Small footprint Nano-Mechanical Plasmonic Phase Modulators

Abstract

The authors' recent Nature Photonics article titled 'Compact Nano-Mechanical Plasmonic Phase Modulators' [1] is reviewed which reports a new phase modulation principle with experimental demonstration of a 23 μm long non-resonant modulator having 1.5 π rad range with 1.7 dB excess loss at 780 nm. Analysis showed that by decreasing all dimensions, a low loss, ultra-compact π rad phase modulator is possible. Application of this type of nano-mechanical modulator in a miniature 2 × 2 switch is suggested and an optical design numerically validated. The footprint of the switch is 0.5 μm × 2.5 μm.