Voltage-driven Switching Research Articles

Voltage-Controlled Fast and Low-Loss Single-Photon Cross-Bar Switch Using Integrated Photonics

A high-speed, low-loss modular cross-bar switching element suitable for single photons is demonstrated. Entanglement preserving voltage-driven switching of single photons is achieved with a unique combination of ultra-fast and low-loss characteristics (less than 50 ps 10%–90% transition time and greater than 90% transmission), and we present a roadmap towards even lower losses. The switch properties are well matched to the wavelength, bandwidth and lifetime of photons generated by spontaneous four-wave mixing sources also realized in silicon photonics. Such a switch can enable reconfigurability of each single photon and addressing of each time bin, and benefit future quantum photonic circuits.

Multicolor Electrochromic Dye-Doped Liquid Crystal Yolk-Shell Microcapsules.

A new system of yolk-shell microcapsules containing two types of dye-doped liquid crystals was prepared via seed emulsion polymerization in which the synthetic process was mimicking plant respiration. The resulting system demonstrated reversible low voltage-driven switching between multispectral colored and transparent states. Moreover, wearable multicolor electrochromic fibers based on calcium alginate were produced via wet spinning to expand the application of yolk-shell dye-doped liquid crystal microcapsules. In addition to its long-term optical stability, the proposed cells and fibers also have satisfactory driving voltage values of color change (4.8 and 9.0 V), which are far lower than the human body safety voltage (12 V). We believe that the prepared microcapsules and fibers are potentially widely applicable in smart windows, electronic paper, and military camouflage clothing.

Synergistic Path for Dual Anisotropic and Electrically Switchable Emission From a Nanocomposite of CsPbBr3 Quantum Cuboids and Nematic Liquid Crystal

We report photophysical properties of a nanocomposite consisting of perovskite quantum cuboids (QCs) formed by CsPbBr3 and a wide temperature range nematic liquid crystal. Contrary to observations made with conventional II-VI quantum dots dispersed in a liquid crystal, the used QCs form, under the influence of the nematic orientation, linear assemblies over macroscopic length scales evidenced by polarizing optical microscopy. Interestingly, the linear assembly is actually caused by such an anisotropic arrangement at the nm scale, as seen in TEM images. Thin films of the nanocomposite exhibiting this unique and fascinating character exhibit absorption and emission features, which are quite appealing. These include retention of the sharp bandwidth of emission characteristic of the native QCs and establishment of dual anisotropies, arising from the values being different along the director as well in the two directions orthogonal to it. We also present data on voltage-driven switching between one of the anisotropic limits.

Reversible and magnetically unassisted voltage-driven switching of magnetization in FeRh/PMN-PT

Reversible control of magnetization by electric fields without assistance from a subsidiary magnetic field or electric current could help reduce the power consumption in spintronic devices. When increasing temperature above room temperature, FeRh displays an uncommon antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition linked to a unit cell volume expansion. Thus, using the strain exerted by an adjacent piezoelectric layer, the relative amount of antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic regions can be tuned by an electric field applied to the piezoelectric material. Indeed, large variations in the saturation magnetization have been observed when straining FeRh films grown on suitable piezoelectric substrates. In view of its applications, the variations in the remanent magnetization rather than those of the saturation magnetization are the most relevant. Here, we show that in the absence of any bias external magnetic field, permanent and reversible magnetization changes as high as 34% can be induced by an electric field, which remain after this has been zeroed. Bulk and local magnetoelectric characterization reveals that the fundamental reason for the large magnetoelectric response observed at remanence is the expansion (rather than the nucleation) of ferromagnetic nanoregions.

Recombinant azurin-CdSe/ZnS hybrid structures for nanoscale resistive random access memory device

In the present study, we developed a biohybrid material composed of recombinant azurin and CdSe-ZnS quantum dot to perform as a resistive random access memory (ReRAM) device. Site specific amino acid sequences were introduced in azurin to bind with the surface of CdSe-ZnS nanoparticle allowing the formation of a hybrid and voltage-driven switching enabled to develop a resistive random access memory (ReRAM) device. The analytical measurements confirmed that the azurin and CdSe-ZnS nanoparticles were well conjugated and formed into a single hybrid. Further, reversible, bistable switching along with repeatable writing-reading-erasing processes on individual azurin/CdSe-ZnS hybrid at nanoscale was achieved on the hybrid device. The device was programmed tested for 50 cycles with an ON/OFF ratio and measured to be of three orders of magnitude. The developed device shown good stability and repeatability and operates at low voltages thus makes it promising candidate for future memory device applications.

Franz–Keldysh Photon-Assisted Voltage-Operated Switching of a Transistor Laser

Data are presented on the transistor laser light-output (L <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">I-V </sub> ) as a function of base current and the collector-to-emitter voltage (V <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">CE</sub> ) revealing sensitive fine structure that can, with suitable bias, be exploited for signal switching and mixing. The output light intensity versus current-voltage characteristics (L <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">I-V </sub> ) and the fine structure in the L <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">I-V</sub> characteristics are related to the change in laser operation from the ground state to the first excited state of the quantum well incorporated in the transistor base, laser mode changes, or shift from spontaneous to stimulated emission (or the reverse). The region of stimulated recombination and its boundary are or particular interest. The concept of the voltage-driven switching of a transistor laser employing the Franz-Keldysh photon-assisted process to shift the operation from stimulated (high coherent optical field) to spontaneous (lower incoherent field) is demonstrated