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All-optical AZO-based modulator topped with Si metasurfaces.

ABSTRACT: All-optical communication systems are under continuous development to address different core elements of inconvenience. Here, we numerically investigate an all-optical modulator, realizing a highly efficient modulation depth of 22 dB and a low insertion loss of 0.32 dB. The tunable optical element of the proposed modulator is a layer of Al-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO), also known as an epsilon-near-zero transparent conductive oxide. Sandwiching the AZO layer between a carefully designed distributed Bragg reflector and a dielectric metasurface-i.e., composed of a two-dimensional periodic array of cubic Si-provides a guided-mode resonance at the OFF state of the modulator, preventing the incident signal reflection at λ = 1310 nm. We demonstrate the required pump fluence for switching between the ON/OFF states of the designed modulator is about a few milli-Joules per cm². The unique properties of the AZO layer, along with the engineered dielectric metasurface above it, change the reflection from 1 to 93%, helping design better experimental configurations for the next-generation all-optical communication systems.

SUBMITTER: Vatani S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9748133 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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All-optical AZO-based modulator topped with Si metasurfaces.

Vatani Sareh S Barahimi Behdad B Moravvej-Farshi Mohammad Kazem MK

Scientific reports 20221213 1

All-optical communication systems are under continuous development to address different core elements of inconvenience. Here, we numerically investigate an all-optical modulator, realizing a highly efficient modulation depth of 22 dB and a low insertion loss of 0.32 dB. The tunable optical element of the proposed modulator is a layer of Al-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO), also known as an epsilon-near-zero transparent conductive oxide. Sandwiching the AZO layer between a carefully designed distributed Br ...[more]

PMID: 36513754

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All-optical AZO-based modulator topped with Si metasurfaces.

Publications

All-optical AZO-based modulator topped with Si metasurfaces.

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