Electro-optic and magneto-optic photonic devices based on multilayers photonic structures

TL;DR

This paper reviews and proposes various multilayer photonic structures that enable tunable optical properties via electric and magnetic stimuli, including liquid crystal infiltrated photonic crystals, metallic nanoparticle systems, and ITO-based electro-optic devices.

Contribution

It introduces new designs for tunable photonic devices using multilayer structures with electric and magnetic field responsiveness.

Findings

Liquid crystal infiltrated photonic crystals show tunable band gaps.

Metallic nanoparticle systems exhibit electric field-dependent optical responses.

ITO nanoparticle-based systems enable electro-optic tuning.

Abstract

In this work we describe different types of photonic structures that allow tunability of the photonic band gap upon the application of external stimuli, as the electric or magnetic field. We review and compare two porous 1D photonic crystals: in the first one a liquid crystal has been infiltrated in the pores of the nanoparticle network, while in the second one the optical response to the electric field of metallic nanoparticles has been exploited. Then, we present a 1D photonic crystal made with indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles, and we propose this system for electro-optic tuning. Finally, we describe a microcavity with a defect mode that is tuned in the near infrared by the magnetic field, envisaging a contact-less magneto-optic switch. These optical switches can find applications in ICT and electrochromic windows.