Open AccessNonvolatile magneto-optical switches integrated with a magnet stripe array
Author(s) -
Toshiya Murai,
Yuya Shoji,
Nobuhiko Nishiyama,
Tetsuya Mizumoto
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.403129
Subject(s) - materials science , optical switch , magnet , photonics , optoelectronics , photonic integrated circuit , switching time , optics , magnetization , voltage , optical power , power (physics) , magnetic field , electrical engineering , laser , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Nonvolatile optical switches are promising components for low-power photonic integrated circuits with multiple functionalities. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate magneto-optical switches integrated with a magnet array. Optical switches in both microring and Mach-Zehnder configurations are fabricated on a high-quality single-crystalline magneto-optical material Ce:YIG. The switched state is alternated by a current-induced magnetic field from an integrated electromagnet and remained without any external power supply owing to the nonvolatile magnetization of thin-film magnets. Subsequently, the arbitrary level control of optical transmission is demonstrated by changing the magnetization state of integrated thin-film magnets with a current applied in the microring gate switch, and a maximum switching ratio over 25 dB is achieved in the Mach-Zehnder switch. The latching operation is presented with a 1-µs pulsed voltage.