Recent developments in hybrid electro-optic (EO) systems, in which an organic material with an ultra-large second-order susceptibility is combined with silicon (SOH) or gold (POH) waveguides at the nanoscale, have enabled breakthrough EO performance in systems that can be implemented on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. Tight confinement of the optical and RF fields in hybrid devices has enabled operating frequencies &gt;300 GHz and voltage-length parameters (U<sub>π</sub>L) &lt; 40 V-μm with existing high-performance organic electro-optic (OEO) materials. However, achieving U<sub>π</sub>L values on the order of 1 V-μm will require a new generation of OEO materials. The short path lengths within hybrid devices greatly alleviate concerns about optical loss, enabling development of OEO chromophores with extraordinarily large hyperpolarizabilities and refractive indices at telecom wavelengths. However, as device dimensions shrink, chromophore-surface interactions, space-efficiency, and refractive index anisotropy become more critical. Addressing these challenges requires a combination of theory-aided molecular design to improve hyperpolarizability, chromophore order and thermal stability; development and evaluation of surface coatings to improve material compatibility and poling behavior; as well as spectroscopic and electro-optic characterization of new chromophores. We apply these techniques and experimental methods to develop a new generation of OEO materials intended to improve the performance of hybrid devices and enable chip-scale integration.

Development of next-generation materials for hybrid electro-optic systems

2019 Fall National Meeting

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