Ultralow‐Power All‐Optical Logic Data Distributor Based on Resonant Excitation Enhanced Nonlinearity by Upconversion Radiative Transfer

Abstract

AbstractAn ultralow‐power all‐optical logic data distributor with dual address bits is realized. The device is constructed from three silicon slot ring resonators, which are side coupled to silicon slot waveguides and coated with a nonlinear nanocomposite material made of upconversion nanoparticles dispersed in an organic conjugated polymer matrix. A large nonlinearity enhancement occurs in the nanocomposite material through resonant excitation via an upconversion radiative‐transfer process, which ensures an ultralow operating threshold control intensity of 10 kW cm−2. This result represents a reduction of five orders of magnitude compared with previous reports. An ultrafast response time of several picoseconds is simultaneously maintained based on structural defects inducing ultrafast decay of excited‐state carriers. The intensity contrast ratio between the output logic states “1” and “0” is larger than 20 dB, which is a fivefold increase compared with previous reports. This work may pave the way for the realization of real‐time multibit all‐optical computing chips.