Optical modulator including grapene
View Patent ↗The present invention provides for a one or more layer graphene optical modulator. In a first exemplary embodiment the optical modulator includes an optical waveguide, a nanoscale oxide spacer adjacent to a working region of the waveguide, and a monolayer graphene sheet adjacent to the spacer. In a second exemplary embodiment, the optical modulator includes at least one pair of active media, where the pair includes an oxide spacer, a first monolayer graphene sheet adjacent to a first side of the spacer, and a second monolayer graphene sheet adjacent to a second side of the spacer, and at least one optical waveguide adjacent to the pair.
1. An optical modulator comprising:
an optical waveguide;
an oxide layer disposed on the optical waveguide;
a graphene sheet disposed on the oxide layer, the graphene sheet being selected from a group consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms and multiple layers of carbon atoms; and
an electrode in contact with the graphene sheet.
2. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a dielectric material.
3. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a material selected from a group consisting of silicon, silicon nitride, and silicon dioxide.
4. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a plasmonic waveguide having a metallic structure configured to support propagating surface plasmon waves.
5. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide has a quality factor within a range selected from a group consisting of 10 to 100, 10 to 1000, 10 to 10000, 10 to 100000, and 10 to 1000000.
6. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the oxide layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide, and silicon dioxide.
7. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a low Q optical cavity.
8. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a material that is doped.
9. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a transparent material.
10. The optical modulator of claim 9 , wherein the transparent material comprises a transparent polymer.
11. The optical modulator of claim 9 , wherein the transparent material comprises SU-8 photoresist.
12. The optical modulator of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a nanoscale structure.
13. An optical modulator comprising:
an optical waveguide;
a first graphene sheet disposed on the optical waveguide;
a first electrode in contact with the first graphene sheet;
an oxide layer disposed on the first graphene sheet;
a second graphene sheet disposed on the oxide layer; and
a second electrode in contact with the second graphene sheet.
14. The optical modulator of claim 13 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a material selected from a group consisting of silicon, silicon nitride, and silicon dioxide.
15. The optical modulator of claim 13 , wherein the oxide layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide, and silicon dioxide.
16. The optical modulator of claim 13 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a transparent material.
17. The optical modulator of claim 16 , wherein the transparent material comprises SU-8 photoresist.
18. The optical modulator of claim 13 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises a material that is doped.
19. The optical modulator of claim 13 , wherein the first graphene sheet and the second graphene sheet each comprise a a single layer of carbon atoms.
20. The optical modulator of claim 13 , wherein the first graphene sheet and the second graphene sheet each comprise multiple layers of carbon atoms.