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LiNb03带入亚波长尺度的新区域。通过形成一个周期为波长的纳米畴结构，可以在波导内部形成一个电控反射光栅，作为一个动态切换的反射器件。利用周期性电极（如激光干涉（全息）光刻）应用电场极化技术，可以在LiNbO3波导中形成纳米畴光栅。基本的光栅结构可用于各种架构，形成可调谐的加降滤波器，动态开关和路由器，以及可调谐的激光器，所有这些都具有纳秒级的响应时间，并且没有移动部件。通过在同一衬底上加入集成放大器，这些器件可以减少损耗。周期纳米畴结构的特殊实际意义在于，它实现了周期畴结构的全新应用，即超快速动态切换光通信滤波器。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，从光学超高速WDM交换机和无移动部件的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.