NER: Ferro-Electric Nano Domain Technology

该计划的目标是开发新的基础技术，将周期性极化的LiNbO3带入新的区域，其中域是亚波长尺度。通过形成具有光的波长的周期的纳米畴结构，可以在波导内部形成电控反射光栅，其可以用作动态可切换的反射装置。纳米畴光栅可以通过使用周期性电极应用电场极化技术在LiNbO3波导中形成，所述周期性电极例如通过以下方式形成：激光干涉（全息）光刻。基本光栅结构可用于各种架构中，以形成可调谐分插滤波器、动态开关和路由器以及可调谐激光器，所有这些都具有纳秒响应时间且没有移动部件。通过在同一衬底上集成放大器，可以使这些器件的损耗更小。周期性纳米畴结构的特殊实际意义在于，它们使周期性畴结构的全新应用成为可能，即超快速动态可切换的光通信滤波器。我们的方法是一种平台技术，在各种光通信应用中具有广泛的适用性，范围从没有移动部件的光学超快速WDM交换机和路由器到小型高效可调谐激光器。

The objective of the proposed program is to develop new, fundamental technologies for bringing the periodically poled LiNb03 into a new regime in which the domains are of sub-wavelength scale. By forming a nanodomain structure with a period of the wavelength of light, an electrically controlled reflection grating can be formed inside the wave guide, which can serve as a dynamically switchable reflection device. A nanodomain grating can be formed in a LiNbO3 wave guide by applying electric field poling techniques using periodic electrodes, which are formed by, e.g., laser interference(holographic) lithography. The basic grating structure can be used in a variety of architectures to form tunable add-drop filters, dynamic switches and routers, as well as tunable lasers all with nanosecond response times and no moving parts. These devices can be made loss less by including an integrated amplifier onto the same substrate.The particular practical significance of periodic nanodomain structures is that they enable a completely new application of the periodic domain structures, namely, ultra fast dynamically switchable optical telecommunications filters.Our approach is a platform technology, with wide applicability in a variety of optical communications applications, ranging from optical ultra fast WDM switches and routers with no moving parts to small highly efficient tunable lasers.