Vanadium-Oxide-Based Thin Films with Ultra-High Thermo-Optic Coefficients at 1550 nm and 2000 nm Wavelengths.

Mohamed Abdel-Rahman,Ahmed Fauzi Abas,Esam Bahidra

doi:10.3390/ma13082002

Mohamed Abdel-Rahman, Ahmed Fauzi Abas + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13082002

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Abstract

In this paper, the temperature-dependent dielectric properties of vanadium-sesquioxide-based thin films are studied to assess their suitability for thermally tunable filters at optical communication wavelengths. Spectroscopic ellipsometry is utilized to measure the optical constants of vanadium oxide thin films at temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 65 °C. High thermo-optic coefficients (dn/dTs) were observed. The highest dn/dTs, measured at approximately 40 °C, were −8.4 × 10−3/°C and −1.05 × 10−2/°C at 1550 nm and 2000 nm, respectively.

Highlights

Tunable optical filters are crucial components in Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM)transmission systems, optical amplifier development, noise filtering and many more
Realizing a thin film material with a high dn/dT at the optical communication wavelengths is an enabler for high performance thin-film-based tunable optical filters [4]
12,000 nm) infrared wavelengths [5]. This fact encouraged studying the properties of vanadium oxide thin films developed in the literature [5] at optical communication wavelengths, 1550 nm and 2000 nm, for potential use in thermally tunable filters

Summary

Introduction

Tunable optical filters are crucial components in Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). Tunable optical filters have been realized based on several technologies since the last decade [1,2,3,4] One of those technologies is thermo-optic tuning, which evolved rapidly, introducing an alternative method to develop tunable optical filters [2,3,4]. In this technology, the key performance parameter is the thermo-optic coefficient (dn/dT), which is a parameter that quantifies the change in a material’s refractive index due to a temperature change. 12,000 nm) infrared wavelengths [5] This fact encouraged studying the properties of vanadium oxide thin films developed in the literature [5] at optical communication wavelengths, 1550 nm and 2000 nm, for potential use in thermally tunable filters. The temperature-dependent optical properties are analyzed, revealing high dn/dTs at 1550 nm and 2000 nm

Film Synthesis and Ellipsometric Data Acquisition

Modeling Ellipsometric Data

Analysis and Discussion

Conclusions