Electro-optic Hybrid Research Articles

Research on Electro-Optic Hybrid Multidigit Digital Multiplier Based on Surface Plasmon Polariton Technology

Digital multipliers are the core components of digital computers, and improving the speed of transistor electronic computers during computation has almost reached its limit, with high power consumption. In this paper, we proposed an electro-optic hybrid multidigit digital multiplier based on SPP technology, which has the advantages of high speed and low power consumption in optical logic, as well as flexible electrical operation and easy storage. The electro-optic hybrid digital multiplier mainly consists of an electrical AND logic gate, an electro-optic hybrid half adder, and an electro-optic hybrid full adder. The optical logic unit is controlled by activated ITO materials to achieve optical-domain operations, and then the multiplication calculation results are converted into electrical signals through photoelectric conversion. The experimental results show that when the scale is 64 × 64 bits, compared with transistor digital multiplication, the energy consumption is reduced by 48.8%; the speed is increased by a factor of 28; and the volume of the electro-optic hybrid digital multiplier device is larger than that of the transistor multiplier, saving 59.9% of the area. For optical transmission loss, a single adder outputs 0.31 dB at different device scales, while the carry output continuously increases with device scale. At scales of 8 × 8 bits, 16 × 16 bits, and 64 × 64 bits, the insertion losses at the sum output ports are 1.03 dB/μm and 1.87 dB/μm, respectively.

Electro-optical hybrid full-adder based on surface plasmon polaritons

Optical computing has advantages such as high speed and anti-electromagnetic interference, and the adder is the key component that composes optical computing units. This paper proposes an electro-optic hybrid full-adder based on surface plasmon polaritons, which combines the advantages of flexible circuit control, storability, high speed and electromagnetic interference immunity in optical computing. By using surface plasmon polariton technology, the limitation of optical diffraction is overcome, and the size of the full-adder is limited to 26.7 µm2, which improves the integration of more logical computing units on a single chip. By utilizing the MOS structure, the addition operation function of optical logic is controlled, thus reducing the junction capacitance area and improving the operation speed. The feasibility of the design scheme was verified through FDTD simulation experiments, and the correctness of the logic was achieved when the transmission rate exceeded 200 Gbit. This research provides a theoretical and practical reference for the electro-optical hybrid full addition operation of surface plasmon polaritons.

Monolithic Kerr and electro-optic hybrid microcombs

Microresonator-based soliton generation promises chip-scale integration of optical frequency combs for applications spanning from time keeping to frequency synthesis. Access to the soliton repetition rate is a prerequisite for those applications. While miniaturized cavities harness Kerr nonlinearity and enable terahertz soliton repetition rates, such high rates are not amenable to direct electronic detection. Here, we demonstrate hybrid Kerr and electro-optic microcombs using a lithium niobate thin film that exhibits both Kerr and Pockels nonlinearities. By interleaving the high-repetition-rate Kerr soliton comb with the low-repetition-rate electro-optic comb on the same waveguide, wide Kerr soliton mode spacing is divided within a single chip, allowing for direct electronic detection and feedback control of the soliton repetition rate. Our work establishes an integrated approach to electronically access terahertz solitons, paving the way for building chip-scale referenced comb sources.

Electro-Optic Hybrid Logic Gate Derived from a Silicon-Based Hybrid Surface Plasmon Polariton Waveguide

Electro-optic hybrid computing is a key research topic in high-performance computing. AND, OR and NON are the most basic computing units. Logic units, which are composed of a Mach Zehnder interferometer (MZI) and a micro ring resonator (MRR), have the issues of large size and poor thermal stability. To solve these problems, this paper discusses the design of AND, OR and NON basic logic units in compact electro-optic logics based on the principle of silicon-based hybrid surface plasmon polariton waveguides. By optimizing the parameters with the Finite Difference-Time Domain (FDTD), the simulation results show that the maximum insertion loss (IL) of the AND, OR and NON logic units is 5.1 dB, and the extinction ratio (ER) is at least 14.3 dB. The experimental simulation results provide a theoretical basis for the design of an electro-optic logic gate derived from a silicon-based hybrid surface plasmon polariton waveguide.

Electro-optic hybrid aligned nematic device utilizing carbon nanotube arrays and two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride nanosheet as alignment substrates.

Hybrid-aligned nematic (HAN) liquid crystal (LC) devices have both fundamental and technological importance for their applications in LC adaptive lenses, low voltage LC displays, smart windows, and many more. We report the fabrication and characterization of a nanostructure-based HAN device employing vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VA-CNT) arrays as the homeotropic alignment agent on one side and two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as the planar alignment agent on the other side of the LC cell. The LC achieves the HAN configuration in the cell, i.e., homeotropic alignment at the VA-CNT side due to the π-π stacking interaction between the LC and CNTs, and planar alignment at the h-BN side due to the π-π stacking interaction between the LC and h-BN. When an applied electric field is ramped up across this VA-CNT/h-BN HAN cell, the LC (positive anisotropic) obtains a homeotropic state, requiring no threshold voltage to start the reorientation process; this effect is similar to that of a traditional polyimide (PI)-based HAN device. This VA-CNT/h-BN HAN cell successfully demonstrates the optical, electro-optical operations and the electric field-induced dynamic response. This study reveals that two inorganic nanostructured surfaces, VA-CNT arrays and 2D h-BN, can efficiently replace the organic PI alignment agents when needed and retain the HAN device's necessary electro-optical performances. These results substantially expand the fundamental understanding and the scope of utilizing various nanostructured surfaces for LC alignment mechanisms.

Chaos Synchronization Based on Hybrid Entropy Sources and Applications to Secure Communication

We experimentally demonstrate a chaotic synchronization scheme based on the electro-optic hybrid entropy sources. The chaos synchronization method is experimentally validated that 200 km high-level chaos synchronization can be attained and the distance can be further extended. The digital signal induced chaos synchronization signal has good robustness against the potential distortions in long-haul optical transmission. On the basis of the digital signal induced chaos synchronization strategy, a correlated random bit generation (CRBG) scheme with bit rate of 1.25 Gb/s and distance of 200 km is proposed. The generated correlated random bit sequences (CRBSs) pass all the NIST tests. Meanwhile, a data encryption scheme based on the robust chaos synchronization method is proposed with low computation complexity. The synchronization signal, in which the encrypted data is embedded, maintains the strength in long-haul transmission. The strong robustness of the scheme under parameter mismatch is numerically analyzed. These propositions show great potential in the field of secure communication, especially the long-haul scenario.

Enhanced generation of charge-dependent second-order sideband and high-sensitivity charge sensors in a gain-cavity-assisted optomechanical system

We theoretically investigate the enhanced charge-dependent generation of the optical second-order sidebands (OSS) in a gain-cavity-assisted optomechanical (GCAOM) system coupled to a charged object. The hybrid optomechanical system is coherently driven by an external two-tone laser field which consists of a continuous-wave pump field and a pulsed probe field. Beyond the conventional linearized description of optomechanical interactions, the nonlinear optomechanical interactions are included in the Heisenberg-Langevin equations and are treated analytically by means of the perturbation method. It is shown that an assisted gain cavity can significantly enhance the OSS generation and can also lead to higher charge dependence of the output OSS spectrum than that achieved from a lossy cavity optomechanical system. Subsequently we discuss the application of such a GCAOM system as a family of high-sensitivity sensor for measuring the charges. Using experimentally achievable parameters, we identify the conditions under which the assisted gain cavity allows us to enhance the OSS generation and improve sensitivity of the sensor beyond what is achievable in a lossy cavity optomechanical system. The present investigation may provide a route toward modulating the nonlinear optical properties of the electro-optic hybrid system, as well as to guide the design of sensitive devices.

Increased electro-optic effect in a guest–host electro-optic polymer by adding PEDOT:PSS as an interfacial barrier layer

We used an ellipsometric reflective technique developed by Teng and Man to measure the electrooptic (EO) coefficients of poled thin films in EO multilayer devices with and without a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) conductive barrier layer (CBL). The EO coefficients for the device containing PEDOT:PSS were 260 and 215 pm V−1 at 1.31 and 1.55 μm, respectively, which are higher than those for the device without the CBL. Indeed, the highest EO coefficient for the EO polymer poled without TiO2 or the CBL was 166 pm V−1 at 1.55 μm, consistent with that obtained for our modulator devices (160 pm V−1). We investigated the electrical properties, surface morphology, and optical quality of a PEDOT:PSS CBL in EO polymer/TiO2 multilayer-slot waveguide modulators. We demonstrated that the PEDOT:PSS functions as an efficient CBL to pole EO polymers in hybrid EO polymer/TiO2 vertical-slot waveguide modulators.

One-dimensional photonic crystal slot waveguide for silicon-organic hybrid electro-optic modulators.

In an on-chip silicon-organic hybrid electro-optic (EO) modulator, the mode overlap with EO materials, in-device effective r33, and propagation loss are among the most critical factors that determine the performance of the modulator. Various waveguide structures have been proposed to optimize these factors, yet there is a lack of comprehensive consideration on all of them. In this Letter, a one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal (PC) slot waveguide structure is proposed that takes all these factors into consideration. The proposed structure takes advantage of the strong mode confinement within a low-index region in a conventional slot waveguide and the slow-light enhancement from the 1D PC structure. Its simple geometry makes it robust to resist fabrication imperfections and helps reduce the propagation loss. Using it as a phase shifter in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure, an integrated silicon-organic hybrid EO modulator was experimentally demonstrated. The observed effective EO coefficient is as high as 490 pm/V. The measured half-wave voltage and length product is less than 1 V·cm and can be further improved. A potential bandwidth of 61 GHz can be achieved and further improved by tailoring the doping profile. The proposed structure offers a competitive novel phase-shifter design, which is simple, highly efficient, and with low optical loss, for on-chip silicon-organic hybrid EO modulators.

Ultra-thin silicon/electro-optic polymer hybrid waveguide modulators

Ultra-thin silicon and electro-optic (EO) polymer hybrid waveguide modulators have been designed and fabricated. The waveguide consists of a silicon core with a thickness of 30 nm and a width of 2 μm. The cladding is an EO polymer. Optical mode calculation reveals that 55% of the optical field around the silicon extends into the EO polymer in the TE mode. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) modulator was prepared using common coplanar electrodes. The measured half-wave voltage of the MZI with 7 μm spacing and 1.3 cm long electrodes is 4.6 V at 1550 nm. The evaluated EO coefficient is 70 pm/V, which is comparable to that of the bulk EO polymer film. Using ultra-thin silicon is beneficial in order to reduce the side-wall scattering loss, yielding a propagation loss of 4.0 dB/cm. We also investigated a mode converter which couples light from the hybrid EO waveguide into a strip silicon waveguide. The calculation indicates that the coupling loss between these two devices is small enough to exploit the potential fusion of a hybrid EO polymer modulator together with a silicon micro-photonics device.

Analysis of efficiently poled electro-optic polymer/Tio2 vertical slot waveguide modulators

We analyze the advantages of an electro-optic (EO) polymer/TiO2 vertical slot waveguide modulator based on a low-index EO polymer (SEO125). This modulator can realize a lower half-wave voltage (Vπ)-electrode length (Le) product (VπLe) when compared with hybrid EO polymer (EOP)/sol–gel silica waveguide modulators because of the high mode confinement of the guided light and the high poling efficiency. We show the enhancement of the poling efficiency in these devices when the EO polymers are poled with TiO2 and sol–gel silica layers. We also enhance the EO coefficient to a level of 260pm/V at a wavelength of 1.31μm for a high-index EOP (SEO100) deposited on TiO2, a sol–gel silica cladding layer, and an additional interfacial layer.

Enhanced conductivity of sol-gel silica cladding for efficient poling in electro-optic polymer/TiO2 vertical slot waveguide modulators.

We report the enhanced conductivity of sol-gel silica under-cladding for efficient poling of electro-optic (EO) polymer in a hybrid EO polymer/TiO2 vertical slot waveguide modulator. The electrical volume conductivity of sol-gel silica cladding increases approximately 30 times when the calcining time of the cladding layer is critically reduced to 45 minutes, which increases the in-device EO coefficient of the 600-nm-thick EO polymer film in modulators and reduces the lower halfwave voltage (Vπ) of the modulators. The lowest driving voltage (Vπ) of the TiO2 slot waveguide modulator is 2.0 V for an electrode length (Le) of 10 mm and wavelength of 1550 nm (VπLe = 2.0 V·cm) for the low-index guest-host EO polymer SEO125. The optical propagation loss is reduced to 7 dB/cm.

Short hybrid polymer/sol-gel silica waveguide switches with high in-device electro-optic coefficient based on photostable chromophore

The highest electro-optic (EO) coefficient to date is achieved in short polymeric directional coupler switches based on hybrid EO polymer/sol-gel silica waveguides. Optimized poling conditions in such waveguides give a highest in-device EO coefficient of 160 pm/V at 1550 nm using highly efficient and photostable guest–host EO polymer SEO100. Adiabatic waveguide transitions from the passive sol-gel core to active EO polymer cores surrounding the sol-gel core are shown using EO polymer cores with a coplanar tapered structure. Switching voltages of 8.4 and 10.5 V are achieved for electrodes that are 2.1 and 1.5 mm long, respectively, which are half those of EO switches containing the chromophore AJLS102.

Hybrid electrooptic and piezoelectric laser beam steering in two dimensions

With modern optical technology, there is a great demand for devices capable of steering a laser beam at high speed. A hybrid electrooptical scanner and an electromechanical scanner capable of two-dimensional (2-D) laser beam scanning are demonstrated. This device can scan a laser beam in 2-D. A 1/spl deg/ scanning angle in the horizontal axis at 50 Hz using electrooptic scanning and a 5.23/spl deg/ scanning angle in vertical axis at 25.6 kHz using piezoelectric scanning are shown.

Polarization-insensitive transition between sol-gel waveguide and electrooptic polymer and intensity modulation for all-optical networks

An intensity modulation using a hybrid electrooptic (EO) polymer/sol-gel straight channel waveguide, useful in the 1550-nm wavelength regime is demonstrated without using Mach-Zehnder interferometric waveguide. The sol-gel waveguide is selectively buried so that a vertical transition into and out of an EO polymer coated on the sol-gel waveguide is arranged. The throughput ratio for transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes of the light coupled out of the hybrid waveguide is improved up to 0.9 dB with the help of reduced birefringence of the EO polymer after corona poling. We show that the fabrication process of such hybrid-type waveguides enables production of a phase modulator operating at 1550-nm wavelength. The fabricated straight channel waveguide modulator exhibits stable- and high-intensity modulation efficiency (82%) using a simple cross-polarization setup after the polarization dependence is reduced. We demonstrate an all wet-etching process to fabricate polymeric EO modulators.

A novel electro-optic hybrid current measurement instrument for high-voltage power lines

Details of an electro-optic, hybrid current-sensing instrument, and its application to high-voltage power line current measurement, are presented. The current is first detected via a Rogowski coil, followed by conversion of the detected current into a frequency-modulated optical pulse signal in the high-voltage area. Subsequently, the optical pulse signal is transmitted to the ground through an optical fiber cable. Finally, the measured current is recovered from the optical pulse signal by a ground-located signal-processing module. Compared with conventional current transformers, widely used for high-voltage line current measurement, this instrument provides a significant reduction in size, weight, and cost, together with features of convenient installation, secure operation, and high accuracy. Furthermore, it can be configured to be compatible with conventional secondary meters widely used in today's power plants and substations. In 1996, a prototype of this instrument was demonstrated online at a power substation and has shown good accuracy, stability, and safety for more than two years.

A new electro-optic hybrid current-sensing scheme for current measurement at high voltage

A new electro-optic hybrid current sensor is presented here. The sensor consists of three parts: first is a Rogowski coil and integrator whose output voltage is proportional to the current flowing in the power line. Second is a combination voltage to frequency converter and electro-optic converter. The combination converter transforms the integrated Rogowski coil voltage into a FM optical signal. The optical signal can then be transmitted to a low voltage region via an optical fiber for subsequent demodulation processing. Third is an intrinsic power supply in which a small conventional current transformer is used to draw power from the power line. A current sensor based on this design was developed, having a diameter of 15 cm, length of 30 cm, and weight of 2 kg, and has been working well at a 110 kV substation for two years. This sensor features small size, light weight, high accuracy, low cost, and reduced hazard.

Adaptive computer-generated hologram using interpolation method

Kinoform synthesis by an electro-optic hybrid system using an interpolation method is proposed. A programmable liquid crystal spatial light modulator is used as a kinoform. The phase distribution of the kinoform is optimized using the simulated annealing. The cost function is represented by the mean square error between a desired image stored in a computer and a reconstructed image detected by a charge coupled device camera. The interpolation method enables one to reduce the random noise effect in the reconstructed image. Some experimental results are presented.

Recent progress in optical current sensing techniques

This paper reviews recent developments in the field of current measurement which employ a wide range of optical and fiber optic techniques. Depending on the current sensing mechanisms involved and the sensing materials used, optical current sensors (OCSs) may be categorized into four main groups: (i) OCSs employing optical fiber as their sensing elements, (ii) OCSs using bulk glass to sense the current, (iii) OCSs using electro-optic hybrid sensing devices, and (iv) OCSs using magnetic field sensing devices. The operational modes of a variety of OCSs have been grouped and discussed, and several examples given. It can be seen that as a result of an intensive and wide ranging research effort using various approaches, substantial progress in the differing aspects of the optical current sensing techniques considered, such as the sensing material used, the configurations of sensing elements introduced, and the detection schemes adapted, has been achieved during the past years. An overall view of the field shows it to be as an active and exciting research area, highlighting several recently introduced and novel sensing materials and configurations which provide impressive results in this field of instrumentation. Examples of applications for the electric power industry are discussed more extensively.

Switchable all-optical encoding and decoding using optical fibre lattices

A method of electrically programming a fibre-optic lattice using electrooptic hybrid X-junction switches is described. This can be used to construct reconfigurable encoders and decoders for the generation and recognition of unipolar pulse codes in code- division multiple access local area networks based on all-optical, incoherent signal processing.