New Publication on Non-Volatile Silicon Mach-Zehnder Switches with Phase Change Materials
We are pleased to highlight the publication of the research paper “Non-Volatile Silicon Mach-Zehnder Switches with 0.7π Phase Shift Based on Graphene Heaters and Sb₂Se₃ Phase Change Material.” The work presents an innovative approach toward energy-efficient and programmable photonic devices that could play a key role in future integrated photonic systems.
At the heart of the research are non-volatile silicon Mach-Zehnder switches that combine graphene heaters with the phase change material Sb₂Se₃ (antimony selenide). This novel integration enables large optical phase shifts while eliminating the need for continuous electrical power during operation. As a result, the demonstrated technology represents an important step toward reducing energy consumption in photonic integrated circuits and advancing the development of highly efficient optical components.
The presented approach brings together low-loss phase change materials and scalable wafer-level fabrication technologies. By combining these elements, the researchers demonstrate a promising pathway toward programmable photonic integrated circuits that can be reconfigured with minimal energy requirements. Such devices have significant potential for future applications in neuromorphic computing, optical memory systems, and reconfigurable photonic architectures.
The research was conducted through a close collaboration between AMO GmbH and the Institute of Physics (IA) at RWTH Aachen University. The publication highlights the strength of interdisciplinary research at the intersection of photonics, advanced materials, and nanoelectronics. By combining expertise from multiple scientific disciplines, the team has made an important contribution to the ongoing development of next-generation energy-efficient photonic technologies.
The paper was authored by Jens Samland, Felix Hoff, Timo Veslin, Holger Lerch, Bartos Chmielak, Martin Otto, Caroline Porschatis, Bárbara Canto, Stephan Suckow, Matthias Wuttig, and Max Lemme. We warmly congratulate all authors on this outstanding achievement and their valuable contribution to the field of integrated photonics.
This research was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) through the NeuroSys Cluster4Future initiative, including NeuroSys Cluster4Future Project B (Grant No. 03ZU1106BB) and NeuroSys B.2 (Grant Nos. 03ZU2106FA and 03ZU2106BA).
Read the publication: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adom.202503295
