All-optical modulation and sdwitching with patterned optically absorbing polymers

Abstract

All-optical processing devices that include patterned optically active polymers. The devices that are constructed according to principles of the invention include at least one optical input port and at least one optical output port, respectively configured to accept optical input signals and provide optical output signals. The devices include optically active material such as organic polymers that interact with illumination at a first wavelength to change at least one optical property in a non-linear manner. The optically active polymer can be placed adjacent one or more waveguides that allow the input illumination to propagate. As the optical property of the optically active material is changed by the incident illumination, the propagating illumination undergoes a modulation or change in phase, thereby providing an optical output signal having a desired relation to the optical input signal, such as the result of a logical or a computational operation.

1 . An all-optical signal processing device, comprising:
 an optical input of said all-optical signal processing device configured to accept an optical signal as input;   an optical output of said all-optical signal processing device configured to provide a modulated optical signal as output; and
 a plurality of interaction regions configured to permit said optical input signal to interact in each of said plurality of interaction regions with a selected cladding comprising a material that exhibits enhanced optical absorption of one or more input signals to produce one or more modulated optical output signals, said interaction region comprising a high index contrast waveguide adjacent an insulating surface of a substrate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of interaction regions is configured to permit said optical input signal to interact with at least another optical signal. 
     
     
         3 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said high index contrast waveguide is a selected one of a ridge waveguide, a rib waveguide and a slot waveguide. 
     
     
         4 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 3 , wherein said high index contrast slot waveguide has at least two stripes defining said slot; and at least some of said cladding is situated within said slot. 
     
     
         5 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is a silicon wafer. 
     
     
         6 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 5 , wherein said insulating surface is a layer comprising silicon and oxygen. 
     
     
         7 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is selected from one of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and silicon-on-sapphire (SOS). 
     
     
         8 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said slot is less than or equal to 100 nanometers in width. 
     
     
         9 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said optical input comprises an input waveguide for coupling optical radiation into said high index contrast waveguide. 
     
     
         10 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said all-optical signal processing device is a logic gate. 
     
     
         11 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 10 , wherein said logic gate is a selected one of an AND gate, an OR gate, a NAND a NOR, and an XOR gate. 
     
     
         12 . The all-optical signal processing device  claim 1 , wherein said all-optical signal processing device is a selected one of an optical latch and an optical memory. 
     
     
         13 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said all-optical signal processing device is a variable delay line. 
     
     
         14 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said all-optical signal processing device is a self-oscillator. 
     
     
         15 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said all-optical signal processing device is a multiplexer. 
     
     
         16 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said all-optical signal processing device is a demultiplexer. 
     
     
         17 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said all-optical signal processing device is a selected one of a clock and a clock multiplier. 
     
     
         18 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said cladding material is infiltrated into a slot of a slot waveguide. 
     
     
         19 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein said cladding material, upon absorbing single or multiple photons of one frequency, produces a local change in refractive index or dielectric constant for propagating modes of another frequency. 
     
     
         20 . The all-optical signal processing device of  claim 1 , wherein a system comprises a plurality of such devices on the same substrate, each of which may comprise different cladding materials.