Periodic pixelated structure for electro-optically and orientationally programmable asymmetric electromagnetic...

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Metamaterials
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• All-dielectric periodic structures offer unique electromagnetic properties.
• Asymmetric electromagnetic transmission (AET) is crucial for optical diodes and signal processing.
• Existing designs often lack tunability or efficient switching mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and demonstrate an all-dielectric periodic structure exhibiting high AET.
• To achieve electro-optic and orientational programmability for optical diodes.
• To enable fast switching speeds for optical communication applications.

Main Methods:

• A pixelation approach was used to create a non-bidirectionally symmetric dielectric structure.
• The structure incorporates dielectric solids and a transparent electro-optic polymer with a high electro-optic coefficient.
• Near-infrared wavelengths (1.2 to 1.8 µm) were investigated.

Main Results:

• The designed structure demonstrated high asymmetric electromagnetic transmission (AET) up to 0.90.
• A specific combination of applied voltage and angle of incidence allowed for tunable AET at particular wavelengths.
• The use of electro-optic polymer enabled sub-nanosecond switching speeds.

Conclusions:

• The pixelated all-dielectric structure shows significant promise for electro-optically and orientationally programmable optical diodes.
• The achieved high AET and fast switching speeds are suitable for in-line optical systems and optical communications.
• This work advances the development of tunable photonic devices for next-generation optical technologies.