2012/05/02 by Zhaolin Lu, Lu, Zhaolin, Wangshi Zhao +3
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Optics (physics.optics) #Photonic Crystals and Applications #Photonic and Optical Devices #Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1205.0502
openalex publication_date 2012/05/02 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Recent experiments showed that unity-order index change in a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) can be achieved in a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structure by accumulation charge. However, the ultrathin (~5nm) accumulation layer and inherent absorption of TCOs impede the practical applications of this effect. Herein, we propose and explore a novel waveguide, namely "TCO-slot waveguide", which combines both the tunable property of a TCO and field enhancement of a slot waveguide. In particular, light absorption can be sharply enhanced when the slot dielectric constant is tuned close to zero. Based on TCO-slot waveguides, efficient electro-absorption modulation can be achieved within 200 nm with small insertion loss.