Solution processable transition metal dichalcogenides-based hybrids for photodetection

Transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs), as one of the most promising two-dimensional(2D) materials, have attracted considerable attention for use in photodetection applications over the past few years due to their distinct properties, such as atomic-scale thickness, tunable direct bandgaps, and decent carrier mobilities at room temperature. Compared with pure 2D TMDs, the construction of hybrids consisting of TMDs and other low-dimensional materials can further improve the performance of photodetectors including their spectral range, responsivity and detectivity, which significantly boosts interest in the development of TMDs-based photodetectors. On the other hand, solution-phase synthesis methods provide a facile strategy for the scalable production of TMD hybrids, opening an exciting avenue to develop low-cost devices. In this review, we summarize the material synthesis, characterizations, and photodetection applications of the solution processable TMDs-based hybrids, as well as provide insights into their prospects.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy chips based on two-dimensional materials beyond graphene

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(SERS) based on two-dimensional(2 D) materials has attracted great attention over the past decade. Compared with metallic materials, which enhance Raman signals via the surface plasmon effect, 2 D materials integrated on silicon substrates are ideal for use in the fabrication of plasmon-free SERS chips, with the advantages of outstanding fluorescence quenching capability, excellent biomolecular compatibility, tunable Fermi levels, and potentially lowcost material preparation. Moreover, recent studies have shown that the limits of detection of 2 D-material-based SERS may be comparable with those of metallic substrates, which has aroused significant research interest. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the advances in SERS chips based on 2 D materials. As several excellent reviews of graphene-enhanced Raman spectroscopy have been published in the past decade, here, we focus only on 2 D materials beyond graphene, i.e., transition metal dichalcogenides, black phosphorus, hexagonal boron nitride, 2 D titanium carbide or nitride, and their heterostructures. We hope that this paper can serve as a useful reference for researchers specializing in 2 D materials, spectroscopy, and diverse applications related to chemical and biological sensing.

Suspended nanomembrane silicon photonic integrated circuits

Leveraging the low linear and nonlinear absorption loss of silicon at mid-infrared(mid-IR)wavelengths,silicon photonic integrated circuits(PICs)have attracted significant attention for mid-IR applications including optical sensing,spectroscopy,and nonlinear optics.However,mid-IR silicon PICs typically show moderate performance compared to state-of-the-art silicon photonic devices operating in the telecommunication band.Here,we proposed and demonstrated suspended nanomembrane silicon(SNS)PICs with light-guiding within deep-subwavelength waveguide thickness for operation in the short-wavelength mid-IR region.We demonstrated key building components,namely,grating couplers,waveguide arrays,micro-resonators,etc.,which exhibit excellent performances in bandwidths,back reflections,quality factors,and fabrication tolerance.Moreover,the results show that the proposed SNS PICs have high compatibility with the multi-project wafer foundry services.Our study provides an unprecedented platform for mid-IR integrated photonics and applications.

Blazed subwavelength grating coupler

Short-wavelength mid-infrared(2–2.5 μm wave band) silicon photonics has been a growing area to boost the applications of integrated optoelectronics in free-space optical communications, laser ranging, and biochemical sensing. In this spectral region, multi-project wafer foundry services developed for the telecommunication band are easily adaptable with the low intrinsic optical absorption from silicon and silicon dioxide materials. However,light coupling techniques at 2–2.5 μm wavelengths, namely, grating couplers, still suffer from low efficiencies,mainly due to the moderated directionality and poor diffraction-field tailoring capability. Here, we demonstrate a foundry-processed blazed subwavelength coupler for high-efficiency, wide-bandwidth, and large-tolerance light coupling. We subtly design multi-step-etched hybrid subwavelength grating structures to significantly improve directionality, as well as an apodized structure to tailor the coupling strength for improving the optical mode overlap and backreflection. Experimental results show that the grating coupler has a recorded coupling efficiency of-4.53 dB at a wavelength of 2336 nm with a 3-dB bandwidth of ~107 nm. The study opens an avenue to developing state-of-the-art light coupling techniques for short-wavelength mid-infrared silicon photonics.

Progress on mid-IR graphene photonics and biochemical applications

Mid-infrared （mid-IR） （2-20 μm） photonics has numerous chemical and biologic ＂fingerprint＂ sensing applications due to characteristic vibrational transitions of molecules in the mid-IR spectral region. Unfortunately, compared to visible light and telecommunication band wavelengths, photonic devices and applications have been difficult to develop at mid-IR wavelengths because of the intrinsic limitation of conventional materials. Breaking a new ground in the mid-IR science and technology calls for revolutionary materials. Graphene, a single atom layer of carbon arranged in a honey-comb lattice, has various promising optical and electrical properties because of its linear dispersion band structure and zero band gap features. In this review article, we discuss recent research develop- ments on mid-IR graphene photonics, in particular ultrafast lasers and photodetectors. Graphene-photonics-based biochemical applications, such as plasmonic sensing, photo- dynamic therapy, and florescence imaging are also reviewed.

High-Q germanium optical nanocavity

Mid-infrared(MIR) integrated photonics has attracted broad interest due to its promising applications in biochemical sensing, environmental monitoring, disease diagnosis, and optical communication. Among MIR integration platforms, germanium-based platforms hold many excellent properties, such as wide transparency windows, high refractive indices, and high nonlinear coefficients; however, the development of MIR germanium photonic devices is still in its infancy. Specifically, MIR high-Q germanium resonators with comparable performance to their silicon counterparts remain unprecedented. Here we experimentally demonstrate an MIR germanium nanocavity with a Q factor of ~18,000, the highest-to-date of reported nanocavities across MIR germanium-based integration platforms. This is achieved through a combination of a feasible theoretical design,Smart-Cut methods for wafer development, and optimized device fabrication processes. Our nanocavity, with its high Q factor and ultrasmall mode volume, opens new avenues for on-chip applications in the MIR spectral range.

Integrated optoelectronics with two-dimensional materials

As we enter the post-Moore era,heterogeneous optoelectronic integrated circuits(OEICs)are attracting significant attention as an alternative approach to scaling to smaller-sized transistors.Two-dimensional(2D)materials,offering a range of intriguing optoelectronic properties as semiconductors,semimetals,and insulators,provide great potential for developing nextgeneration heterogeneous OEICs.For instance,Fermi levels of 2D materials can be tuned by applying electrical voltages,while their atomically thin geometries are inherently suited for the fabrication of planar devices without suffering from lattice mismatch.Since the first graphene-on-silicon OEICs were demonstrated in 2011,2D-material heterogeneous OEICs have significantly progressed.To date,researchers have a better understanding of the importance of interface states on the optical properties of chip-integrated 2D materials.Moreover,there has been impressive progress towards the use of 2D materials for waveguide-integrated lasers,modulators,and photodetectors.In this review,we summarize the history,status,and trend of integrated optoelectronics with 2D materials.

Optical bistability in a silicon nitride microring integrated with 2D PtSe_(2)[Invited]

Optical bistability can be used to explore key components of all-optical information processing systems,such as optical switches and optical random memories.The hybrid integration of emerged two-dimensional layered PtSe_(2)with waveguides is promising for the applications.We demonstrated the optical bistability in the PtSe_(2)-on-silicon nitride microring resonator induced by a thermo-optic effect.The fabricated device has a resonance-increasing rate of 6.8 pm/mW with increasing optical power.We also established a theoretical model to explain the observation and analyze the device's performance.The study is expected to provide a new scheme for realizing all-optical logic devices in next-generation information processing systems.