Wafer-scale δ waveguides for integrated two-dimensional photonics

Abstract

The efficient, large-scale generation and control of photonic modes guided by van der Waals materials remains as a challenge despite their potential for on-chip photonic circuitry. We report three-atom-thick waveguides—δ waveguides—based on wafer-scale molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) monolayers that can guide visible and near-infrared light over millimeter-scale distances with low loss and an efficient in-coupling. The extreme thinness provides a light-trapping mechanism analogous to a δ-potential well in quantum mechanics and enables the guided waves that are essentially a plane wave freely propagating along the in-plane, but confined along the out-of-plane, direction of the waveguide. We further demonstrate key functionalities essential for two-dimensional photonics, including refraction, focusing, grating, interconnection, and intensity modulation, by integrating thin-film optical components with δ waveguides using microfabricated dielectric, metal, or patterned MoS 2 .

On-chip two-dimensional material-based waveguide-integrated photodetectors

“…For example, appropriately structured graphene waveguides and devices can achieve all-graphene PICs, 280,281 and δ waveguides fabricated based on wafer-scale monolayer MoS 2 can guide visible and near-infrared light over sub-millimeter-scale distances. 282 These achievements suggest new directions for the future development of optical communication. Furthermore, subwavelength-scale meta-waveguides based on metasurfaces and metamaterials can enable powerful light manipulation and diverse photonic structures.…”

Controlled Formation of Nanoribbons and Their Heterostructures via Assembly of Mass‐Selected Inorganic Ions

“…One of the hallmarks of nanomaterials is the strong dependence of their properties on their sizes and shapes. [ 1–3 ] Owing to quantum confinement effects at the nanoscale, this dependence provides means to tune optical [ 4–7 ] and chemical properties [ 8–10 ] of nanoparticles, as well as means to access unique superconductivity, [ 11 ] electrochemical, [ 12 ] or light–matter [ 13,14 ] phenomena in monolayer materials. [ 1,2 ] As these qualities translate to the strong prospect of nanomaterials to tackle challenges in fields as diverse as energy research [ 7,15 ] and medicine, [ 7,16 ] demands to prepare nanomaterials in specific shapes and sizes with atomic precision soar accordingly.…”

Optical Modification of Two-Dimensional Materials: From Atomic to Electronic Scale

“…Some physical phenomena observed in graphene also exist in TMD materials, such as Moiré flat band , and the influence of Berry curvature, , etc. There are also more interesting phenomena in TMDs, e.g., the strong Coulomb interaction caused by weak dielectric shielding and different exciton states by strong geometric constraints, − the tunable band gap, − the metallic/semiconductor phase transition, , and the valleytronics induced by broken inversion symmetry. ,− Such intriguing properties provide new opportunities in the design and fabrication of atomic-thin electronic, − optoelectronic, − or photonic devices. − …”