Growth and integration of phase change metal-chalcogenide semiconductors into optical fiber and waveguide integrated nanophotonic metamaterial modulators

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Photonic components with adjustable parameters, such as variable focus lenses or reconfigurable spectral filters and modulators, offer numerous useful applications, so while initially conceived as a paradigm for engineering static electromagnetic properties; metamaterial concepts which rely on subwavelength nanostructuring of natural media to create unprecedented new functionalities have extended rapidly to include a range of reconfigurable functionalities. Various volatile reconfiguration mechanisms inherent to different material platforms have been explored including thermo-optic effects, nonlinearities as well as free-carrier-modulation in graphene, silicon and conductive oxides. In contrast metal-chalcogenide semiconductors, present a unique non-volatile reconfiguration mechanism known as 'phase change' which enables a drastic reduction in power consumption through the introduction of memory functionality (non-volatility) into the reconfiguration mechanism. The objective of the proposed project is growth/exploration of the scaling limit of the phase change mechanism in a wide array of metal-chalcogenide semiconductors through high-throughput combinatorial physical vapour deposition and their incorporation within optical fiber and waveguide-integrated metamaterials for the demonstration of reconfigurable optical modulators with built-in memory functionality, capable of working at any given wavelength in the UV-Vis-IR band by virtue of the flexibility of using metamaterials and the wide transmission window of metal-chalcogenides. The integration of inherent memory functionality into the modulator reduces footprint and drastically lowers power consumption. We will deliver working phase and intensity signal modulator prototypes that we plan to use as fully characterized demonstrators to attract follow-on funding. Furthermore, we will establish the Alberta Metal-chalcogenide Manufacturing Facility (AM2F), which will be open to all in need of metal-chalcogenides and/or their optoelectronic device integration, this will act as a springboard in establishing further partnerships for follow on funding.