In a new publication from Opto-Electronic Advances; DOI 10.29026/oea.2022.200046, the research group of Professor Han Zhang from Shenzhen University, Shenzen, China discusses all-optical modulation technology.
All-optical modulation technology is considered an emerging research field that may have a significant impact in the future. As compared to the conventional electrical modulation technology, the most prominent advantage of the all-optical modulation technology is its fast speed and strong anti-interference ability. In a complex electromagnetic environment, in particular, electrical modulation technology is considered more susceptible to interference, which adversely affects the modulation signal. To solve the deficiency of the traditional electro-optical and optoelectronic modulation technologies, all-optical modulation technology is developed for designing new photonic devices, so that information can always be processed in an optical approach, which thus ignores the disadvantages. The SSPM and spatial cross-phase modulation (SXPM) methods based on 2D materials are considered interesting nonlinear optical phenomena, which are demonstrated to have a promising application in the all-optical technology.
The research group of Professor Han Zhang from Shenzhen University proposed using the Kerr nonlinearity of 2D black arsenic-phosphorus (B-AsP) to design all optical logic devices. Kerr nonlinearity in 2D nanomaterials is becoming an appealing and intriguing research area owing to their prominent light processing, modulation, and manipulation abilities. In their investigation, 2D B-AsP was applied in nonlinear photonic devices based on spatial self-phase modulation method. Using the Kerr nonlinearity of 2D B-AsP, an all-optical phase modulated system is proposed to realize the functions of "on" and "off" in all-optical switching. Through the same all-optical phase modulated system, anther optical logical gate is proposed, and the logical "or" function is achieved based on the 2D B-AsP dispersions. Moreover, utilizing the SSPM method, a 2D B-AsP/ SnS2 hybrid structure is fabricated, and the result illustrates that the hybrid structure possesses the ability of unidirectional nonlinear excitation to achieve the function of spatial asymmetric light propagation. This function is an important prerequisite for the realization of diode functionalization, which is an important basis for the design of isolators as well. The initial investigations indicate that 2D B-AsP is applicable in the design of optical logical devices (including all-optical switching, logical gate and isolator), which can be considered an important development in all-optical information processing.
Article reference: Wu LM, Fan TJ, Wei SR, Xu YJ, Zhang Y et al. All-optical logic devices based on black arsenic–phosphorus with strong nonlinear optical response and high stability. Opto-Electron Adv 5, 200046 (2022) . doi: 10.29026/oea.2022.200046
Keywords: B-AsP nanomaterial / all-optical phase-modulated system / spatial asymmetric light propagation
