The main objective of CIRCULIGHT is to develop a new technology for monolithically integrated optical circulators and isolators which is compatible with any Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) platform. Extreme miniaturization and integration of multiple photonic functions into PICs suffer from the lack of this essential building block: the optical circulator is a central device that allows the others to be brought together in PICs without unwanted interactions. Such a non-reciprocal (NR) element would enable full integration of active and passive devices and diversify circuit architectures. The extraordinary potential of photonics and its decisive advantage to provide energy consumption reduction will impact across a wide range of applications of high economic and societal value, such as optical fiber communications, data processing, sensing, neuromorphic computing, medical diagnosis and food industry (labs-on-chip), etc.. With that purpose, the methodology of CIRCULIGHT includes the scientific and technological breakthroughs leading to the new device, as well as the co-creation of its exploitation roadmap, including the identification of key technology and market development activities, infrastructure and facilities, training and education.
In the landscape of previous non-reciprocal devices, CIRCULIGHT explores a new approach, which combines Transverse Magneto-Optical Effect (TMOKE) with a mode-coupling mechanism in a plasmonic slot waveguide: this so-called Magneto-Biplasmonic (MBP) concept enables compact and broadband non-reciprocal devices, even with low gyrotropy MO material such as MO composite sol-gel material which can be deposited on any photonic platform.
In that context, the general objectives of the project are to demonstrate:
Objective 1 MO material universal deposition technique (nanoparticle-composite sol-gel) into guided photonic device
Objective 2 Magneto-biplasmonic (MBP) concept demonstration and relevance for integrated circulator
Objective 3 Proof-of-concept of user-oriented laser-circulator-receiver integration on any photonic platform
Objective 4 Stakeholder co-created application and exploitation roadmap towards societal impact
More precisely, we will consider the case of three-port circulators, based on MBP effect, with gold or silver as plasmonic metal and composite sol-gel as MO material, integrated on InP or silicon platform (Fig. 1).
