IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v7y2016i1d10.1038_ncomms13590.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Nanomechanical electro-optical modulator based on atomic heterostructures

Author

Listed:
  • P. A. Thomas

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • O. P. Marshall

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • F. J. Rodriguez

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • G. H. Auton

    (School of Computer Science, University of Manchester)

  • V. G. Kravets

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • D. Kundys

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • Y. Su

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • A. N. Grigorenko

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

Abstract

Two-dimensional atomic heterostructures combined with metallic nanostructures allow one to realize strong light–matter interactions. Metallic nanostructures possess plasmonic resonances that can be modulated by graphene gating. In particular, spectrally narrow plasmon resonances potentially allow for very high graphene-enabled modulation depth. However, the modulation depths achieved with this approach have so far been low and the modulation wavelength range limited. Here we demonstrate a device in which a graphene/hexagonal boron nitride heterostructure is suspended over a gold nanostripe array. A gate voltage across these devices alters the location of the two-dimensional crystals, creating strong optical modulation of its reflection spectra at multiple wavelengths: in ultraviolet Fabry–Perot resonances, in visible and near-infrared diffraction-coupled plasmonic resonances and in the mid-infrared range of hexagonal boron nitride’s upper Reststrahlen band. Devices can be extremely subwavelength in thickness and exhibit compact and truly broadband modulation of optical signals using heterostructures of two-dimensional materials.

Suggested Citation

  • P. A. Thomas & O. P. Marshall & F. J. Rodriguez & G. H. Auton & V. G. Kravets & D. Kundys & Y. Su & A. N. Grigorenko, 2016. "Nanomechanical electro-optical modulator based on atomic heterostructures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13590
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13590
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms13590
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/ncomms13590?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13590. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.