An integrated photonic device for on-chip magneto-optical memory reading

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Spintronics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Conventional non-volatile memory retrieval involves energy-intensive electronic-optical signal conversion.
• Integrated photonic devices offer potential for faster and more efficient data processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and demonstrate a magneto-photonic device for non-volatile photonic memory.
• To overcome the speed and energy limitations of current memory retrieval systems.
• To enable all-optical reading of magnetic memory states.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of integrated photonic components on an Indium Phosphide membrane on Silicon (IMOS) platform.
• Integration of ferromagnetic thin-film multilayers as a top-cladding for non-volatile memory functionality.
• Engineering light phase using the polar magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) and asymmetrical waveguides.

Main Results:

• Demonstration of mode-specific transmission changes based on memory state.
• Successful recording of magnetic hysteresis loops via optical signals.
• Experimental validation of all-optical magnetic memory reading on an integrated photonic chip.
• Optical simulations quantitatively reproduced experimental Kerr signal amplitudes.

Conclusions:

• The developed magneto-photonic device successfully achieves non-volatile photonic memory functionality.
• The device enables direct, all-optical reading of magnetic memory states, bypassing electronic conversions.
• Promising results indicate a theoretical read-out bandwidth exceeding 50 Gbits/s.