Integrated phase-change photonics for all-optical processing

Abstract

Embedding phase-change materials (PCMs) in on-chip photonic circuitry enables nonvolatile alloptical operation of integrated optical devices. This hybrid system has been used so far in terms of memory applications. However, it also provides the capability to all-optically process light signals. Here, we use picosecond pulses to demonstrate both all-optical routing and all-optical arithmetic operations within the on-chip photonic circuitry.