Tunable slow light in graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide operating in SCLU telecom bands

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Metamaterials
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterials (GHMMs) offer unique optical properties.
• Controlling light propagation in waveguides is crucial for integrated photonics.
• Existing methods for slow light control have limitations in tunability and wavelength selection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the tunability of slow light in GHMM waveguides operating in telecom bands.
• To demonstrate the ability to obtain stopped light in freely selected wavelength ranges.
• To explore the control of light propagation using external electric fields.

Main Methods:

• Designing GHMM structures for waveguide layers.
• Optimizing waveguide geometry.
• Applying external electric fields for control.

Main Results:

• Achieved tunable slow light in GHMM waveguides within telecom bands.
• Demonstrated control over stopped light wavelength selection.
• Showcased the ability to control the number of supported optical modes via electric field biasing.

Conclusions:

• GHMM waveguides offer unprecedented control over slow light propagation.
• External electric field biasing provides a versatile method for tuning optical properties.
• Proposed structures are promising for CMOS-compatible integrated photonics applications like photonic memory and modulators.