1.20$$ - 1.20 x 10$$^{-4}$$ - 4 . This work experimentally verifies optical phase modifications and permanent trimming of $$\hbox {Sb}_{2}\hbox {S}_{3}$$ Sb 2 S 3 , enabling potential applications such as optically controlled memories and weights for neuromorphic architecture and high density switch matrix using a multi-layer PECVD based photonic integrated circuit.

Recent developments in Chalcogenide phase change material-based nanophotonics

“…The work demonstrates the low insertion loss and non-volatile building block waveguide platform for more complex photonic integrated circuit (PIC) architectures and applications. Other important works using novel PCM such as Sb 2 S 3 and Sb 2 Se 3 on ring resonators and directional couplers include (see figures 3(E)-(J)) [16,91,92,94,95].…”

“…Ilie et al [92] demonstrated high extinction ratio (> 20 dB) and 1.92 nm FSR using <50 um long low-loss Sb 2 S 3 . The device operating in the 1550 nm window showed bi-directional wavelength shifting capabilities with effective refractive index modulation ranging from +5.23 × 10 −5 to −1.20 × 10 −4 using a CW laser at 1550 nm.…”

Decoding the Atomic Structure of Ga2Te5 Pulsed Laser Deposition Films for Memory Applications Using Diffraction and First-Principles Simulations

“…Brain-inspired computing [ 1 , 2 , 3 ], light-controlled (i.e., over a wide spectral range, from visible to THz) or electrically controlled reconfigurable optical metamaterials [ 4 , 5 , 6 ], high resolution holographic and nonvolatile displays [ 7 , 8 ], integrated photonic circuits [ 9 , 10 ], and many other applications need next-generation phase-change materials (PCMs) with better energy efficiency and wider temperature and spectral ranges to increase reliability compared to current flagship PCMs, such as Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 , doped Sb 2 Te, etc. Gallium tellurides seem to be promising candidates to achieve the necessary requirements because of their higher melting and crystallization temperatures, combined with low switching power and fast switching rate [ 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”