IP Library › Granted Patent US 12675007
Granted Patent B1
US 12675007 · App. 18/200,364 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Ultra-low-energy non-volatile phase shifters

Inventors: Zhuoran Fang (Seattle, WA); Rui Chen (Seattle, WA); Jiajiu Zheng (Seattle, WA); Asir Intisar Khan (Stanford, CA); Kathryn M. Neilson (Stanford, CA); Sarah J. Geiger (Cambridge, MA); Dennis M. Callahan, Jr. (Cambridge, MA); Michael G. Moebius (Cambridge, MA); Abhi Saxena (Seattle, WA); Michelle E. Chen (Stanford, CA); Carlos Rios (College Park, MD); Juejun Hu (Cambridge, MA); Eric Pop (Stanford, CA); Arka Majumdar (Seattle, WA)
G02F1/0147G02F2201/063G02F2203/50
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12675007
App. No.
18/200,364
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

In one aspect, an integrated photonic device is disclosed, which comprises a waveguide through which radiation having one or more wavelengths within a wavelength band can propagate, a phase shifter optically coupled to said waveguide. The phase shifter comprises a heat-actuable phase change material (PCM) optically coupled to the waveguide, and a heater having a layer of a two-dimensional material in thermal communication with the PCM and configured to receive a reset voltage pulse for causing heating of the graphene layer followed by cooling thereof, wherein the thermal communication between the heated graphene layer and the PCM causes at least a portion of the PCM to undergo a phase transition from a crystalline state to an amorphous state, thereby causing a change in a refractive index of the PCM and a resultant phase shift in the radiation propagating through the waveguide.

Claims (56)

1 . An integrated photonic device, comprising:

a waveguide having a top surface, a bottom surface and a pair of side surfaces, the waveguide configured to guide radiation having one or more wavelengths within a wavelength band,

a heat-actuable phase change material (PCM) optically coupled to the waveguide, and

a heater disposed between the waveguide and the PCM, the heater having a two-dimensional material layer at least partially disposed above the top surface of the waveguide and configured for application of a voltage pulse thereto for causing heating thereof, and

a first electrically insulating spacer layer separating said two-dimensional material layer from the top surface of the waveguide,

wherein said two-dimensional material layer is in thermal communication with the PCM such that heat transfer from the two-dimensional material layer, when heated, to the PCM causes the PCM to undergo a material phase transition between a crystalline state and an amorphous state, thereby causing a change in a refractive index of the PCM and a resultant change in at least one of a phase and transmission of an electromagnetic wave propagating through the waveguide.

2 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein the heater further comprises a pair of electrically conductive contacts electrically coupled to the two-dimensional material layer to allow application of the voltage pulse thereto.

3 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein said two-dimensional material layer comprises any of a semi-metal, and a doped semiconductor.

4 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , further comprising a voltage source for applying said voltage pulse to the two-dimensional material layer.

5 . The integrated photonic device of claim 4 , further comprising a controller in communication with said voltage source.

6 . The integrated photonic device of claim 5 , wherein said controller is configured to generate a first voltage pulse for application to said two-dimensional material layer, wherein said first voltage pulse is suitable for causing a material phase transition of the PCM from the crystalline state to the amorphous state.

7 . The integrated photonic device of claim 6 , wherein said controller is further configured to generate a second voltage pulse for application to said two-dimensional material layer, wherein said second voltage pulse is suitable for causing a material phase transition of the PCM from the amorphous state to the crystalline state.

8 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein said waveguide is positioned between two electrically conductive contacts and the two-dimensional material layer forms a bridge over the top surface of the waveguide between the two electrically conductive contacts.

9 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein said PCM is disposed above said two-dimensional material layer and the top surface of the waveguide.

10 . The integrated photonic device of claim 9 , further comprising a second electrically insulating spacer layer separating said two-dimensional material layer from said PCM.

11 . The integrated photonic device of claim 10 , wherein any of said first and said second electrically insulating layer comprises any of:

Al2O3;

SiO2;

silicon nitride;

Hafnia;

ZnS;

ZnS—SiO2;

silicon carbide; or

titanium dioxide.

12 . The integrated photonic device of claim 10 , wherein any of said first and second electrically insulating spacer layer has a thickness in a range of about 10 nm to about 50 nm.

13 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , further comprising an insulating capping layer.

14 . The integrated photonic device of claim 13 , wherein said insulating cap layer comprises any of:

Al2O3;

SiO2;

silicon nitride;

Hafnia;

ZnS;

ZnS—SiO2;

silicon carbide; or

titanium dioxide.

15 . The integrated photonic device of claim 14 , wherein said insulating cap layer has a thickness in a range of about 10 nm to about 50 nm.

16 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein said wavelength band comprises the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

17 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein said wavelength band comprises the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

18 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein said heat-actuable PCM comprises a chalcogenide glass selected from the group consisting of a sulfide, a selenide, a telluride, networked with any of Ge, Sb, As, Si, Sn, in, Ag, and Bi.

19 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein said heat-actuable PCM comprises any of antimony sulfide (SbS) and antimony selenide (SbSe).

20 . The integrated photonic device of claim 19 , wherein said PCM comprises Sb2Se3.

21 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide comprises any of silicon, silicon nitride, diamond, silicon carbide, or titanium dioxide.

22 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide comprises a ridge waveguide.

23 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein the integrated photonic device comprises a phase shifter.

24 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein the integrated photonic device comprises a transmission waveguide.

25 . The integrated photonic device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrically insulating spacer layer separates the two-dimensional material layer from the surface of the waveguide and from the two side surfaces of the waveguide.

26 . An integrated photonic device comprising:

a waveguide through which radiation having one or more wavelengths within a wavelength band can propagate;

a heat-actuable phase change material (PCM) optically coupled to the waveguide;

a heater disposed between the waveguide and the PCM, the heater having a two-dimensional material layer at least partially disposed above a top surface of the waveguide and configured for application of a voltage pulse thereto for causing heating thereof and shaped to cover a surface of the PCM and flank sidewalls of the PCM; and

wherein said two-dimensional material layer is in thermal communication with the PCM such that heat transfer from the two-dimensional material layer, when heated, to the PCM causes the PCM to undergo a material phase transition between a crystalline state and an amorphous state, thereby causing a change in a refractive index of the PCM and a resultant change in at least one of a phase and transmission of an electromagnetic wave propagating through the waveguide.

27 . The integrated photonic device of claim 26 , wherein said waveguide is positioned between two electrically conductive contacts and the two-dimensional material layer forms a bridge over the top surface of the waveguide between the two electrically conductive contacts.

28 . The integrated photonic device of claim 26 , wherein the heater further comprises a pair of electrically conductive contacts electrically coupled to the two-dimensional material layer to allow application of the voltage pulse thereto.

29 . The integrated photonic device of claim 26 , further comprising a first electrically insulating spacer layer separating said two-dimensional material layer from the top surface of the waveguide.

30 . The integrated photonic device of claim 29 , further comprising a second electrically insulating spacer layer separating said two-dimensional material layer from said PCM.

31 . The integrated photonic device of claim 29 , wherein the first electrically insulating spacer layer separates the two-dimensional material layer from the surface of the waveguide and from the two side surfaces of the waveguide.