City Research Online

Abstract

Optical memristive switches can be used as optical latching switches in which the switching state is changed only by applying an electrical Write/Erase pulse and maintained without an external power supply. We demonstrate an optical memristive switch based on a silicon multimode interferometer structure covered with nanoscale-sized Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) material on top. The phase change of GST is triggered by resistive heating of the silicon layer beneath GST with an electrical pulse. Experimental results reveal that the optical transmissivity can be tuned in a controllable and repeatable manner. Partial crystallization of GST is obtained by controlling the width and amplitude of the electrical pulses. Crucially, we demonstrate that both Erase and Write operations, to and from any intermediate level, are possible with accurate control of the electrical pulses. Our work marks a significant step forward toward realizing photonic memristive switches without static power consumption, which are highly demanded in integrated photonics.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in ACS Photonics, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.9b00819.
Publisher Keywords:	phase-change material; GST; optical switch; memristive switch; silicon photonics; integrated optics
Subjects:	T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
Departments:	School of Science & Technology > Engineering
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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