Controlling phonons and photons at the wavelength scale: integrated photonics meets integrated phononics

• DOI: 10.1364/optica.6.000213
• Publication Date: 2019-02-15T16:57:59Z
• Authors: Amir H. Safavi-Na...; Dries Van Thourhout; Roel Baets; Raphaël Van Laer
• Keywords: Interfacing

Radio-frequency communication systems have long used bulk- and surface-acoustic-wave devices supporting ultrasonic mechanical waves to manipulate sense signals. These greatly improved our ability process microwaves by interfacing them orders-of-magnitude slower lower loss fields. In parallel, long-distance communications been dominated low-loss infrared optical photons. As electrical signal processing transmission approaches physical limits imposed energy dissipation, links are now being actively considered for mobile cloud technologies. Thus there is a strong driver wavelength-scale wave or "phononic" circuitry fabricated scalable semiconductor processes. With the advent of these circuits, new micro- nanostructures that combine electrical, elements emerged. devices, such as optomechanical waveguides resonators, photons gigahertz phonons ideally matched one another both wavelengths on order micrometers. The development phononic circuits has thus emerged vibrant field research pursued sensing applications well emerging quantum this review, we discuss key physics figures merit underpinning field. We also summarize state art in nanoscale electro- with focus platforms silicon. Finally, give perspectives what may bring challenges they face coming years. particular, believe hybrid incorporating highly coherent compact chip significant untapped potential electro-optic modulation, microwave-to-optical photon conversion, microwave processing.