Ultra-compact exciton polariton modulator based on van der Waals semiconductors

With the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the exponential growth in data generation, there is an increasing demand for high-performance and highly integratable optical modulators. In this work, we present an ultra-compact exciton-polariton Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator based on WS₂ multilayers. The guided exciton-polariton modes arise in an ultrathin WS₂ waveguide due to the strong excitonic resonance. By locally exciting excitons using a modulation laser in one arm of the MZ modulator, we induce changes in the effective refractive index of the polariton mode, resulting in modulation of transmitted intensity. Remarkably, we achieve a maximum modulation of -6.20 dB with an ultra-short modulation length of 2 μm. Our MZ modulator boasts an ultra-compact footprint area of ~30 μm² and a thin thickness of 18 nm. Our findings present new opportunities for the advancement of highly integrated and efficient photonic devices utilizing van der Waals materials.