Spin magneto-optical modulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017299904-A1
Application number	US-201615131267-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 18, 2016
Priority date	Apr 18, 2016
Publication date	Oct 19, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques are described for a device that includes an optical channel configured to transport an optical signal. The device further includes a magnetic material with low optical absorption through which a portion of the optical signal is configured to flow. The magnetic material is configured to receive an electrical signal that sets a magnetization state of the magnetic material. The magnetic material is further configured to modulate, based on the magnetization state, the portion of the optical signal flowing though the magnetic material.

First claim

1 . A device comprising:
an optical channel configured to transport an optical signal; and an optical ring resonator comprising a magnetic material with low optical absorption through which a portion of the optical signal is configured to flow, wherein the magnetic material is configured to:
receive an electrical signal that sets a magnetization state of the magnetic material, and
modulate, based on the magnetization state, the portion of the optical signal flowing though the magnetic material.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical signal comprises at least one of a spin current signal, a voltage signal, or an electric field.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetization state of the magnetic material sets a resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator.

5 . The device of claim 1 ,
wherein, in a first magnetization state of the magnetic material, a resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator is same as a wavelength of the optical signal and substantially all of the optical signal flows through the optical ring resonator and substantially none of the optical signal outputs via the optical channel, and wherein, in a second magnetization state of the magnetic material, the resonance wavelength of the optical ring resonator is different than the wavelength of the optical signal and substantially none of the optical signal flows through the optical ring resonator and substantially all of the optical signal flows through the optical channel.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the optical channel comprises a first optical channel, the device further comprising a second optical channel,
wherein, in a first magnetization state of the magnetic material, substantially all of the optical signal flows through the optical ring resonator and through the second optical channel and substantially none of the optical signal outputs via the first optical channel, and wherein, in a second magnetization state of the magnetic material, substantially all of the optical signal flows through the first optical channel and substantially none of the optical signal flows through the optical ring resonator and through the second optical channel.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material is configured to modulate the optical signal by at least rotating a polarization of the optical signal.

8 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a heavy metal coupled to a first side of the magnetic material, wherein the heavy metal is configured to:
receive the electrical signal; and
apply a spin-orbit torque induced by the electrical signal to set the magnetization state of the magnetic material.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the heavy metal comprises a first heavy metal, the device further comprising:
a second heavy metal coupled to a second side of the magnetic material opposite the first side, wherein the second heavy metal is configured to:
receive the electrical signal;
apply the spin-orbit torque induced by the electrical signal to set the magnetization state of the magnetic material.

10 . The device of claim 8 ,
wherein a thickness of the magnetic material is in a range of 1 nanometer to 100 nanometers, and wherein the heavy metal comprises one of, an alloy of, or a multilayer of: gold, silver, platinum, tantalum, or tungsten.

11 . The device of claim 1 ,
wherein the optical channel comprises a first optical channel, wherein the device comprises an integrated circuit including the first optical channel, a second optical channel, and the optical ring resonator, and wherein the magnetic material is deposited upon the second optical channel of the integrated circuit.

12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material comprises a magnetic garnet having non-reciprocal phase shift (NRPS) optical characteristic.

13 . A method comprising:
delivering an electrical signal to a magnetic material with low optical absorption; setting, based on the electrical signal, a magnetization state of the magnetic material; setting, based on the magnetization state, a resonance wavelength of an optical ring resonator including the magnetic material; applying an optical signal to the magnetic material; and modulating, based on the magnetization state, the optical signal.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the electrical signal comprises at least one of a spin current signal, a voltage signal, or an electric field.

15 . (canceled)

16 . The method of claim 13 ,
wherein delivering the electrical signal to the magnetic material comprises delivering the electrical signal to a heavy metal, coupled to a first side of the magnetic material; and wherein the method further comprises applying, based on the electrical signal, a spin-orbit torque to set the magnetization state of the magnetic material.

17 . The method of claim 16 ,
wherein the heavy metal comprises a first heavy metal; wherein delivering the electrical signal to the magnetic material further comprises delivering the electrical signal to a second heavy metal coupled to a second side of the magnetic material opposite the first side; and wherein the method further comprises applying, based on the electrical signal, a spin-orbit torque to set the magnetization state of the magnetic material.

18 . The method of claim 17 ,
wherein a thickness of the magnetic material is in a range of 1 nanometer to 1,000 nanometers, and wherein the heavy metal comprises one of, an alloy of, or a multilayer of: gold, silver, platinum, tantalum, or tungsten.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the magnetic material is deposited upon an optical channel of an integrated circuit.

20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the magnetic material comprises a magnetic garnet having non-reciprocal phase shift (NRPS) optical characteristic.

21 . A device comprising:
an optical channel configured to transport an optical signal; a magnetic material with low optical absorption through which a portion of the optical signal is configured to flow; and a heavy metal coupled to a first side of the magnetic material, wherein the heavy metal is configured to:
receive an electrical signal, and
apply a spin-orbit torque induced by the electrical signal to set a magnetization state of the magnetic material,
wherein the magnetic material is configured to modulate, based on the magnetization state, the portion of the optical signal flowing though the magnetic material.

22 . The device of claim 21 ,
wherein the heavy metal is a first heavy metal, wherein the device further comprises a second heavy metal coupled to a second side of the magnetic material opposite the first side, wherein the second heavy metal is configured to:
receive the electrical signal; and
apply the spin-orbit torque induced by the electrical signal to set the magnetization state of the magnetic material.

Assignees

• Univ Minnesota

Inventors

• Wang Jian-Ping
• Li Mo

Classifications

• H04B10/516

  Details of coding or modulation · CPC title

• G02F1/092

  Operation of the cell; Circuit arrangements · CPC title

• G02F2203/15

  involving resonance effects, e.g. resonantly enhanced interaction · CPC title

• G02F1/0136

  for the control of polarisation, e.g. state of polarisation [SOP] control, polarisation scrambling, TE-TM mode conversion or separation (G02F1/0353 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02F1/095 Primary

  in an optical waveguide structure · CPC title