title: PlasMOStor: a metal-oxide-Si field effect plasmonic modulator.
abstract: Realization of chip-based all-optical and optoelectronic computational networks will require ultracompact Si-compatible modulators, ideally comprising dimensions, materials, and functionality similar to electronic complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) components. Here we demonstrate such a modulator, based on field-effect modulation of plasmon waveguide modes in a MOS geometry. Near-infrared transmission between an optical source and drain is controlled by a gate voltage that drives the MOS into accumulation. Using the gate oxide as an optical channel, electro-optic modulation is achieved in device volumes of half of a cubic wavelength with femtojoule switching energies and the potential for gigahertz modulation frequencies.
authors.affiliation: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dionne
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diest
authors.forename: Luke A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Sweatlock
authors.forename: Harry A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Atwater